PROGOS AI Business English Speaking Test

PROGOS is the business English speaking test of the RareJob group in Tokyo. RareJob, Inc. was established on 18 October 2007 and focuses on assessing and developing global leaders; its corporate business was run through the subsidiary PROGOS Inc. from 2021. The test addresses a common gap for Japanese and Asian employers: reading and listening scores exist, but spoken English used at work is rarely measured.

The 20-minute online test follows the CEFR from Pre-A1 to C levels and has five parts: interview, reading aloud, presentation, presentation with a graphic and a role-play communication activity. AI automatic scoring evaluates free responses and returns results in about two minutes on average, with detailed feedback and an administrator site for HR. An online proctoring option uses AI and manual checks of video and audio. More than 1,500 companies and education institutions use it for hiring, promotion requirements and training design.

• Five-part test: interview, reading aloud, presentation, graphic presentation and role-play.
• CEFR alignment: levels from Pre-A1 to B2 High and above with can-do descriptors.
• AI automatic scoring: free responses scored with detailed feedback in about two minutes.
• Admin site: HR and training managers view results to design programmes.
• Online proctoring: AI and human review of video and audio after the test.
• Mobile app: a free app version lets employees take the test regularly.

• Japanese-invested companies in Vietnam using PROGOS as an English speaking requirement for promotion to manager roles.
• Hotels and resorts screening front-office candidates with an AI-scored speaking test.
• Universities measuring the speaking level of all students before and after English programmes.

• Objective speaking data: AI scoring aligned to CEFR makes spoken business English comparable across staff and candidates.
• Fast and low cost: results in about two minutes; the AI-scored version costs 550 yen per test, and the standard price is 1,100 yen including tax.
• Test integrity: optional online proctoring adds AI identity checks and manual review for 2,750 yen per test.
• Scale: over one million tests taken in five years, so organisations can benchmark against a large dataset.

Employers in Asia are shifting from paper-based English scores to direct measurement of spoken skills for hiring, promotion and overseas assignments. PROGOS data released in 2025 showed large speaking gaps in sectors such as hospitality as inbound tourism grows. Vietnam's tourism, outsourcing and Japanese-invested companies face similar needs to verify employees' practical English quickly and at low cost.

RareJob, Inc. was established on 18 October 2007, HQ Shibuya, Tokyo, with branches in Nagoya and Osaka. PROGOS Inc. was spun off as RareJob's corporate subsidiary in March 2021. Awards: Silver in Learning Assessment at Reimagine Education Award 2020 and a startup award at the 6th HR Technology Award. Users include Amazon Japan, Chuo University and Kirirom Institute of Technology in Cambodia.