The Immigration Services Agency of Japan revised the Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (永住許可に関するガイドライン) as of October 1, 2026 (Reiwa 8). The draft revision, which had been put out for public comment in August, has now been published as the official Guidelines.
The revised Guidelines keep the existing framework of three requirements — “good conduct, independent livelihood, and national interest” — while spelling out in concrete terms the factors to be considered in the examination, such as the household income level, the projected pension amount, Japanese language ability (B1 equivalent), the number of days spent outside Japan, understanding of Japan’s systems and rules, and school attendance of school-age children. For anyone considering a permanent residence application, this revision affects both what to prepare and when.
Sources: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, “Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence (revised October 1, Reiwa 8)”; the same Agency, “Implementation of Public Comment on the Proper Management of ‘Permanent Resident’ Status.” All content in this article is based on materials published by that Agency.
[Updated October 11, 2026] We corrected the number of factors under the national interest requirement from 11 to 10 (item (1) of Part 2, Section 5 of the guidelines describes the basic approach rather than a factor). Everything else reflects the information at the time of publication.
When the revised Guidelines apply
First, let us confirm the timing of application. Getting this wrong means getting the order of your preparations wrong.
| Item | Applications covered |
|---|---|
| The Guidelines as a whole | Applications filed on or after April 1, 2027 (Reiwa 9) |
| Income (Part 2, 4(2)) / Not becoming a burden on the public (Part 2, 5(7)) | Also applied to cases filed on or after the day six months before the revision date and still under examination as of the revision date (October 1, Reiwa 8) |
Note: The approach to income extends even to cases already under examination. If you applied for permanent residence in or after the spring of Reiwa 8 and have not yet received a result, we recommend checking how your household income would be evaluated in light of the new approach.
The law itself is also changing. Under the Reiwa 6 amendment to the Immigration Control Act, the words “compliance with the obligations provided for in this Act, payment of taxes and public charges, etc.” were added to Article 22, paragraph 2 of the Immigration Control Act, and this takes effect on April 1, Reiwa 9. The Guidelines explain that these words clarify, as a statutory requirement, what the previous Guidelines already stated, and that they were considered in examinations even before the effective date.
The framework of requirements has not changed
The requirements for permission for permanent residence under Article 22, paragraph 2 of the Immigration Control Act are the following three.
- The person’s conduct is good (good conduct requirement)
- The person has sufficient assets or skills to make an independent living (independent livelihood requirement)
- The person’s permanent residence is in the interest of Japan (national interest requirement)
If the applicant is the spouse or child of a Japanese national, a permanent resident, or a special permanent resident, conformity with 1 and 2 is not required. This, too, is unchanged.
What has changed is that the factors to be considered in judging each requirement have been written out in concrete terms.
Independent livelihood requirement — household income and pension
Household income must be “at a level exceeding the average income of Japanese households”
On the independent livelihood requirement, the revised Guidelines state that “economic conditions at or above the level of Japanese nationals are required,” and then say that income will be judged as follows.
- Whether the annual income of the household to which the applicant belongs has continuously reached a level exceeding the average income of Japanese households according to the number of household members (the annual income level)
- Household income is the combined annual income of the applicant and the family members who share the same livelihood
- The income of family members on a non-work status of residence, such as “Dependent,” is not added (income from part-time work under permission to engage in activity other than that permitted is not counted)
- Dependent relatives are added to the number of household members even if they live overseas
- Where the household has 5 or more members, an amount for the increase in living expenses, etc. is added to the annual income level
The text of the Guidelines does not state a specific figure for the annual income level. Please also note that “work status” here excludes Technical Intern Training, Employment for Skill Development, Specified Skilled Worker (i), Intra-company Transferee, and some Designated Activities.
Point: If you have your parents in your home country as dependents, the number of household members increases, and so does the required annual income level. The relationship between the number of dependent relatives and your household income is something you must check before applying.
Pension is assessed by the “projected amount”
The approach to pensions is newly added.
- Whether the projected amount of future pension benefits, estimated from the applicant’s age at the time of application, past pension enrollment, and annual income at the time of application,
- reaches the projected amount for someone who worked for 30 years at an annual income level exceeding the average income of Japanese households and was enrolled in Employees’ Pension Insurance (the pension benefit level), is considered
- Even if it does not reach that level, it is evaluated as reaching it if the applicant has financial assets that can make up the shortfall (supplementary assets)
- The standard for supplementary assets is set according to the applicant’s age at the time of application; the younger the applicant, the lower the standard
- Where the applicant has a spouse, the couple’s projected benefits are combined in the assessment
Until now, the focus for pensions was “whether you are paying,” but after the revision, how much you are expected to receive in the future will also be considered.
National interest requirement — the 10 factors now written out
For the national interest requirement, the following 10 factors are set out.
[Updated October 11, 2026] When first published, this article said “11 factors.” However, item (1) of Part 2, Section 5 of the guidelines describes the basic approach to the national interest requirement; the factors themselves are the ten items (2) through (11). We have corrected the heading and text to “10.”
| Factor | Main content |
|---|---|
| (2) Compliance with obligations provided for in the Act | Obligations such as notification of place of residence and carrying and presenting the Residence Card. Past violations are also, as a rule, evaluated negatively |
| (3) Payment of taxes and public charges | Taxes, public medical insurance, and public pensions. Even if nothing is unpaid at the time of application, having been subject to a delinquency disposition in the past is, as a rule, evaluated negatively |
| (4) Violations of criminal laws | Imprisonment and fines; protective measures under the Juvenile Act |
| (5) Grounds for denial of landing / landing permission criteria | Not conforming to the criteria for one’s current status of residence is also evaluated negatively |
| (6) Long-term residence | As a rule, 10 years or more (of which 5 years or more on a work status or a residence-based status); the longest period of stay; number of days outside Japan |
| (7) Not becoming a burden on the public | Even for spouses and others to whom the independent livelihood requirement does not apply, circumstances such as actually being a burden on the public are considered |
| (8) Japanese language ability | B1 equivalent level or above |
| (9) Understanding of systems, rules, etc. | Understanding is confirmed, centered on the content of the “Guidebook on Living and Working” |
| (10) School attendance of school-age children | Children are attending elementary or junior high school |
| (11) Other | Contribution to the measures in the “Comprehensive Measures for the Acceptance of Foreign Nationals and Orderly Coexistence,” etc. |
Below, we explain the factors with the greatest impact in practice.
