![Japan Permanent Residence: Stricter Requirements [October 2026 Revision] – Income, Japanese Language, Spouse Provisions and Timing](/_img/images/content/f59b426303a5ab3824c4d76b93c7a3aacf1b10bd-2400x1350_png-1200.webp)
Note: This article is based on Japanese laws and materials published by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) as of October 9, 2026.
The "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence" (永住許可に関するガイドライン), which set out the approach to examining permission for permanent residence (永住許可; the permission needed to obtain the status of residence "Permanent Resident", 永住者), were revised on October 1, 2026. The revised content applies, in principle, to applications filed on or after April 1, 2027.
Two items only, income and burden on the public, are also being applied to applications that were filed on or after April 1, 2026 and were under examination as of October 1, 2026. According to the ISA's explanation, the legal requirements themselves have not changed, and what has been done is to set out in concrete terms the approach to the factors considered in the examination. This article follows the original text of the guidelines and explains when the revision applies and what has changed, including annual income, pensions, Japanese language proficiency and the special provisions for spouses (exceptions to the 10-year rule).
Contents
- From which applications do the revised guidelines apply?
- What changed between the previous and the revised guidelines?
- Income is assessed as the household total against a "level according to the number of household members"
- Pensions are assessed by the estimated future amount
- Japanese language proficiency, understanding of systems, and children's school attendance have been added
- The conditions of the special provisions for spouses depend on when you apply
- How history of residence and payment status are looked at
- The transitional measure for the "3 years" period of stay
- The special provisions for "contribution to Japan" now have nine categories
- What to check before deciding when to apply
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Summary
- References
From which applications do the revised guidelines apply?
Whether the revised guidelines as a whole apply is determined by the date you filed the application, not by the date permission is granted. They cover applications filed on or after April 1, 2027.
| When the application was filed | What applies |
|---|---|
| On or before March 31, 2026 | Not covered by the revision |
| On or after April 1, 2026, and under examination as of October 1, 2026 | The revised content, for the two items of income and burden on the public only |
| From October 2, 2026 to March 31, 2027 | The guidelines as a whole do not apply. On the wording, these applications are not covered by the two items either (how they are handled in practice has not been published) |
| On or after April 1, 2027 | The revised guidelines as a whole |
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on October 1, 2026)" (in Japanese), Part 6
The two items that apply first are income (Part 2, 4(2)) and not becoming a burden on the public (Part 2, 5(7)). The guidelines describe the applications covered as "applications filed on or after the day six months before the revision date that are also pending on the revision date" (改定日から6か月前の日以降の申請であって、かつ、改定日において申請中である案件). The revision date is October 1, 2026, and the day six months before it is April 1, 2026.
Applications newly filed from October 2, 2026 to March 31, 2027 do not fall within this wording. How they are treated in the actual examination has not been published (as of October 2026). If you apply during this period, it is still safer to check your annual household income and number of household members under the revised approach.
What changed between the previous and the revised guidelines?
The items looked at in the examination are now written out in concrete terms, and the numbers of years in the special provisions for spouses and others have changed. The table below compares the guidelines before the revision (revised on February 24, 2026) and after the revision (revised on October 1, 2026).
| Item | Before the revision | After the revision |
|---|---|---|
| Special provisions for spouses | Married life of 3 years or more + continuous residence in Japan for 1 year or more | Married life of 5 years or more + continuous residence in Japan for 3 years or more |
| Special provisions for a biological child, etc. (実子等; "etc." includes a child adopted through special adoption) | Has resided in Japan continuously for 1 year or more | Has resided in Japan continuously for 3 years or more |
| Income | No statement on the level of annual income | Whether annual household income continuously reaches a level above the average income of Japanese households corresponding to the number of household members |
| Pension | No statement on an estimated amount | Whether the estimated amount of the future pension reaches a certain level |
| Japanese language proficiency | No statement | Level equivalent to B1 or higher in the "Reference Framework for Japanese Language Education" (日本語教育の参照枠) |
| Understanding of systems and rules | No statement | Confirmed by a method designated by the Commissioner of the Immigration Services Agency |
| School attendance of school-age children | No statement | Whether they attend elementary school or junior high school |
| Days spent outside Japan | No statement | In principle evaluated negatively if, within the past 10 years and without reasonable grounds, you were absent from Japan for half a year or more in a single trip, or for 2 years and 6 months or more in total |
| Statuses of residence excluded from work-related statuses of residence | Technical Intern Training (技能実習), Specified Skilled Worker (i) (特定技能1号) | Technical Intern Training, Employment for Skill Development (育成就労), Specified Skilled Worker (i), Intra-company Transferee (企業内転勤), and some Designated Activities (特定活動) |
| Taxes and social insurance premiums | In principle evaluated negatively if not paid by the payment deadline | A past delinquency disposition (compulsory collection such as seizure) (滞納処分) and the like are also evaluated negatively in principle. Examined on a household basis |
| Special provisions for "contribution to Japan" | Criteria set in separate guidelines | Nine categories placed in the main text; the separate guidelines are abolished |
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on October 1, 2026)" (in Japanese), "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on February 24, 2026)" (in Japanese)
"Evaluated negatively" in the table is a rewording of "negative evaluation" (消極評価) in the original text. If it applies to you, it is treated as an unfavorable circumstance in the examination.
