Japan’s Immigration Services Agency revised its Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence on October 1, 2026.
The revised guidelines introduce several important changes to the way Permanent Residence (PR) applications will be assessed, including new considerations relating to:
- household income,
- pension coverage and future pension benefits,
- periods spent outside Japan,
- Japanese-language ability,
- understanding of Japanese rules and systems, and
- school attendance for children of compulsory-school age.
Most of the new rules will apply to applications filed on or after April 1, 2027.
However, the revised income standard is particularly important because it may also affect certain applications that were already pending as of October 1, 2026.
If you are currently considering applying for Permanent Residence in Japan, it is important to understand not only whether you qualify under the current rules, but also when you should apply.
This article explains the major changes in practical terms.
Table of Contents
- What Are the Guidelines for Permanent Residence in Japan?
- The Three Basic Legal Requirements for Permanent Residence
- Major Changes to Japan’s Permanent Residence Guidelines
- Changes to the Special Residence Period for Spouses and Children
- Tax and Social Insurance Compliance Will Remain Critical
- Do You Need a Five-Year Period of Stay to Apply for PR?
- Who Should Review Their PR Strategy Now?
- Permanent Residence Applications Are Assessed Individually
- Considering Permanent Residence in Japan?
What Are the Guidelines for Permanent Residence in Japan?
Permanent Residence in Japan is governed by Article 22 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act.
Although every PR application is assessed individually based on the applicant’s overall circumstances, the Immigration Services Agency publishes guidelines explaining the basic factors considered when determining whether Permanent Residence should be granted.
These guidelines are important because they provide applicants with a clearer picture of the standards immigration authorities use when reviewing PR applications.
The Three Basic Legal Requirements for Permanent Residence
1. Good Conduct
The applicant should comply with Japanese laws and maintain appropriate conduct in daily life.
Criminal offenses, repeated traffic violations, or other legal problems may negatively affect the application depending on the circumstances.
2. Financial Independence
The applicant must have sufficient assets, income, or professional ability to support themselves without becoming a public burden.
This requirement does not necessarily mean that the applicant alone must earn all household income. In many cases, the financial situation of the household as a whole is relevant.
3. Permanent Residence Must Be in Japan’s Interests
This is a broad requirement that includes factors such as:
- length of residence in Japan,
- compliance with tax and social insurance obligations,
- current period of stay,
- family and social circumstances, and
- other factors relevant to the applicant’s integration and stability in Japan.
The October 2026 revision makes several aspects of the second and third requirements more specific.
Major Changes to Japan’s Permanent Residence Guidelines
1. Household Income Standards
Applicable to Certain Applications Filed on or After April 1, 2026
Until now, practitioners often used approximately JPY 3 million in annual income, with additional amounts for dependents, as a practical reference point when assessing PR eligibility.
The revised guidelines take a different approach.
The applicant’s household income is now expected to be at a level that exceeds the average income of a Japanese household of a comparable size.
This is an important change because the focus is no longer simply on a fixed numerical benchmark.
Factors such as the following may become increasingly important:
- number of people in the household,
- total household income,
- number of dependents, and
- overall financial stability.
At present, the Immigration Services Agency has not published one specific income figure that automatically determines approval or refusal.
Important: This Rule May Affect Pending Applications
This income standard applies not only to future applications.
It may also apply to applications that:
- were filed on or after April 1, 2026, and
- were still pending on October 1, 2026.
Applicants with pending PR applications should therefore review whether their household income remains sufficient under the revised standard.
2. Pension Record and Expected Future Pension Benefits
Applicable from April 1, 2027
Until now, one of the most important pension-related factors in a PR application has been whether the applicant properly enrolled in the required public pension system and paid contributions by the applicable deadlines.
Under the revised guidelines, the assessment will become broader.
Immigration authorities may consider:
- the applicant’s age,
- their entire period of required pension enrollment,
- their pension contribution history,
- their current income, and
- the estimated amount of pension benefits they may receive in the future.
The assessment may compare the applicant’s expected pension benefits with the level that might be expected from a person who had worked for approximately 30 years at an income above the average Japanese household level while enrolled in the Employees’ Pension Insurance system.
However, this does not necessarily mean that an applicant with a lower projected pension benefit will automatically be refused.
If the household has sufficient financial assets to compensate for the expected shortfall, those assets may also be taken into account.
In principle, pension expectations and compensating assets are assessed on a household basis.
3. Long Periods Spent Outside Japan
Applicable from April 1, 2027
For applicants relying on the general 10-year residence route, long periods spent outside Japan may become particularly important.
Under the revised guidelines, an applicant may be assessed negatively if, without a reasonable explanation, during the previous 10 years they have:
- remained outside Japan for six months or more on a single departure, or
- spent a total of two years and six months or more outside Japan.
This does not necessarily mean that every long absence results in automatic refusal.
The reason for the absence and the applicant’s overall circumstances remain important.
For example, overseas business assignments, family emergencies, medical treatment, or other unavoidable circumstances may need to be properly explained and documented.
Applicants who travel frequently for work should review their travel history carefully before applying.
Long periods outside Japan may also affect applications filed under routes other than the general 10-year route.
4. Japanese-Language Ability
Applicable from April 1, 2027
Japanese-language ability will become an explicit consideration in PR applications.
The revised guidelines refer to approximately B1 level under the Japanese language education framework.
At approximately this level, a person is generally expected to have sufficient Japanese ability to manage many ordinary situations in daily and social life.
However, this does not mean that every PR applicant will automatically be required to submit a B1-level Japanese-language certificate.
There are exceptions.