Days outside Japan — “half a year or more” and “a total of 2 years and 6 months or more”
New: If, within the past 10 years counting back from the time of application, and without a reasonable reason, there was a period of absence of half a year or more on a single departure, or the absences total 2 years and 6 months or more, this will, as a rule, be evaluated negatively.
Those who travel abroad on business frequently, or who have made long visits to their home country, need to check 10 years’ worth of their entry and departure records. Whether there was a “reasonable reason” is judged case by case, so if you have long absences, it is important to have materials ready that can explain the reasons.
Transitional measures for a period of stay of “3 years”
A permanent residence application requires that you are residing with the longest period of stay for your current status of residence (“5 years” for most work statuses). For those with a period of stay of “3 years,” the following transitional measures apply.
- Applications by March 31, Reiwa 9: even “3 years” is treated as residing with the longest period of stay
- Applications on or after April 1, Reiwa 9: the same treatment applies only if you held “3 years” as of March 31, Reiwa 9, the application is your first permanent residence application on or after April 1, and a decision is made by the expiry date of that “3 years”
Japanese language ability — B1 equivalent
Whether the applicant has Japanese language ability at B1 equivalent level or above of the “Reference Framework for Japanese Language Education” (report of the Subdivision on National Language, Council for Cultural Affairs, October 12, Reiwa 3) is now a factor to be considered.
However, this factor is stated not to be considered for persons such as the following.
- Highly skilled foreign professionals (70 points, 80 points, and Special Highly Skilled Professionals) and their families
- Persons who have received a cumulative 6 years or more of primary or secondary education as provided for in the School Education Act
- Children of permanent residents (limited to cases where the parent raising the child has Japanese language ability at B1 equivalent or above and the child was born in Japan)
Understanding of systems and rules, and children’s school attendance
The Guidelines state that whether the applicant understands Japan’s systems and rules will be confirmed, by a method designated by the Commissioner of the Immigration Services Agency, centered on the matters described in the “Guidebook on Living and Working.” The specific method of confirmation is not written in the text of the Guidelines.
In addition, those raising children of school age (the period of compulsory education) are required to have their children attending elementary or junior high school.
Other changes
- The Guidelines on “Contribution to Japan” have been abolished, and their content has been integrated into “Part 4: Special Provisions for Persons Who Have Contributed to Japan” of the revised Guidelines.
- For the “Designated Activities” status of residence, the basic approach and main examples are given as to which activities count toward the “10 years” of residence and which activities constitute a work status. For example, Public Notice No. 46 (graduates of Japanese universities, etc.) constitutes a work status, while residence for continued job hunting or as a person with a job offer does not count toward the “10 years.”
- The content of the special provisions concerning the 10-year residence principle (Spouse or Child of Japanese National, Long-Term Resident, Highly Skilled Professional, etc.) maintains the existing framework.
For those considering a permanent residence application — what to check now
- Household composition and income Sort out the number of family members sharing your livelihood and dependent relatives (including those overseas), and which income can and cannot be combined
- Pension enrollment records Check your enrollment periods and projected amount using your Nenkin Teiki-bin (pension record notice) or similar
- Entries and departures over the past 10 years Check that there are no absences of half a year or more on a single trip or a total of 2 years and 6 months or more
- Payment history of taxes and social insurance Check, including whether you have ever been subject to a delinquency disposition
- Notification history Check that no notifications, such as those regarding your place of residence or affiliated organization, have been missed
- Japanese language ability Check whether you will need to prove B1 equivalent, or whether you fall into an exempt category
- Timing of application Whether you apply by March 31, Reiwa 9 or on or after April 1 changes the treatment of a “3 years” period of stay and the scope of the factors considered
Note: It is not necessarily the case that “if you apply before April, Reiwa 9, you will be examined under the old standards.” The approach to income and to burden on the public also applies to cases under examination as of the revision date. In addition, parts of the Guidelines are explained as clarifying matters that were already considered. It is safest to decide the timing of your application after checking your own circumstances one by one.
Summary
- The Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence were revised on October 1, Reiwa 8, and as a rule apply to applications filed on or after April 1, Reiwa 9.
- Household income is considered against a level exceeding the average income of Japanese households, and pensions by the projected benefit amount.
- Japanese at B1 equivalent, days outside Japan, understanding of systems and rules, and children’s school attendance are expressly stated as factors to be considered.
- The items on income and burden on the public also apply to cases under examination on the revision date.
New Guidelines on the revocation of permanent residence were also established on the same day. Please also see Guidelines on Revocation of Permanent Resident Status. We explain the basics of permanent residence in Guide to Permanent Residence Applications, the approach to income in Income Requirements for Permanent Residence, and the fees from October 1 in Residence Procedure Fees Revised from October 1, Reiwa 8.
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Under the revised Guidelines, the matters checked in a permanent residence application have increased considerably. We check household income, pension, days outside Japan, and payment history one by one, and make proposals including the timing of your application.
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