Japan Raises Permanent Residency Fee Twentyfold as Immigration Rules Tighten
Japan has raised the fee for foreigners seeking permanent residency twentyfold, to ¥200,000 (about $1,270 or £955), while adding new income, pension and Japanese-language requirements that will make the path to long-term settlement significantly harder.
The increase is part of a wider immigration policy shift under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, whose government has made managing Japan’s growing foreign population one of its central priorities since she took office in October last year.
The changes have already prompted long queues outside immigration offices. Earlier this week, applicants rushed to beat the deadline, and Tokyo’s main immigration bureau reported waits of more than seven hours.
Before the increase, non-permanent residents in Japan paid ¥6,000 each time they applied to change their residency status or extend their stay. From October 1, those fees vary by the length of stay sought: from ¥10,000 for three months or less to ¥75,000 for five years or more. Applicants facing financial hardship or those designated as refugees can receive discounts.
The higher permanent residency fee follows a broader round of increases. In July, Japan implemented a fivefold rise in visa fees for all foreigners—its first such hike in 50 years. Authorities said the move was intended to “reflect inflation and exchange rate fluctuations.”
For aspiring permanent residents, the requirements now extend beyond paperwork and payment. Applicants must earn a stable income at or above the Japanese average. Data released in July put average household income at ¥5.75 million as of 2024. From April next year, applicants will also face tighter rules, including basic Japanese-language proficiency. Local media reported a surge in enrollments at Japanese-language schools and in registrations for the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test.
Expected pension benefits must also be equivalent to those of someone enrolled in the employee pension system for 30 years, though the value of an applicant’s financial assets can be considered if their projected pension falls short.
The policy changes reflect a delicate balancing act. Immigration remains politically sensitive and restrictive in Japan, yet the country’s aging population and shrinking workforce are increasingly reliant on foreign workers to fill labor shortages.
Japan’s foreign resident population surpassed 4.12 million at the end of 2025, a record 9.5% increase from the previous year. The growth has fueled anxieties over immigration and social change, and Takaichi has sought to address those concerns directly. In an X post days before the residency permit hikes took effect, she wrote that her government recognizes that “some members of the public may feel a sense of concern or unfairness” as the foreign resident population grows.
“To address these concerns, [the government] is working to ensure that its policies toward foreign nationals are orderly, and that both Japanese citizens and foreign residents can live safely and securely,” she wrote.
Some foreign residents say the new measures send a confusing message. Micaiah Stevens, a 37-year-old who has lived and worked in Tokyo for 10 years, was unable to compile the necessary documentation to submit his permanent residency application before the price hike. He still plans to apply but questions the direction of the policy.
“My immediate reaction was that foreigners were being treated a bit too conveniently. We’re being asked to make more than the average Japanese person, pay a significantly higher fee, just to be able to work in Japan and provide taxes,” he told the BBC.
“There’s already a significant language and cultural barrier that prevents some talent from coming over. This just doesn’t strike me as a plan that was thought out to the long term.”
For Japan, the challenge is whether tougher requirements will ease public concerns without worsening labor shortages in sectors already dependent on foreign workers. The government’s next moves—and how current residents respond—will shape how attractive the country remains as a place to build a long-term life.