Income Requirements for Permanent Residence — Guidelines by Household Size and How to Prove Them

In a permanent residence application, income is one of the key points of screening. This criterion, known as the “independent livelihood requirement,” is set out in Article 22, Paragraph 2, Item 2 of the Immigration Control Act. In this article, we explain in detail the income guidelines by household size and how to read the certificates you will need to submit.

What Is the Independent Livelihood Requirement?

One of the requirements for permanent residence is “possessing sufficient assets or skills to make an independent living” (Article 22, Paragraph 2, Item 2 of the Immigration Control Act). This means that you do not become a burden on the public in your daily life, and that a stable livelihood can be expected going forward.

Point: The assessment looks not only at you as an individual, but at the income and assets of the household as a whole. If your spouse is working, that income is also taken into account.

Income Guidelines by Household Size

The following are general income guidelines for permanent residence applications. No specific amount is prescribed by law, but in screening practice the following levels are used as a reference.

Household Composition	Annual Income Guideline (before tax)	Notes
Single	Approx. ¥3 million or more	Minimum line
Married couple only	Approx. ¥3.7 million or more	Where the spouse is a dependent
Couple + 1 child	Approx. ¥4.4 million or more	Increases with the number of dependents
Couple + 2 children	Approx. ¥5.1 million or more	Approx. ¥700,000 added per person
Couple + 3 children	Approx. ¥5.8 million or more	Same as above

Caution: The above are guidelines only. Even where income falls slightly below the standard, there are cases where permission is granted based on a comprehensive assessment of assets and stability.

How to Read the Tax Certificate

For a permanent residence application, you submit the tax certificate (kazei shomeisho) for resident tax (for the most recent 5 years). The certificate contains many figures, but the items that receive attention in screening are as follows.

Items to Check

Item	Meaning	Importance in Screening
Total income amount	The amount after the employment income deduction	Most important
Employment income	Gross annual salary	Reference value
Income deductions	Dependent deductions, social insurance premium deductions, etc.	Confirms the number of dependents
Tax amount	The amount of resident tax	Confirms the amount of tax paid

Point: “Employment income” and “total income amount” are different. Screening looks at the “total income amount,” so please take note.

Types of Tax Payment Certificates and Their Uses

Several tax payment certificates are required for a permanent residence application.

Certificate	Issuing Body	What It Certifies
Resident tax payment certificate	Municipal office	Resident tax payment status (5 years)
National tax payment certificate (Type 3)	Tax office	Certification that there are no unpaid taxes
Withholding income tax payment certificate	Tax office	Withholding income tax payment status

What to Do If Your Income Falls Short

Even if your income does not reach the guideline, the following approaches may help.

1. Combine Your Spouse’s Income

Because the assessment is based on household income as a whole, if your spouse earns income from part-time work, that amount is also added in the evaluation.

2. Prove Your Assets

If you have assets such as savings, real estate, or securities, you can demonstrate the stability of your livelihood by attaching a bank balance certificate or a certified copy of the real estate register as proof of assets.

3. Show That Your Income Is Trending Upward

If your annual income has been increasing over the past several years, one approach is to attach a certificate of employment or employment contract stating the prospect of a pay raise, and explain your future stability.

For Sole Proprietors and Company Representatives

Unlike company employees, sole proprietors and company representatives need to be aware of the following points.

Category	Points to Note
Sole proprietor	The “income amount” on the final tax return is what is examined. Reporting excessive expenses to lower income works against you
Company representative	Officer compensation is examined as annual income. The company’s financial statements (most recent 3 years) may also be requested
Common to both	If losses continue year after year, doubts are easily raised about future stability

Reference: Guidelines on Permission for Permanent Residence — Immigration Services Agency of Japan

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