Japan Tightens Permanent Residency Rules: Income, Pension and Language Requirements Now Mandatory from April 2027
TOKYO, October 2, 2026 — Japan has formally approved stricter permanent residency requirements, with the revised guidelines taking effect from 1 October 2026 for income criteria and 1 April 2027 for pension, language and other requirements.
The changes, approved by the Immigration Services Agency, introduce concrete benchmarks for the first time in several areas previously left to the discretion of immigration authorities. According to VisasUpdate's earlier coverage, the reforms were outlined by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in a series of social media posts on 27 September 2026, describing them as necessary to ensure permanent residency remains a "stable legal status" granted only after careful examination.
What the New Requirements Entail
Income Requirement
Applicants must now demonstrate that their household annual income exceeds the average income of Japanese households, adjusted for household size.
As VisasUpdate reported, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare survey cited by Asahi Shimbun puts the average income per household at approximately ¥5.8 million. The revised guideline requires that this income level be continuously maintained, not merely achieved at the time of application.
Income is assessed on a household basis, and income earned by family members on non-work visas cannot be counted toward the total. Dependants living abroad are included in the household size calculation, raising the required threshold.
Pension Requirement
For the first time, applicants must demonstrate that their projected future pension benefits reach the level equivalent to 30 years of enrolment in the employees' pension system at the required income level.
Shortfalls can be offset by financial assets, with the required asset threshold varying by age — younger applicants face lower benchmarks.
Language and Integration
The revised guidelines add new criteria under the "national interest" requirement:
Requirement | Standard |
Japanese Language | CEFR B1 level (independent user) |
Understanding of Japanese Systems | Assessed; insufficient understanding negatively evaluated |
Children's Schooling | Failure to enrol school-age children negatively evaluated |
The guidelines also state that permanent residency must "affirmatively and concretely benefit Japan" — a shift from the previous standard of merely not conflicting with Japanese interests.
Spouse Exception Tightened
The special exception for spouses of Japanese citizens and permanent residents has been extended:
Aspect | Previous | New |
Marriage Duration | 3 years | 5 years |
Residence in Japan | 1 year | 3 years |
Fee Increases: Twentyfold Rise for Permanent Residency
The government approved fee increases at a Cabinet meeting on 25 August 2026, with the changes taking effect on 1 October 2026.
Application Type | Previous Fee | New Fee |
Permanent Residency | ¥10,000 | ¥200,000 |
Residence Status Change/Renewal | ¥5,500 | Varies by duration |
As VisasUpdate detailed, residence permit fees now vary based on the authorised period, ranging from ¥10,000 for three months or less to ¥65,000 for five years or more. Online applications carry lower fees than in-person submissions.
Important: Applications submitted on or before 30 September 2026 will be processed under the old fee schedule, even if approval is granted after 1 October.
Application Timeline
Requirement | Effective Date |
Income Requirement | 1 October 2026 (applies retroactively to applications filed from April 2026) |
Pension, Language & Other Criteria | 1 April 2027 |
The Immigration Services Agency stated that the income requirement applies to applications filed from April 2026 onwards that remain under review, citing the importance of assessing self-sufficiency.
Opposition and Concerns
The reforms have drawn criticism from civil society organisations and even from within the ruling coalition.
"Even Japanese people would struggle to meet these standards."— Kankin Kin, Part-time Lecturer, Osaka Tokiwakai University
A member of the Liberal Democratic Party expressed concern:
"This is for the election. But even if it lifts votes in the short term, local areas will grind to a halt. If Japan loses its appeal to foreign workers, they will stop coming."
The advocacy group Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan (Migrants Network) issued a statement opposing the guideline revisions, arguing they "effectively close the path to permanent residency for many foreign nationals" and "directly contradict a multicultural society".
The Immigration Services Agency reported receiving 8,030 public comments on the draft revisions. While some supported the changes, others described them as discriminatory or called for even stricter criteria. The agency stated it judged the revisions appropriate for "optimising the permanent residency system".
Broader Context: Japan's Digital Border Revolution
The permanent residency changes come as Japan prepares for its most significant border transformation in decades. As VisasUpdate's JESTA guide explains, the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization (JESTA), signed into law as Law No. 32 of 2026, will require travellers from visa-exempt nations to obtain digital pre-approval before boarding any flight or vessel bound for Japan by fiscal 2028.
The system is designed to shift screening upstream — before travellers reach an airport gate — addressing three core problems identified by the Immigration Services Agency: no pre-screening for visa-exempt travellers, costly deportations, and long immigration queues. Japan welcomed a record 39.18 million foreign visitors in 2025, with roughly 80% arriving under visa-exempt arrangements.
Quick Reference Summary
Aspect | Details |
Effective Date | 1 October 2026 (income); 1 April 2027 (pension, language) |
Income Requirement | Above average Japanese household income |
Pension Requirement | 30-year employee's pension equivalent |
Language Requirement | CEFR B1 level |
Spouse Exception | Marriage 5 years, residence 3 years |
Permanent Residency Fee | ¥10,000 → ¥200,000 |
Public Comments Received | 8,030 |
Official Resources
Resource | Link |
Immigration Services Agency – Revised PR Guidelines | |
Fee Revision Information | |
Public Comment Archive |
For the latest immigration updates, visa policy changes, and 2026 developments worldwide, visit: visasupdate.com/blog/category/japan
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