- In principle, continuous residence in Japan for 10 years or more is looked at (including 5 years or more continuously under a work-related status of residence (就労資格) or a status of residence based on personal status or position (居住資格))
- 5 years or more for a Long-Term Resident (定住者), and 5 years or more after recognition for those recognized as refugees or as persons under complementary protection
- The special provisions for highly-skilled foreign professionals (3 years with 70 points or more, 1 year with 80 points or more, and 1 year for Special Highly-Skilled Professionals (J-Skip))
- The good conduct requirement (素行善良要件) and the independent livelihood requirement (独立生計要件) are not required of the spouses and children of Japanese nationals, Permanent Residents and special permanent residents
Income is assessed as the household total against a "level according to the number of household members"
Income is assessed by whether annual household income continuously reaches "a level above the average income of Japanese households corresponding to the number of household members" (世帯人数に応じた日本人世帯の平均収入を上回る水準). The guidelines call this level the "annual income standard" (年収水準).
Income and pensions are items within the independent livelihood requirement (having assets or skills sufficient to make an independent living). The guidelines state that "economic conditions at a level equal to or higher than those of Japanese nationals are required" (日本人と同等水準以上の経済条件が求められます).
The guidelines state neither a specific amount for the annual income standard nor which statistics are used. In the results of the public comment procedure, the ISA says it has no plan to publish a specific amount. Whether "annual income" is looked at as gross annual income or as income after deductions also cannot be told from the original text.
Annual household income and the number of household members are counted as follows.
| Situation | Treatment |
|---|---|
| A family member in the same household (people who share a home and a household budget) has income | Added to the applicant's annual income |
| You live alone | The applicant's annual income is the annual household income as it is |
| Income that a family member with a status of residence not intended for work, such as Dependent (家族滞在), earned with permission to engage in activities other than those permitted under the status of residence previously granted (資格外活動許可) | Not added |
| An application by a person who is no longer supported by his or her parents, for example because he or she is an adult | The parents' income is not included |
| Relatives the applicant supports as dependents (including relatives living abroad) | Added to the number of household members even if they do not live with the applicant |
| The number of household members is 5 or more | An amount for increases in living expenses and the like is added to the annual income standard |
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on October 1, 2026)" (in Japanese), Part 2, 4(1)(2)
The family members whose income can be added and the relatives who are counted in the number of household members are not the same range of people. If you support your parents in your home country, your income does not increase but your number of household members does, and you are assessed against the annual income standard for that number.
The income that can be added and the number of household members depend on your family members' statuses of residence and on who supports whom. In our consultation on applications for permanent residence, we review your household's situation with you.
Pensions are assessed by the estimated future amount
Pensions are assessed by whether the estimated amount of the pension you will receive in the future reaches a certain level. The figure of 30 years appears, but an actual record of 30 years of enrollment is not itself the condition. What is compared is the following two estimated amounts.
| What is compared | Content |
|---|---|
| Estimated pension amount (受給見込額) | The estimated amount of the pension you will receive in the future, estimated from your age at the time of application, your pension enrollment status (how you have worked, your enrollment period, your average annual income during that period, and so on) and your annual income at the time of application |
| Pension benefit standard (受給年金水準) | The estimated amount of the pension a person would receive in the future if he or she worked for 30 years at the annual income standard and was enrolled in Employees' Pension Insurance (厚生年金) during that time |
Even if your estimated pension amount falls short of the pension benefit standard, you are evaluated as having reached it if you have financial assets that can make up for the shortfall in living funds (supplementary assets, 補填資産). The standard for supplementary assets is set according to your age at the time of application, and it is lower the younger you are.
