What changed
Japan has raised the fee for permanent-residency applications twentyfold, to 200,000 yen, from 1 October 2026. Applicants must also meet higher income and pension conditions, while basic Japanese proficiency will be required from April 2027. Immigration offices saw waits of more than seven hours as people rushed to apply before the increase.
Why it matters
The change makes staying permanently in Japan much more expensive and demanding for foreign residents. Applicants must now show stable income at or above the Japanese average, reported as 5.75 million yen in 2024, and meet pension-related conditions. Discounts remain available to people facing financial hardship and to designated refugees.
The timing creates a clear policy tension. Japan’s foreign-resident population reached a record 4.12 million at the end of 2025, while the country increasingly relies on foreign workers to fill labour shortages. At the same time, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government is tightening the path to permanent residence and has already raised visa fees fivefold this year.
Informed speculation points to a tougher test for people who have built their lives in Japan but do not yet have secure earnings, complete pension records or Japanese-language skills. The immediate result is a higher financial and administrative barrier; the longer-term effect on labour supply and on how many applicants are denied or leave Japan remains unknown.
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