Japan Raises Permanent Residency Fee 20-Fold as Applicants Face Tougher Income and Japanese-Language Rules

Japan’s permanent residency fee rises 20-fold as new income, pension and Japanese-language requirements take effect in stages (Credit: Photo by Jezael Melgoza on Unsplash)

Japan raised its permanent residency issuance fee 20-fold on Thursday as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government introduced tougher income and Japanese-language requirements for foreigners seeking to settle permanently.

Previous guidelines set no specific income, pension or language thresholds. The income requirement applies to applications filed on or after 1 April 2026 that remained pending when the guidelines changed, while most other new criteria apply from April 2027.