The ISA says it plans not to recognize as supplementary assets any financial assets that are prepared temporarily for the application for permanent residence and that you do not plan to keep holding afterward. It also plans to ask for documents that confirm the assets were not prepared temporarily. The specific operation is said to be under consideration (as of October 2026).
Pensions are also looked at, in principle, on a household basis. If you have a spouse, the estimated pension amounts of the two of you are added together. The level they are compared with also has added to it the estimated pension amount for the case where the spouse was a Category III insured person of the National Pension (国民年金の第3号被保険者) during the same period.
The specific amounts of the pension benefit standard and of supplementary assets are not written in the guidelines. As with the annual income standard, the ISA says it has no plan to publish them.
The content of this section applies to applications filed on or after April 1, 2027.
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on October 1, 2026)" (in Japanese), Part 2, 4(3), "Results of the Public Comment Procedure on the Draft Revision of the Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence" (in Japanese; October 1, 2026)
Japanese language proficiency, understanding of systems, and children's school attendance have been added
For applications filed on or after April 1, 2027, Japanese language proficiency, understanding of systems and rules, and children's school attendance are also considered. All three are items within the national interest requirement (国益要件; that the person's permanent residence is in the interests of Japan).
| Item | What is looked at |
|---|---|
| Japanese language proficiency | Whether you have Japanese language proficiency at a level equivalent to B1 or higher in the "Reference Framework for Japanese Language Education" |
| Understanding of systems and rules | Whether your understanding, centered on the content of the "Guidebook on Living and Working" (生活・就労ガイドブック), reaches a certain level. Confirmed by a method designated by the Commissioner of the Immigration Services Agency |
| School attendance of school-age children | Whether children of compulsory education age attend elementary school or junior high school. If the applicant is of school age, the applicant's own attendance |
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on October 1, 2026)" (in Japanese), Part 2, 5(8) to (10)
- Persons covered by the special provisions for highly-skilled foreign professionals (70 points or more, 80 points or more, or Special Highly-Skilled Professionals) and their family members
- Persons who have received primary and secondary education as defined in the School Education Act (学校教育法) for a cumulative total of 6 years or more
- Children of Permanent Residents who were born in Japan and whose parent raising them has Japanese language proficiency at a level equivalent to B1 or higher
The guidelines do not state what is used to prove the level equivalent to B1 (the name or level of a test). The ISA says it will consider and publish the evaluation method and the tests by the start of operation in April 2027. The "method designated by the Commissioner" (長官が指定する方法) is also said to be considered by the start of operation (as of October 2026).
The conditions of the special provisions for spouses depend on when you apply
The conditions of the special provisions for spouses change depending on when you apply. If you apply on or before March 31, 2027, your married life must have continued for 3 years or more and you must have resided in Japan continuously for 1 year or more. If you apply on or after April 1, 2027, a married life of 5 years or more and continuous residence in Japan for 3 years or more are required.
These special provisions allow the spouse of a Japanese national, a Permanent Resident or a special permanent resident to apply for permanent residence without waiting for the 10 years of residence required in principle. They presuppose that the married life is genuine. The number of years for children (a biological child, etc.) has also changed.
| Applications filed on or before March 31, 2027 | Applications filed on or after April 1, 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse | Married life of 3 years or more + continuous residence in Japan for 1 year or more | Married life of 5 years or more + continuous residence in Japan for 3 years or more |
| Biological child, etc. | Has resided in Japan continuously for 1 year or more | Has resided in Japan continuously for 3 years or more |
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on October 1, 2026)" (in Japanese), Part 3, 1 and Part 6
Does the annual income standard apply to spouses and children?
Spouses and children are not required to conform to the good conduct requirement and the independent livelihood requirement (proviso to Article 22, paragraph 2 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act). Because the annual income standard and pensions are items within the independent livelihood requirement, the guidelines are not structured so that these are applied as they are to spouses and children.
However, "not becoming a burden on the public" (公共の負担とならないこと) under the national interest requirement is also looked at in applications by spouses and children. If the household is actually a burden on the public, or if there is a real risk of that, it may be evaluated negatively unless there are special circumstances.
The guidelines state that this item is decided comprehensively, with emphasis on the stability of residence as a family unit and on humanitarian considerations. This item is one of the two items being applied first to applications under examination.
