Rules revised for permanent resident status

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, October 1, 2026

Japan has tightened its permanent residency requirements by raising income, pension, language proficiency, and integration standards, with some changes taking effect as early as April 2026. These stricter rules aim to ensure applicants can sustain themselves financially, integrate into society, and reduce reliance on public support, while also expanding scrutiny to previously exempt groups like spouses and children of Japanese nationals.

Japan has revised its guidelines for permanent residency eligibility, introducing stricter income, pension, and Japanese-language proficiency requirements. These changes, announced by the government, aim to ensure that applicants can sustain stable livelihoods and integrate effectively into Japanese society.

While most new criteria will take effect for applications submitted from April 2027, revisions to the minimum income standards will apply retroactively to applications filed from April 2026. Under the updated rules, applicants must demonstrate that their income has consistently exceeded the average household income for Japanese families of similar size. Rather than specifying fixed income thresholds, authorities will reference various government surveys to assess applicants’ financial standing.

In addition to income, applicants’ expected pension benefits will be evaluated. The projected pension amount is generally expected to be comparable to that of someone who has participated in Japan’s employee pension system for 30 years at the required income level. In cases where pension forecasts fall short, applicants’ financial assets may be taken into consideration.

A new Japanese-language proficiency requirement mandates that applicants possess at least a B1 level under the Framework for Japanese-Language Education, which aligns with roughly N3 on the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. Officials explained that this standard was chosen to reflect the expectation that permanent residents will establish long-term lives in Japan, integrate into local communities, and manage daily activities without significant language barriers.

Applicants may also be evaluated on their understanding of Japan’s societal systems and rules, though the specific enforcement mechanisms remain unclear. Additionally, failure to ensure school-age children attend compulsory education could negatively influence application outcomes.

The government has tightened its approach toward applicants who might become public burdens, extending stricter scrutiny even to groups previously exempt from independent livelihood requirements. This includes spouses and children of Japanese nationals, permanent residents, special permanent residents, and refugees.

Furthermore, the period required for spouses of Japanese nationals and permanent residents to qualify for permanent residence has been extended. Previously, applicants could qualify after three years of marriage and one year of residence; the revised guidelines increase these thresholds to five years of marriage and three years of residence.

During a recent one-month consultation period ending September 4, the Immigration Services Agency (ISA) received over 5,000 public comments on the new residency guidelines and nearly 2,900 submissions regarding rules on revocation of permanent resident status. Under the updated rules, permanent residency may be revoked if the holder intentionally evades taxes, becomes a public burden, violates provisions of the Immigration Control Act—such as failing to carry a residence card—or otherwise breaks the law.

These revisions reflect Japan’s broader efforts to tighten immigration controls and enforce regulations more rigorously among foreign residents.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.