Note: This article is based on news reports and published materials as of October 19, 2026. There has been no official announcement from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA) (as of the same date).
It has been reported that the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (ISA, 出入国在留管理庁) plans to raise the minimum annual income standard (最低年収基準) for the status of residence "Highly Skilled Professional" (高度専門職). The current standard is an annual income of 3 million yen or more, and according to the reports, the aim is to amend the ministerial order within fiscal year 2026.
The amount after the increase and the date from which it will apply have not been made public (as of October 19, 2026). This article explains which fields the current standard covers, the impact on people already residing in Japan and on permanent residence, and what companies that employ highly-skilled foreign professionals can check from now on.
Contents
What has been reported
According to the reports, the ISA plans to raise the minimum annual income standard from the current "3 million yen or more." This was reported in August and October 2026, and neither is an official announcement by the ISA.
| Item | What was reported |
|---|---|
| Standard to be changed | Minimum annual income standard (currently 3 million yen or more) |
| Reason | In light of recent wage increases, experts had been saying that the conditions need to be made stricter |
| Other matters under consideration | Abolishing some evaluation items, and speeding up the examination |
| Method and timing | Aiming to amend the ministerial order within FY2026 (by March 2027) |
| Amount after the increase | Not reported |
| Start date | Not reported |
The reports state that the information was disclosed by several ISA officials. This matter does not appear in the ISA's list of press releases (as of October 19, 2026).
The current minimum annual income standard
The current minimum annual income standard is "an annual income of 3 million yen or more," and it applies to two categories: advanced specialized/technical activities (高度専門・技術活動) and advanced business management activities (高度経営・管理活動). Advanced academic research activities (高度学術研究活動), such as those of university professors and researchers, have no minimum annual income standard.
| Category of activities | Main examples | Minimum annual income standard |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced academic research activities ((i)(a), 1号イ) | University professors, researchers | None |
| Advanced specialized/technical activities ((i)(b), 1号ロ) | Engineers working at companies | 3 million yen or more |
| Advanced business management activities ((i)(c), 1号ハ) | Company executives | 3 million yen or more |
For (i)(b) and (i)(c), if annual income does not reach 3 million yen, the person is not recognized as a Highly Skilled Professional even if they have 70 points or more from the other items. How the point system works and the preferential treatment are summarized in What Is Japan's Highly Skilled Professional Visa? The 70-Point System, Its Benefits and How It Differs from Gijinkoku.
How the minimum annual income differs from annual income points
The minimum annual income standard is a condition that leads to denial if it is not met, whereas annual income points are points added toward the 70-point total. Under the points-based system for highly-skilled foreign professionals (高度人材ポイント制), the points for each item, such as academic background, work experience and annual income, are added up, and Highly Skilled Professional (i) (1号) is granted with 70 points or more.
For (i)(a) and (i)(b), the amount of annual income at which annual income points start to be awarded is set for each age group. For (i)(c) (business executives), regardless of age, points start at 10 points for 10 million yen or more.
| Age | Amount at which annual income points start |
|---|---|
| Under 30 | 10 points for 4 million yen or more |
| 30 or older but under 35 | 15 points for 5 million yen or more |
| 35 or older but under 40 | 20 points for 6 million yen or more |
| 40 or older | 30 points for 8 million yen or more |
For example, a 29-year-old engineer with an annual income of 3.5 million yen meets the minimum annual income standard, but receives 0 annual income points. This means the person reaches 70 points with the 15 points for age plus other items such as academic background and work experience.
If the minimum annual income standard is raised, people like this engineer, whose annual income is on the low side but who reach 70 points through other items, are more likely to be affected. Whether the annual income points table will also be revised has not been made public.
Impact on people already residing in Japan
Under the current system, the minimum annual income standard is checked not only at the initial permission but also at extension of the period of stay and at change to Highly Skilled Professional (ii) (2号). It is a standard that also concerns people already working under (i)(b) or (i)(c).
| Procedure | Check of the minimum annual income standard (3 million yen or more) |
|---|---|
| Permission for Highly Skilled Professional (i) (COE or change of status of residence) | Yes |
| Extension of the period of stay under Highly Skilled Professional (i) | Yes (whether the person has 70 points or more under the same criteria as at the time of permission) |
| Change to Highly Skilled Professional (ii) | Yes (for people changing from (i)(b) or (i)(c)) |
Even if annual income falls during the stay and the person drops below 70 points, it does not mean they immediately become unable to stay in Japan. However, if they do not reach 70 points at the time of extension, extension as a Highly Skilled Professional will not be permitted.
- The amount after the increase
- The start date, and from which applications the new standard will apply
- Whether transitional measures will be provided for extensions and changes to (ii) by people already residing in Japan
- Whether a minimum annual income standard will also be set for advanced academic research activities ((i)(a))
- Which evaluation items will be abolished, and whether the annual income points table will also be revised
The finalized details will need to be confirmed when the amendment to the ministerial order is promulgated.
Impact on permanent residence
The special provisions for applying for permission for permanent residence as a highly-skilled foreign professional (3 years with 70 points, 1 year with 80 points) remain in the Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (永住許可に関するガイドライン) revised on October 1, 2026. These points are counted using the points calculation under the Ministerial Order on Highly Skilled Professionals (高度専門職省令).
Therefore, if the criteria in the ministerial order change, this may also affect how points are counted when using the special provisions for permanent residence. However, how this will be handled has not been made public.