How history of residence and payment status are looked at
For history of residence in Japan, the range of statuses of residence counted as work-related statuses of residence and the way days spent outside Japan are looked at have changed. For payment status, past delinquency dispositions and the situation of the household as a whole are also looked at. The content of this section applies to applications filed on or after April 1, 2027.
Intra-company Transferee and Employment for Skill Development are not counted as "work-related statuses of residence"
In the examination for permanent residence, what is looked at is whether, within the 10 years of residence required in principle, you have resided continuously for 5 years or more under a work-related status of residence or a status of residence based on personal status or position. After the revision, Intra-company Transferee and Employment for Skill Development were excluded from these "work-related statuses of residence" (就労資格).
For applications filed on or after April 1, 2027, periods of residence as an Intra-company Transferee are not counted toward the "5 years under a work-related status of residence".
Designated Activities are treated differently depending on the content of the designated activities. For example, periods of continued job hunting or as a person with a job offer are not included in the 10 years. Working Holiday and internships do not count as work-related statuses of residence.
Long absences from Japan
If either of the following applies to you within the past 10 years from the time of application, without reasonable grounds, it is evaluated negatively in principle.
- You were absent from Japan for half a year or more in a single trip abroad
- You were absent from Japan for 2 years and 6 months or more in total
Taxes and social insurance premiums, notifications, and criminal penalties
| Item | Content of the revised guidelines |
|---|---|
| Taxes and social insurance premiums | Even if nothing is unpaid at the time of application, it is evaluated negatively in principle if there are circumstances such as having been subject to a delinquency disposition in the past. Examined, in principle, on a household basis |
| Obligations under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (notifications and the like) | Also evaluated negatively in principle if a past violation comes to light |
| Criminal penalties | In addition to imprisonment (拘禁刑) and fines, certain protective measures under the Juvenile Act (少年法) are also evaluated negatively in principle |
| Application of the special provisions | The special provisions on the 10 years of residence required in principle are not applied to persons who received Special Permission to Stay in Japan (在留特別許可) or special permission for landing (上陸特別許可) (limited to persons who fall under grounds for denial of landing (上陸拒否事由)) |
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on October 1, 2026)" (in Japanese), Part 2, 5(2) to (6), Part 3 (Note 5) and Part 5
Because taxes and social insurance premiums are looked at on a household basis, your spouse's payment status is also subject to checking.
The transitional measure for the "3 years" period of stay
For the transitional measure that allows you to apply for permanent residence with a period of stay of "3 years", applications filed on or before March 31, 2027 are the cutoff. In the examination for permanent residence, what is looked at is whether you are residing with the longest period of stay for the status of residence you currently hold. For applications filed on or before March 31, 2027, "3 years" is also treated as the longest period of stay.
Applications filed on or after April 1, 2027 are limited to cases that meet all of the following three conditions.
- You hold a period of stay of "3 years" as of March 31, 2027
- It is your first application for permanent residence filed on or after April 1, 2027
- You receive the disposition (the result) between April 1, 2027 and the date of expiration of that "3 years" period of stay
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on October 1, 2026)" (in Japanese), Part 2, 5(6) (Note 4)
How to tell whether you are covered is explained in The Transitional Measure for the "3 Years" Period of Stay.
The special provisions for "contribution to Japan" now have nine categories
For the special provisions based on "contribution to Japan", the number of years, residence of 5 years or more, has not changed, and the categories of people they apply to are now nine. These special provisions allow a person recognized as having made a contribution to Japan in fields such as diplomacy and international exchange, society, the economy or culture to apply for permanent residence with residence of 5 years or more.
- Persons who have received a commendation or the like from the Government of Japan (the National Honor Award, a decoration, the Order of Culture or a Medal of Honor; except the Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon and an award for the deceased given to a bereaved family)
- Persons who, as a committee member or the like of the Government of Japan or a local government, have carried out activities for the public interest for approximately 5 years or more and have made a contribution
- Persons who have received an award of international standing from an international organization, a foreign government or the like (such as the Nobel Prize or the Fields Medal)
- Persons who have worked in Japan as a member of a diplomatic mission or consular office and have rendered distinguished service in promoting friendship or cultural exchange
- Persons with a career as secretary-general or deputy secretary-general of an international organization of which Japan is a member, or in a position equal to or higher than these
- Persons who have served for 5 years or more as a director or in a higher position of a Japanese company listed on the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange and have contributed to the development of the economy or industry
- Persons who have received an award as the result of a nationwide selection in the fields of the economy, industry, society or welfare and have contributed to the development of the field
- Persons who have received a prestigious award in the fields of culture or the arts and have contributed to the development of the field (such as any of the Academy Awards)
- Top finishers in the Olympic Games, world championships or the like, or coaches, instructors and others who contributed greatly to such a finish, who are engaged in Japan in coaching or promoting that sport or the like
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on October 1, 2026)" (in Japanese), Part 3, 9, Part 4 and Part 6
The Guidelines for Contribution to Japan (revised on April 26, 2017), which set the criteria until now, are stated to be abolished by this revision. The categories in the guidelines being abolished that were based on educational activities as a university professor or the like, or on a record of research papers, are not among the nine.
