Japan’s Permanent Residence Guidelines Revised in October 2026: What are the Key Changes?

On 1 October 2026, the Immigration Services Agency of Japan revised its Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence.

The revised guidelines provide more specific information about the factors considered when assessing permanent residence applications. These include income, pension entitlement, Japanese-language ability, payment of taxes and social insurance contributions, understanding of Japanese systems and rules, and the school attendance of children of compulsory school age.

Some of the changes will affect not only future applicants, but also certain applications that are already under examination.

In this article, we provide an overview of the key changes and highlight the points that prospective applicants should be aware of.

1. The three basic requirements for permanent residence

The basic framework for permanent residence remains unchanged. Applicants are generally assessed against the following three requirements:

1. Good conduct
2. Financial independence
3. Whether granting permanent residence is considered to be in the interests of Japan

The latest revision does not replace these fundamental requirements.

The main change is that the Immigration Services Agency has provided greater detail on the factors it will consider when assessing whether these requirements are met.

It is also important to remember that permanent residence is not granted automatically simply because an applicant meets one particular figure or condition. Each application is assessed on the basis of the applicant’s individual circumstances as a whole.

2. Income is now addressed more specifically

One of the most significant changes concerns income.

Income and financial stability have always been important factors in permanent residence applications, particularly when assessing whether an applicant is capable of maintaining a stable life in Japan.

Previously, however, the guidelines largely referred to the applicant having “sufficient assets or skills to make an independent living”, without setting out a clear numerical income standard.

Under the revised guidelines, income is expressly identified as a factor in assessing financial independence, and the Immigration Services Agency has provided a more specific framework for considering it.

Media reports have focused in particular on the average income of Japanese households as a reference point, which is likely to attract considerable attention from prospective applicants.

However, this should not be interpreted to mean that:

“Anyone earning below a particular amount is automatically ineligible for permanent residence.”

There are still important questions to consider, including whether the assessment is based on the applicant’s individual income or household income, and how dependants and family circumstances are taken into account.

We will look at the new income criteria in more detail in a separate article.

3. Pension entitlement is also considered separately

The revised guidelines also include a separate section on pension entitlement as part of the financial independence assessment.

In addition to current income, the authorities may consider whether the applicant is likely to have sufficient long-term financial security after retirement.

More specifically, the assessment may look at whether the applicant’s expected pension would reach the level that a person on the relevant income would receive after 30 years of enrolment in the Employees’ Pension Insurance system, or whether any shortfall could be covered by other assets.

This means that the authorities may assess not only an applicant’s present earnings, but also their anticipated pension income and overall financial resources for later life.

As a result, permanent residence assessments are becoming more focused on long-term financial stability rather than current income alone.

4. Japanese-language ability at approximately B1 level

Another important change concerns Japanese-language ability.

The revised guidelines state that, in principle, consideration will be given to whether an applicant has Japanese-language ability equivalent to B1 level under the Japanese Language Education Framework.

At B1 level, a person is generally able to understand the main points of everyday communication and deal with familiar situations in daily life and work.

However, this does not mean that every applicant must automatically hold a B1-level Japanese qualification in order to obtain permanent residence.

The guidelines provide for certain exceptions, including some highly skilled foreign professionals and their family members, as well as individuals who have completed a certain amount of education in Japan.

We will discuss the B1 requirement, the possible methods of demonstrating Japanese-language ability, and the relevant exceptions in a separate article.

5. Taxes and social insurance remain extremely important

Compliance with tax and social insurance obligations has already been a major part of permanent residence applications.

This includes matters such as:

• residence tax;
• income tax;
• pension contributions; and
• health insurance contributions.

The revised guidelines continue to emphasise compliance with legal obligations and the proper payment of public charges.

Applicants should therefore pay attention not only to whether taxes and social insurance contributions have been paid, but also to whether they have been paid correctly and within the required deadlines.

Late payment can continue to be an important issue in permanent residence applications.

6. Understanding Japanese systems and rules

The revised guidelines also expressly refer to an applicant’s:

“understanding of Japan’s systems and rules”.

The Immigration Services Agency indicates that applicants may be expected to have a certain level of understanding of the systems and everyday rules explained in official resources such as the Guidebook on Living and Working.

Permanent residents are not restricted by a specific period of stay or by the type of activities they may undertake in the same way as many other residence statuses.

The revised guidelines therefore place greater emphasis on whether applicants have established themselves in Japan and understand the basic systems and rules necessary for long-term life in the country.

7. School attendance of children of compulsory school age

The revised guidelines also introduce a more specific consideration for applicants who are raising children of compulsory school age.

The authorities may consider whether such children are attending primary or lower secondary school.

This means that, in some cases, the authorities may look not only at the applicant personally, but also at how the applicant and their family have established their lives in Japan.

8. When do the revised guidelines apply?

This is one of the most important points.

As a general rule, the revised guidelines will apply to permanent residence applications submitted on or after 1 April 2027.

However, there are important exceptions.

Certain provisions relating to income and whether an applicant is likely to become a public financial burden also apply to applications submitted on or after 1 April 2026 that were still under examination as of 1 October 2026.

In other words, it would be incorrect to assume that:

“The changes do not matter as long as I apply before April 2027.”

The applicable rules depend on both the date of application and the particular assessment factor concerned.

9. Important changes to the treatment of three-year periods of stay

Permanent residence applicants are generally required to hold the maximum period of stay available under their current residence status.

Until now, a three-year period of stay has also been treated as satisfying this requirement.

This approach will change from 1 April 2027.

However, transitional arrangements have been introduced for certain individuals who hold a three-year period of stay as of 31 March 2027.

These transitional rules are relatively complex, so we will explain them in more detail in a separate article.

10. What is the most important feature of this revision?

The latest revision cannot be summarised simply by saying that permanent residence has “become stricter”.

The more significant change is that the Immigration Services Agency has clarified, in considerably greater detail, what it will look at when assessing permanent residence applications.

In particular, applicants will need to pay closer attention to matters such as:

• income;
• pension entitlement;
• Japanese-language ability;
• taxes and social insurance;
• understanding of Japanese systems and rules;
• school attendance of children; and
• the applicant’s current period of stay.

At the same time, permanent residence applications will continue to be assessed on the basis of the applicant’s circumstances as a whole.

It is therefore important not to assume, for example, that an applicant is automatically ineligible simply because their income is below a certain amount, or because they do not hold a particular Japanese-language qualification.

Further articles on the 2026 changes

Because the revised guidelines cover a wide range of issues, we will be publishing further articles on some of the areas likely to have the greatest practical impact, including:

• how the income criteria for permanent residence have changed;
• whether an annual income of approximately JPY 5.8 million is really required;
• what B1-level Japanese means in practice;
• changes to the treatment of three-year periods of stay from April 2027; and
• important points concerning taxes, pension and health insurance.

The requirements for permanent residence can differ depending on an applicant’s residence status, family circumstances, income, tax record and social insurance history.

If you are considering applying for permanent residence in Kyoto or Shiga, it is advisable to check how the revised guidelines apply to your individual circumstances well in advance.

This article is based on the Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence and other information published by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan as at 1 October 2026. Each permanent residence application is assessed individually, taking the applicant’s circumstances as a whole into consideration.