Japan Raises Permanent Residency Fees Twentyfold as Takaichi Tightens Immigration Rules

Japan has dramatically increased the cost of obtaining permanent residency, raising the application fee to 200,000 yen (approximately $1,270 or £955) — a twentyfold jump from the previous charge. The change, which took effect on 1 October 2026, represents one of the most significant increases in the country's immigration fee structure in recent memory and forms part of a broader policy shift under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

Applicants seeking permanent residency must now also satisfy new income, pension, and, from April next year, Japanese-language requirements. Together, these measures mark a substantial tightening of the pathway to long-term settlement in a country that has historically maintained restrictive immigration policies.

The fee hike was preceded by scenes of long queues outside immigration offices earlier this week, as applicants rushed to submit their paperwork before the higher charges came into force. Tokyo's main immigration bureau reported wait times exceeding seven hours, underscoring the level of anxiety among foreign residents seeking to secure their status before the deadline.

Beyond the headline increase for permanent residency, the cost of other residency procedures has also risen. Previously, non-permanent residents paid 6,000 yen each time they applied to change their residency status or extend their period of stay. From 1 October, that fee now varies according to the length of stay sought, ranging from 10,000 yen for three months or less to 75,000 yen for stays of five years or more. Applicants facing financial hardship, as well as those designated as refugees, are eligible for discounts.

The changes are part of a series of immigration policy adjustments introduced by Takaichi's government, which has made managing the country's rapidly growing foreign population one of its key priorities since she took office in October last year. In July, Japan implemented a five-fold increase in visa fees for all foreigners — its first such hike in 50 years. Authorities described that move as a response to inflation and exchange rate fluctuations.

Japan's foreign resident population surpassed 4.12 million at the end of 2025, a record figure representing a 9.5% increase from the previous year. While the country's ageing population has made foreign workers increasingly essential to filling labour shortages, the growing number of newcomers has fuelled anxieties over immigration and social change — concerns that the Takaichi government has explicitly sought to address.

In a post on X shortly before the residency permit hikes took effect, Takaichi acknowledged that "some members of the public may feel a sense of concern or unfairness" as the foreign resident population grows. She said her government was working to ensure its policies toward foreign nationals are "orderly" and that "both Japanese citizens and foreign residents can live safely and securely."

The new income requirement stipulates that aspiring permanent residents must earn a stable income at or above the Japanese average. According to the latest data released in July, average household income stood at 5.75 million yen as of 2024. This means applicants must demonstrate a level of financial stability that exceeds what many ordinary Japanese households earn, a point that has drawn criticism from some foreign residents.

One such resident is Micaiah Stevens, who has lived and worked in Tokyo for a decade. The 37-year-old was unable to compile the necessary documentation to submit his permanent residency application before the price increase took effect. Although he still intends to apply, he questions the rationale behind the new measures. "My immediate reaction was that foreigners were being treated a bit too conveniently," he told the BBC, adding that foreign residents are being asked to earn more than the average Japanese person and pay a significantly higher fee simply to work in Japan and pay taxes.

Stevens also expressed doubt about the long-term thinking behind the policy. "There's already a significant language and cultural barrier that prevents some talent from coming over," he said. "This just doesn't strike me as a plan that was thought out to the long term."

From April next year, permanent residency applicants will face even stricter criteria, including a basic proficiency in the Japanese language. The prospect of this additional hurdle has already triggered a surge in enrollments at Japanese language schools, as well as increased sign-ups for the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, according to local media reports. The language requirement is expected to pose a particular challenge for long-term residents who have built their lives in Japan without achieving formal certification in the language.

Pension requirements have also been tightened. Applicants' expected pension benefits must now be equivalent to those of someone who has contributed to the employee pension system for 30 years. However, the value of an applicant's financial assets can be taken into consideration if their expected pension benefits fall short of that threshold — a provision that offers some flexibility but remains difficult to meet for many mid-career arrivals.

The cumulative effect of these changes is a permanent residency system that is significantly more expensive, more selective, and more demanding than it was just months ago. For Japan, the challenge lies in balancing public concerns about rapid demographic change with the economic necessity of attracting and retaining foreign talent. Whether the new measures achieve that balance — or deter the very workers the country needs — remains an open question. What is clear is that the path to permanent settlement in Japan has become considerably harder to navigate, and for many foreign residents, considerably more costly.