The original text does not say how the guidelines being abolished are treated for applications filed on or before March 31, 2027 (as of October 2026). If a contribution is recognized, in addition to the special provisions on the number of years, it is also considered favorably in the comprehensive evaluation under the national interest requirement.
What to check before deciding when to apply
Check separately the items whose treatment changes with the timing of the application and the items that are looked at regardless of timing. The main items whose treatment changes with timing are as follows.
| Your situation | Applications filed on or before March 31, 2027 | Applications filed on or after April 1, 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| You use the special provisions for spouses | Married life of 3 years or more; residence of 1 year or more | Married life of 5 years or more; residence of 3 years or more |
| Your period of stay is "3 years" | Treated as the longest period of stay | Limited to cases that meet all three conditions |
| You have periods of residence as an Intra-company Transferee | Not excluded from work-related statuses of residence | Not counted as a work-related status of residence |
| Japanese language proficiency; understanding of systems and rules | Not stated in the guidelines before the revision | Considered |
What is looked at regardless of timing is the payment status of taxes and social insurance premiums. The guidelines before the revision also stated that failure to pay by the payment deadline is evaluated negatively in principle. Even if you hurry your application solely because you want to apply before the conditions change, this point does not change.
The fee is not related to timing either. The fee for permission for permanent residence is 200,000 yen for applications accepted on or after October 1, 2026. The fee categories and how to pay are explained in Revision of Fees for Status of Residence Procedures.
As rules for after permission for permanent residence is granted, the Guidelines on Revocation of the Status of Residence of "Permanent Resident" (永住者の在留資格の取消しに関するガイドライン) were also established as of October 1, 2026. Their operation begins on April 1, 2027. The content is explained in The System for Revoking Permanent Residency.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I apply on or before March 31, 2027, do the special provisions for spouses stay at "3 years and 1 year" even if the result comes in April or later?
Yes. The revised guidelines apply to applications filed on or after April 1, 2027, and what counts is the date you filed the application. Even if the result comes out in April or later, the conditions do not change.
I will apply under the special provisions for highly-skilled foreign professionals. Does this revision affect me?
It does. The numbers of years under the special provisions (3 years with 70 points or more, 1 year with 80 points or more) have not changed, and Japanese language proficiency is also excluded from the factors to be considered. On the other hand, for income, pensions, days spent outside Japan, and understanding of systems and rules, no provision excluding highly-skilled foreign professionals is written.
If I meet all the items in the guidelines, will permission always be granted?
Not necessarily. The guidelines state that permission for permanent residence is decided by comprehensively considering individual circumstances. The guidelines themselves set out the basic approach to the factors to be considered.
Summary
The Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence were revised on October 1, 2026. They apply as a whole to applications filed on or after April 1, 2027. The two items of income and burden on the public are also being applied to applications that were filed on or after April 1, 2026 and were under examination as of October 1, 2026.
The special provisions for spouses, the treatment of the "3 years" period of stay, periods as an Intra-company Transferee, and Japanese language proficiency are treated differently depending on when you apply. The payment status of taxes and social insurance premiums is looked at for applications filed at any time.
If you are considering applying, checking your annual household income, number of household members, payment status and days spent outside Japan over the past 10 years first will make it easier to decide when to apply.
References
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on October 1, 2026)" (in Japanese; October 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised on February 24, 2026)" (in Japanese; February 2026; the version before the revision)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence for Persons Recognized as Having Made a Contribution to Japan (revised on April 26, 2017)" (in Japanese; April 2017; the version stated to be abolished by this revision)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Application for Permanent Residence" (in Japanese; fee)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines on Revocation of the Status of Residence of "Permanent Resident"" (in Japanese; October 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Results of the Public Comment Procedure on the Draft Revision of the Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence" (in Japanese; October 1, 2026)
- Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, Article 22, paragraph 2
