What is a "Permanent Resident Visa"?
A “Permanent Resident” visa is a status of residence that may be granted to foreign nationals who currently hold a status of residence such as a work visa, meet certain requirements, prepare the necessary documents, submit an application for permanent residence, and receive approval from the Minister of Justice.
If permanent residence is granted, the applicant is given the official status of residence of “Permanent Resident” under the Immigration Control Act. A Permanent Resident is not subject to restrictions on the types of activities they may engage in or on the period of stay in Japan. As a result, the restrictions associated with immigration status are significantly reduced compared with other statuses of residence. At the same time, due to the nature of permanent residence, applications are examined more carefully than ordinary applications for a change of status of residence, and specific requirements apply.
No Restrictions on Activities in Japan
For holders of a typical work-related status of residence, resignation or a change of employer may require notification to Immigration. Depending on the person’s current status of residence and the nature of the new job, an application for a change of status of residence may also be required.
By contrast, Permanent Residents are not subject to restrictions on the type of work or activities they may engage in. Therefore, changing jobs does not require an application for a change of status of residence.
No Limit on the Period of Stay
Under the current system, holders of typical work-related statuses of residence may be granted a period of stay of up to five years. If they wish to continue residing in Japan beyond the expiration date, they must apply for an extension of their period of stay.
By contrast, Permanent Residents are not subject to any limit on their period of stay and therefore do not need to apply for extensions of their period of stay.
Please note, however, that residence cards themselves have an expiration date. For residence cards issued on or after June 14, 2026, the validity period is until the 10th birthday after the date of issuance for persons aged 18 or older, and until the 5th birthday after the date of issuance for persons under 18.
Contents
▶ Requirements for Permanent Residence
２．Independent livelihood requirement
３．Requirement that permanent residence be in the interests of Japan
▶ Main Routes for Applying for Permanent Residence
▶ Application of the Guidelines for Permanent Residence
Requirements for Permanent Residence
As a general rule, applicants must meet the following three requirements in order to be granted permanent residence:
- Good conduct (Good Conduct Requirement)
- Sufficient assets or skills to maintain an independent livelihood (Independent Livelihood Requirement)
- Permanent residence must be considered to be in the interests of Japan (National Interest Requirement)
1. Good Conduct Requirement
Applicants are required to comply with the law and to maintain a lifestyle that would not be subject to social criticism as a resident of Japan. For example, if an applicant is found to have repeatedly engaged in illegal conduct or behavior that causes problems for others in daily or social life, they may be considered not to satisfy this requirement.
Do Traffic Violations Affect a Permanent Residence Application?
For applicants who drive, receiving a criminal fine for a traffic violation such as speeding (a “red ticket”) may affect a permanent residence application. Even relatively minor traffic violations, such as parking violations (a “blue ticket”), may affect the assessment of good conduct if they have occurred repeatedly within a short period of time.
2. Sufficient Assets or Skills to Maintain an Independent Livelihood (Independent Livelihood Requirement)
Immigration considers the applicant’s overall circumstances, including their past residence history, current income at the time of application, expected future income, assets, and professional skills. The applicant must be considered unlikely to become a burden on the public and must be expected to maintain a stable livelihood in Japan over the long term.
More specifically, the applicant must be considered capable of supporting themselves both currently and in the future, and Immigration will assess whether they have an economic foundation at least comparable to that of a Japanese national.
As a general rule, the independent livelihood requirement is assessed on a household basis.
How Much Annual Income Is Required for Permanent Residence?
As a general rule, one of the points considered during the examination is whether the applicant’s household income at the time of application has continuously reached a level exceeding the average income of a Japanese household of the same size.
“Household income” refers to the combined annual income of the applicant and other members of the same household who share the same livelihood.
However, where a person holds a status of residence that does not ordinarily permit employment—such as “Dependent,” and works part-time under permission to engage in activities outside the scope of their status—that income is generally not included in the household income calculation.
In addition, relatives who are financially supported by the applicant are counted as household members even if they reside outside Japan. If the applicant’s household consists of five or more people, an additional amount reflecting increased living expenses and similar costs is added to the income level corresponding to the household size, and Immigration will consider whether the household income meets that level.
What Is Considered a “Work-Related Status of Residence” for Permanent Residence Purposes?
For permanent residence applications, certain statuses of residence are excluded from those treated as qualifying “work-related statuses of residence” because they are subject to particular restrictions, such as not permitting accompanying family members.
The following statuses are excluded:
- “Technical Intern Training”
- “Employment for Skill Development” — scheduled to take effect on April 1, 2027
- “Specified Skilled Worker (i)”
- “Intra-company Transferee”
- Certain categories of “Designated Activities”
Is Pension Enrollment Also Reviewed in a Permanent Residence Application?
In addition to the applicant’s pension enrollment history up to the time of application, Immigration also considers the amount of pension benefits the applicant is expected to receive in the future, based on factors such as their income at the time of application.