For example, the Japanese-language factor may be treated differently for certain categories of applicants, including:
- certain Highly Skilled Professionals and their family members,
- persons who have received at least six years of elementary or secondary education in Japan, and
- certain children of Permanent Residents who meet specified conditions.
The application of this requirement will therefore depend on the applicant’s individual immigration and educational background.
5. Understanding Japanese Rules and Systems
Applicable from April 1, 2027
Applicants may also be expected to demonstrate a basic understanding of Japanese systems, laws, and rules that are important for everyday life in Japan.
The Immigration Services Agency has indicated that the assessment will primarily relate to matters covered in Japan’s official Living and Work Guidebook.
This may include topics such as:
- taxes,
- social insurance,
- employment rules,
- everyday laws,
- emergency procedures, and
- basic responsibilities of residents in Japan.
The Immigration Services Agency is expected to designate the method used to confirm this level of understanding.
Applicants who demonstrate little understanding of Japanese rules, or little willingness to understand them, may be assessed negatively.
6. School Attendance for Children of Compulsory-School Age
Applicable from April 1, 2027
The revised guidelines also introduce a new consideration regarding children of compulsory-school age.
If a PR applicant is raising a child who falls within Japan’s compulsory-school age range, immigration authorities may consider whether the child is attending elementary or junior high school.
If the applicant themselves is of compulsory-school age, their own school attendance may also be considered.
The purpose is to assess whether the applicant and their family are appropriately integrated into life in Japan.
Families preparing a PR application should therefore carefully review their children’s educational situation.
Changes to the Special Residence Period for Spouses and Children
One of the particularly important changes concerns applicants who qualify for an exception to the normal 10-year residence requirement.
Under the previous guideline, a spouse of a:
- Japanese national,
- Permanent Resident, or
- Special Permanent Resident
could generally qualify for the shortened residence requirement if the genuine marital relationship had continued for at least three years and the applicant had continuously lived in Japan for at least one year.
Under the revised guideline, the relevant periods become:
- at least five years of genuine marriage, and
- at least three continuous years of residence in Japan.
For certain biological children, the required continuous period of residence in Japan will also change from one year to three years.
These changes are scheduled to apply from April 1, 2027.
Applicants who currently qualify under the existing rules should therefore pay particular attention to the timing of their application.
Tax and Social Insurance Compliance Will Remain Critical
Payment of taxes and public charges has long been one of the most important parts of a Permanent Residence application.
The revised guidelines make this even clearer.
Relevant obligations may include:
- income tax,
- resident tax,
- corporate tax where applicable,
- fixed asset tax,
- public health insurance premiums, and
- public pension contributions.
Failure to properly pay these obligations may negatively affect a PR application.
Timely payment is particularly important.
Even where all outstanding amounts have eventually been paid, repeated late payments may still cause problems during immigration review.
Applicants should therefore check their tax and social insurance records well before filing their PR application.
Do You Need a Five-Year Period of Stay to Apply for PR?
Another important issue concerns the applicant’s current period of stay.
As a general principle, applicants for Permanent Residence are expected to hold the longest available period of stay for their current residence status.
Until March 31, 2027, a person holding a three-year period of stay may continue to be treated as satisfying this requirement.
There are also transitional measures for certain applicants after April 1, 2027.
For example, a person who holds a three-year period of stay as of March 31, 2027 may, under certain conditions, still be treated as holding the longest period of stay for their first PR application filed after April 1, 2027.
However, this transitional treatment is subject to specific conditions.
Importantly, it may not be sufficient simply to file the PR application before the three-year residence period expires. Depending on the transitional rules, the immigration decision may also need to be issued before that period of stay expires.
The timing of the PR application should therefore be considered carefully.
Who Should Review Their PR Strategy Now?
The revised guidelines may be particularly important for people who:
- are planning to apply for PR in 2026 or early 2027,
- currently hold a three-year period of stay,
- qualify under the spouse or child exception,
- have spent substantial periods outside Japan,
- travel overseas frequently for work,
- have a limited Japanese pension record,
- have several dependents,
- are raising school-age children,
- have concerns regarding Japanese-language ability, or
- already have a PR application pending.
For some applicants, filing before April 1, 2027 may be significant.
For others, applying too quickly without first addressing income, tax, pension, travel-history, or other issues may create unnecessary risk.
There is no single filing strategy that is appropriate for everyone.
Permanent Residence Applications Are Assessed Individually
The revised guidelines do not mean that PR applications will be decided according to one simple checklist.
Permanent Residence continues to involve a comprehensive review of the applicant’s individual circumstances.
For example, immigration authorities may look at:
- residence history,
- family circumstances,
- employment and income,
- household finances,
- tax compliance,
- pension and health insurance,
- immigration history,
- periods spent outside Japan, and
- overall stability of life in Japan.
A weakness in one area does not always mean that an application is impossible.
However, where there are potential issues, it is important to identify them before filing and determine whether additional documents or explanations should be submitted.
Considering Permanent Residence in Japan?
The October 2026 revision represents a significant change in Japan’s Permanent Residence assessment framework.
In particular, applicants should pay attention to the new rules concerning:
household income, pension benefits, time spent outside Japan, Japanese-language ability, understanding of Japanese systems, and children’s schooling.
The applicable rules may also differ depending on when the application is filed.
IMS Legal Professional Corporation provides Permanent Residence application support based on each client’s residence history, family circumstances, income, tax and social insurance records, and other relevant factors.
If you are considering applying for Permanent Residence in Japan and are unsure how the revised guidelines may affect you, we recommend reviewing your eligibility and application timing before filing.
