Full Breakdown
Japan Raises Permanent Residency Fee Twentyfold Amid Stricter Requirements
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Policy Change
Effective October 1 2026, Japan’s permanent-residency application fee rose from ¥10,000 to ¥200,000—a 20-fold increase. The new fee structure also introduces higher income, pension and language thresholds for eligibility. Applicants must now demonstrate a stable annual income at or above the national average household income of ¥5.75 million (2024 data) and expected pension benefits comparable to 30 years of employee-pension contributions; financial assets may be counted where pension projections fall short. From April next year, a basic Japanese-language proficiency test will be required.
Fees for changing or extending a residence status have been tiered: ¥10,000 for stays of three months or less, rising to ¥75,000 for five-year permits. Applicants facing serious financial hardship or holding refugee status may qualify for reduced fees—¥20,000 for permanent residency and ¥10,000 for other procedures.
Background & Context
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who assumed office in October 2025, has placed immigration management at the centre of her domestic agenda. The fee hike follows a five-fold increase in standard visa fees introduced in July 2026—the first such adjustment in 50 years—justified by the government as reflecting “inflation and exchange-rate fluctuations.” Japan’s foreign-resident population reached a record 4.12 million at the end of 2025, a 9.5 % year-on-year rise, as the ageing nation leans increasingly on foreign workers to address labour shortages across agriculture, construction, healthcare and other sectors.
Data & Statistics
- Permanent-residency fee: ¥10,000 -> ¥200,000 (? US $1,270, £955).
- Tiered change-of-status fees: ¥10,000 – ¥75,000 depending on stay length.
- Average household income (2024): ¥5.75 million.
- Foreign-resident population (end 2025): 4.12 million, up 9.5 % from the prior year.
- Wait times at Tokyo’s main immigration bureau exceeded seven hours as applicants rushed to submit paperwork before the deadline.
Official Statements & Responses
Revenue from the higher fees is earmarked for digitalising immigration services, expanding refugee protection, combating illegal stays and funding programmes that help foreign residents learn Japanese and understand Japanese systems.
Verbatim Quotes
- “My immediate reaction was that foreigners were being treated a bit too conveniently,” — Micaiah Stevens
What’s Next
- Applications submitted by September 30 will still be charged the previous ¥10,000 fee, even if approval occurs after October 1 2026.
- From April next year, permanent-residency seekers must pass a basic Japanese-language test, prompting a surge in enrolments at language schools and increased registrations for the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test.
- The Immigration Services Agency warned on September 28 of potential congestion in its online application system as applicants scramble to meet the deadline.
The policy shift marks the most dramatic increase in Japan’s immigration-related fees in decades, reflecting the government’s attempt to balance a growing reliance on foreign labour with domestic concerns over social cohesion and orderly integration.