More specifically, the applicant’s projected future pension benefits are considered in comparison with the pension amount that would generally be expected for a person who worked for 30 years at a certain income level exceeding the average income of a Japanese household while continuously enrolled in Employees’ Pension Insurance.
Even if the applicant’s projected pension benefits do not reach the required level, they may still be considered sufficient if the applicant has adequate financial assets at the time of application to make up for the shortfall.
The level of financial assets required in such cases is determined by taking into account factors such as the applicant’s age at the time of application. Younger applicants generally have more time to build assets before reaching pension age, so the amount of financial assets required may be lower than for applicants who are closer to pension age.
As a general rule, both projected pension benefits and any financial assets used to supplement a shortfall are assessed on a household basis. If the applicant has a spouse, the projected pension benefits of both the applicant and the spouse are considered together.
3. Requirement That Permanent Residence Be in the Interests of Japan
Fulfillment of Public Obligations
Applicants for permanent residence are required to have properly fulfilled the various notification obligations applicable to mid- to long-term residents.
Not only current failures to comply with notification obligations, but also past failures that are discovered may generally be viewed negatively during the examination.
For example, the following situations may affect a permanent residence application:
- The applicant changed jobs before applying for permanent residence but failed to notify Immigration.
- The employer’s address or company name changed, but the required notification was not submitted.
- The applicant changed jobs while holding “Highly Skilled Professional (i)” status but continued working without completing the necessary change of status procedure, including updating the Designation in the passport.
Do Late Payments of Taxes, Pension Contributions, or Health Insurance Premiums Affect a Permanent Residence Application?
For permanent residence applications, applicants are also required to have properly paid their taxes, public pension contributions, and public health insurance premiums.
Even if all amounts have already been paid by the time of application, payments made after the original due date may still affect the permanent residence application.
Therefore, applicants who pay taxes, pension contributions, or health insurance premiums themselves through convenience stores, bank transfers, or other methods under ordinary collection (Futsū chōshū) should pay particular attention to the applicable payment deadlines. We also recommend keeping all receipts and other proof of payment carefully after payment has been made.
Where taxes and similar payments are deducted directly from salary under special collection (Tokubetsu chōshū), the applicant generally does not need to make the payments themselves. However, if documents such as tax payment certificates issued by the municipality do not clearly indicate that payment was made through special collection, Immigration may request additional supporting documents, such as copies of pay slips.
Is Japanese-Language Ability Required for Permanent Residence? [Revised October 1, 2026; effective April 1, 2027]
Foreign nationals who are granted permanent residence are expected to establish their primary place of residence in Japan on a long-term basis. For this reason, whether the applicant has a certain level of Japanese-language ability necessary to adapt smoothly to the local community and conduct daily social life without significant difficulty is now considered as part of the permanent residence examination.
More specifically, Immigration considers whether the applicant has Japanese-language ability at B1 level or above under the Framework of Reference for Japanese Language Education, which is generally equivalent to JLPT N3.
However, B1-level Japanese ability is not uniformly required of every applicant.
For example, this factor may not be considered where it is determined that requiring the applicant personally to have B1-level or higher Japanese ability is neither necessary nor appropriate, such as in the following cases:
- Highly skilled foreign professionals
- Family members of highly skilled foreign professionals
- Persons who have completed a total of at least six years of elementary or secondary education as defined under the School Education Act
- Children of Permanent Residents who were born in Japan, where the parent raising the child has Japanese-language ability equivalent to B1 level or above, among other cases
Understanding of Japan’s Systems and Rules [Revised October 1, 2026; effective April 1, 2027]
For permanent residence applications, whether the applicant has a certain level of understanding of Japan’s systems and rules of daily life is also considered as part of the examination, from the perspective of whether the applicant can adapt smoothly to the local community and maintain a stable social life in Japan.
If the applicant does not have sufficient understanding of Japan’s systems and rules, or does not demonstrate a willingness to understand them, this may be viewed negatively.
More specifically, through a method designated by the Commissioner of the Immigration Services Agency, the applicant’s understanding of Japan’s systems and rules will be assessed, mainly based on the matters described in the “Living and Working Guidebook.” Immigration will consider whether the applicant’s level of understanding reaches the required standard.
Living and Working Guidebook
https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/support/portal/guidebook_all.html
School Attendance for Children of Compulsory School Age [Revised October 1, 2026; effective April 1, 2027]
If the applicant is raising a child who is within the compulsory education age, Immigration will also consider whether the child is receiving the education necessary to adapt smoothly to the local community and participate in social life in Japan.
Therefore, if the applicant is raising a school-age child, the child is expected to be attending elementary school or junior high school.
If the applicant themselves is of compulsory school age, Immigration will consider whether the applicant is attending elementary school or junior high school.
Main Routes for Applying for Permanent Residence
There are several routes for applying for permanent residence, depending on factors such as the applicant’s current status of residence, length of residence in Japan, Highly Skilled Professional points, and family or personal status.
