According to Japan’s Immigration Services Agency (ISA), the permanent residency fee has been increased from ¥10,000 to ¥200,000 (around $1,300). The payment is required upon application approval, while applications submitted before October will be charged at the old rate.

The rules for obtaining permanent residency are also becoming stricter. A family’s income will now be compared to the average income of similar Japanese households. The new requirements will even apply to pending applications submitted after April 2026. Pensions will also be evaluated, including future pension payouts and savings for retirement.

Language proficiency will be checked as well: it must be at least level B1. Understanding of local rules and children's school attendance will also be taken into account.

The new criteria will apply to applications starting in April, but the increased fee and new income requirements are already in effect.