Japan has significantly tightened its permanent residency (PR) requirements for foreign nationals, introducing stricter criteria for income, pension contributions, and Japanese language proficiency, with some changes taking effect on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
The new measures are part of a policy by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to strengthen immigration control. Effective Thursday, the application fee for permanent residency has increased 20-fold, rising from 10,000 yen to 200,000 yen. Hundreds of people reportedly queued at an immigration office in Tokyo, hoping to complete their application process before the fee hike.
New income standards, which will be applied retroactively to applications pending since April 2026, require applicants to prove their annual household income exceeds the average Japanese household income. In 2024, the average annual household income in Japan was approximately 5.75 million yen.
Most of the additional requirements, including those concerning pension and Japanese language proficiency, will apply to applications filed from April 2027. Applicants will need to demonstrate at least a B1 level of Japanese language competency, roughly equivalent to an N3 level on the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). Additionally, they must prove eligibility for potential pension benefits comparable to individuals who have paid pension insurance for at least 30 years.
The new rules also stipulate that applicants must show an “inclination” towards Japan’s social rules. From April 1, 2027, permanent residency status can be revoked if an individual is found to have intentionally failed to pay taxes or other public charges. Furthermore, applicants will be required to hold the longest available visa, typically a five-year visa, for their respective visa category when applying for PR.
The tightening of immigration rules comes amid growing anti-immigration sentiment in Japan, despite a rapidly aging population and labor shortages across various sectors. Prime Minister Takaichi has consistently advocated for stricter immigration policies. This follows a move by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) last year, in October 2025, to stiffen the requirements for “Business Manager Visas.” Those changes included increasing the minimum capital requirement from 5 million yen to 30 million yen, along with additional demands for Japanese language proficiency, management experience, and the employment of full-time staff.
The Immigration Services Agency (ISA), Japan’s government body for immigration, had sought public comments on the draft guidelines for permanent residency from August 4 to September 4, 2026.
While the new rules are expected to deter some foreign nationals from applying for permanent residency, they do not include provisions for immediate expulsion from Japan. Holders of “Business Manager Visas” have been granted a three-year transitional period, until October 16, 2028, to adapt to the new regulations.
However, some details remain unclear. The specific surveys the Immigration Services Agency will reference for the average household income standard have not yet been publicly detailed. Similarly, clear and measurable criteria for demonstrating an “inclination” or “understanding” of Japan’s social rules have not been provided. Experts have also raised questions about how these new rules will address Japan’s declining population and persistent labor force shortages, and concerns have been voiced by various groups regarding the long-term impact on foreign workers and entrepreneurs in Japan.
