‘Total Whiplash’: Foreign Residents React to Japan’s Changing Permanent Residency Rules

Foreign residents who have spent years working toward permanent residency in Japan say the government’s proposed new requirements have left them angry, anxious and unable to plan for the future, with some reconsidering whether they can remain in the country at all.
The changes, which could affect income assessments for applications submitted as early as April, have been particularly unsettling for residents approaching the end of the standard 10-year pathway to permanent residency.

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Under changes announced earlier this year, starting April 2027, applicants will need to hold the maximum period of stay available under their visa status — generally five years for many work-related categories — before applying for permanent residency.

But immigration authorities do not publish concrete criteria explaining why one resident receives a one-, three- or five-year visa.

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The proposed income and pension requirements have added another layer of uncertainty, particularly for contract workers, older applicants and those whose income may fluctuate.

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A national income benchmark could encourage foreign residents seeking permanent residency to move to Tokyo or another major city, rather than remain in communities where they may be more urgently needed.

For some residents, the tightening measures have become one factor in a broader calculation over whether remaining in Japan makes financial sense over the long term.

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A single person earning the previous benchmark of ¥3 million ($18,960) or ¥3.5 million a year may struggle to buy a home, accumulate significant savings and retire securely without a spouse’s income, Nalton said.

He also argued that Japan’s immigration system had been relatively accessible for many foreign residents over a long period.

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