Japan has raised the fee for foreigners seeking permanent residency 20-fold, from 10,000 yen to 200,000 yen, as the government tightens the requirements for those seeking to settle in the country permanently.The new fee took effect on October 1. Applications submitted by September 30 remain subject to the old 10,000-yen charge, even if approval comes after the fee change.The steep increase is part of a broader overhaul of Japan’s permanent residency system. Revised guidelines introduce stricter standards on income and pension eligibility, while a Japanese-language requirement is also being introduced. Most of the new criteria will apply to applications filed from April 2027, although the revised income standard can apply to applications submitted as early as April 2026.
Why is Japan tightening permanent residency rules?
The changes come as Japan’s foreign resident population reaches record levels. There were 4.125 million foreign residents in Japan at the end of 2025, according to the Immigration Services Agency, up from about 2.23 million a decade earlier.The government has linked the fee increases to the rising administrative burden of managing a growing foreign population. A bill enacted in May raised the statutory ceiling for permanent residency fees from 10,000 yen to 300,000 yen, allowing the government to set the actual charge at 200,000 yen.Prime minister Sanae Takaichi’s government has made the management of immigration and the integration of foreign residents a policy priority, while Japan continues to rely on overseas workers amid an ageing population and labour shortages.Applicants must now demonstrate that they can support themselves financially, with the revised guidelines requiring income to continuously exceed the average for Japanese households of a comparable size.Pension requirements have also been tightened. Applicants’ projected pension benefits must meet a benchmark equivalent to what a person would receive after 30 years in the employees’ pension system at the relevant income level. Those whose projected benefits fall short can have savings and other assets taken into account.Japanese-language ability is another new element. The revised guidelines include Japanese proficiency among the factors considered in permanent residency screening, with most of the new requirements taking effect for applications from April 2027.The changes build on earlier tightening of the system. In February, Japan revised its permanent residency guidelines to make screening stricter for applicants with a history of unpaid taxes and social insurance or healthcare premiums, even if those payments were subsequently made.The fee increase triggered a rush at immigration offices in the days before it took effect.Tokyo’s main immigration bureau was packed with foreign residents on September 28, with applicants reporting waits of up to 7½ hours as they tried to complete procedures before the new fees came into force.Those unable to submit applications before the deadline now face the new 200,000-yen fee.Some applicants who meet specific criteria can receive a reduction. Under the new system, eligible permanent residency applicants can pay 20,000 yen instead, while certain categories can qualify for fee exemptions.
Japan is getting stricter as it gets more dependent
The country is dealing with an ageing population and labour shortages that have increased its reliance on foreign workers, even as the rapid growth in the number of foreign residents has fuelled debate over immigration and integration.Takaichi has said her government wants an “orderly inclusive society” and has backed measures aimed at helping foreign residents understand Japanese language, culture and social rules. A government working group has been examining a structured Japanese-language and social-orientation programme for foreign residents, with a trial planned for fiscal 2028.The result is a two-track approach: Japan continues to bring in foreign workers to help address demographic and labour pressures, while raising the financial, administrative and integration standards for those seeking to remain permanently.