It is important to confirm in advance which route is available based on the applicant’s circumstances. In some cases, an applicant may qualify under more than one route.
However, the period reviewed for matters such as taxes and social insurance premiums may differ depending on the application route. For this reason, the choice of application route should be considered carefully.
Application of the Guidelines for Permanent Residence
As of October 2026, there are two versions of the Guidelines for Permanent Residence Applications: the version revised on February 24, 2026, and the version revised on October 1, 2026.
The applicable guidelines differ depending on when the application is submitted. Therefore, before applying for permanent residence, it is important to confirm which version applies to your application.
Applications submitted on or before March 31, 2026
The February 24, 2026 revised guidelines apply.
Applications submitted between April 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027
As a general rule, the February 24, 2026 revised guidelines apply. However, certain provisions relating to income under the October 1, 2026 revised guidelines may also apply.
Applications submitted on or after April 1, 2027
The October 1, 2026 revised guidelines apply.
February 24, 2026 Revised Guidelines
https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/resources/nyukan_nyukan50.html
October 1, 2026 Revised Guidelines
https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/10_00279.html
From April 2027, Will a Five-Year Period of Stay Be Required to Apply for Permanent Residence?
For permanent residence applications submitted on or before March 31, 2027, applicants who hold a three-year period of stay will still be treated as residing in Japan with the “longest available period of stay.”
There are also certain transitional measures for applications submitted on or after April 1, 2027.
If an applicant holds a three-year period of stay as of March 31, 2027, they may still be treated as residing with the “longest available period of stay,” even if they only have a three-year period of stay, provided that certain conditions are met, including:
- the application is their first permanent residence application submitted on or after April 1, 2027; and
- a decision on that permanent residence application is made between April 1, 2027 and the expiration date of their current three-year period of stay.
Only applicants who satisfy the applicable transitional conditions will continue to be treated as holding the “longest available period of stay” with a three-year period of stay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. From which applications does the revised permanent residence approval fee of 200,000 yen apply?
A. For permanent residence applications submitted on or after October 1, 2026, a fee of 200,000 yen must be paid by revenue stamp if the application is approved. If the application was submitted on or before September 30, 2026 and is approved on or after October 1, 2026, the previous fee of 10,000 yen applies.
Q. From April 1, 2027, will I be unable to apply for permanent residence unless I have a five-year period of stay?
A. Not necessarily. Transitional measures are in place, and if you hold a three-year period of stay as of March 31, 2027, you may still be eligible to apply for permanent residence if certain conditions are met. Please refer to the guidelines revised on October 1, 2026 for details.
Q. I have paid resident tax after the due date in the past. Will this affect my permanent residence application?
A. It may. For resident tax, pension contributions, health insurance premiums, and similar obligations, it is generally not sufficient simply to have paid them by the time of application. As a rule, they are expected to have been paid properly by the applicable due dates.
Q. If I have had late payments of resident tax or similar obligations, when should I apply for permanent residence?
A. The period reviewed for payment history differs depending on the route used for the permanent residence application. Therefore, it is generally advisable to apply after establishing a proper payment record for the relevant review period applicable to your route, such as the most recent three years.
Q. I am currently working under the “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” status and plan to change jobs next month. Will this affect my permanent residence application?
A. Changing jobs itself is not prohibited. However, if you change employers, you must submit the required notification to Immigration within the prescribed period.
Q. What procedures are required if I change jobs while my permanent residence application is under review and I hold “Highly Skilled Professional (i)” status?
A. As a general rule, before starting work for the new employer, you must submit an application relating to your “Highly Skilled Professional (i)” status, including the necessary update to the Designation affixed to your passport. If you no longer meet the Highly Skilled Professional points requirement after changing jobs, you will need to apply for a change to another appropriate work-related status of residence.
You may begin working for the new employer after receiving the new approval. For your permanent residence application, you will also need to submit additional documents, such as a certificate of employment issued by the new employer.
Q. My employer’s address changed while my permanent residence application is under review. Is any procedure required?
A. Yes. You must notify Immigration within 14 days from the date of the change.
Q. I paid a fine for speeding last year. Will this affect my permanent residence application?
A. As a general rule, unlawful conduct resulting in a criminal fine or similar penalty may be viewed negatively during the permanent residence examination.
Q. How much annual income is required for a permanent residence application?
A. No specific threshold has been published. In addition, specific amounts have not been disclosed as to whether the applicable standard is based on taxable income or gross income, or what income levels may apply to different age groups.
Q. How much annual income is required for a permanent residence application?
A. No specific threshold has been published. In addition, specific amounts have not been disclosed as to whether the applicable standard is based on taxable income or gross income, or what income levels may apply to different age groups.
Q. Do the new annual income requirements also apply to applications submitted before the revision?
A. The income-related provisions under the new guidelines revised on October 1, 2026 also apply to applications submitted on or after the date six months prior to the revision, provided that the application was still under review as of October 1, 2026.