The October 1, 2026 revision of the Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence is a separate review from the one now being reported. In addition, the criteria for Special Highly-Skilled Professional (J-Skip, 特別高度人材), which is granted for an annual income of 20 million yen or more and similar conditions, are set by a ministerial order separate from the one for the Highly Skilled Professional point system. Changes to the J-Skip criteria have not been reported.
What you can do now
What you can do now is check the annual income of the people you employ under Highly Skilled Professional status, and of those who are going to apply, counting it in the same way as in the examination.
- Annual income is counted as the remuneration the person is scheduled to receive from the company over the coming year. Bonuses are included.
- Overtime pay (超過勤務手当) is not included. Payments in the nature of reimbursement of actual expenses, such as commuting allowance, dependent allowance and housing allowance (excluding those subject to taxation), are not included either.
- For people accepted through a transfer from an overseas company, the remuneration received from the overseas company is also counted. In this case, the amount must be shown with documents.
- List the people whose annual income is close to the standard, such as those in the 3-million-yen range, and those with 0 annual income points, and check each person's date of expiration of the period of stay (when the extension is due).
Even if a person does not reach 70 points at extension under (i), if they meet the requirements of another status of residence, there is a practice under which they receive permission to change to that status of residence.
When a ministerial order is amended, in principle, a procedure is carried out to publish the draft and widely invite opinions (public comment procedure, パブリックコメント) (Administrative Procedure Act (行政手続法), Article 39). Once the draft is posted on e-Gov, the proposed amount and the planned start date are expected to become known. As of October 19, 2026, it has not yet been posted.
If you are unsure how to count annual income or whether an employee can continue under Highly Skilled Professional status, through our Highly Skilled Professional visa application support we will check it with you, starting from the points calculation.
Background to the review
The current standard of 3 million yen was set in a review in December 2013. It abolished the age-based standards that had applied until then to advanced specialized/technical activities and advanced business management activities, and lowered them to a single 3 million yen common to all ages. At that time, the minimum annual income standard for advanced academic research activities was also abolished.
The Immigration and Residence Examination Guidelines (入国・在留審査要領) state that, when the 3 million yen figure was set, the 2012 wage statistics of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare were used as a reference. The average annual income of people under 30 working at companies with 10 to 99 employees (regardless of educational background) was about 2.9 million yen.
Later, a report compiled in 2025 by the ISA's Policy Discussion Panel on Immigration and Residence Management (出入国在留管理政策懇談会) stated that the point items should be reviewed while verifying the effects of acceptance, for example by taking into account rising wage levels. It also called for shorter processing times. The Second Basic Plan for Immigration and Residence Management (第2次出入国在留管理基本計画), compiled by the Ministry of Justice in July 2026, also states that necessary revisions will be made for Highly Skilled Professional status, including the "annual income standards, etc." (年収基準等) and the allocation of points.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the new standard apply?
It has not been made public. According to the reports, the aim is to amend the ministerial order within FY2026 (by March 2027). Because an amendment to a ministerial order is in principle subject to a public comment procedure on the draft, once the draft is posted on e-Gov, the planned start date is expected to become known.
To how much will the minimum annual income be raised?
It has not been made public. The reports have not given an amount either.
What happens to people already working under Highly Skilled Professional status?
Under the current system, whether the minimum annual income standard is met is checked at extension of the period of stay and at change to (ii). Whether transitional measures will be provided has not been made public. Under the current system, falling below 70 points during the stay does not mean the person immediately becomes unable to stay in Japan. How cases will be handled after the amendment will need to be confirmed from the content of the amendment.
Will it affect applications for permission for permanent residence as a highly-skilled foreign professional?
Whether there will be an effect has not been made public. For the special provisions of 3 years with 70 points and 1 year with 80 points, the points are counted using the points calculation under the Ministerial Order on Highly Skilled Professionals. How this will be handled when the ministerial order changes will need to be confirmed from the content of the amendment.
Will Special Highly-Skilled Professional (J-Skip) also change?
What has been reported concerns the standards of the Highly Skilled Professional point system. The J-Skip criteria are set by a separate ministerial order, and changes to them have not been reported.
Summary
It has been reported that there is a plan to raise the minimum annual income standard for Highly Skilled Professional status (currently an annual income of 3 million yen or more). The current standard applies to advanced specialized/technical activities ((i)(b)) and advanced business management activities ((i)(c)). The amount after the increase, the start date and how people already residing in Japan will be treated have not been made public (as of October 19, 2026).
The current standard is also checked at extension and at change to (ii). Check the scheduled annual income of the people you employ under Highly Skilled Professional status, including bonuses and excluding overtime pay. If you also keep track of when the extensions of people close to the standard are due, you can act quickly once the ministerial order is amended.
References
- Jiji Press, "「高度外国人材」年収要件上げ 入管庁、賃金上昇受け" (in Japanese; "Income requirement for 'highly-skilled foreign professionals' to be raised: ISA responds to rising wages"; October 18, 2026)
- The Nikkei (Nihon Keizai Shimbun), "外国人の高度人材、認定の年収条件引き上げ 26年度にも省令改正" (in Japanese; "Income condition for recognizing foreign highly-skilled professionals to be raised: ministerial order may be amended as early as FY2026"; August 14, 2026)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Points-Based System for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals Q&A" (in Japanese)
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, "Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence" (in Japanese)
- Immigration and Residence Examination Guidelines (入国・在留審査要領), "Highly Skilled Professional"
