Japan has increased the fee for foreigners applying for permanent residency from ¥10,000 to ¥200,000, as the country introduces tougher requirements for long-term residence.
The new fee, equivalent to about $1,270 or £955, took effect on October 1 alongside changes requiring applicants to meet stricter financial, pension and, from next year, Japanese-language conditions.
The steep increase prompted a rush among some foreign residents seeking to submit their applications before the new charges came into effect.
Long queues were reported at immigration offices earlier in the week, with Tokyo’s main immigration bureau recording waiting times of more than seven hours.
Under the revised requirements, applicants for permanent residency must demonstrate a stable income at or above the Japanese average. The latest data, released in July, put average household income at ¥5.75 million in 2024.
From April 2027, applicants will also be required to demonstrate basic Japanese-language proficiency.
They will additionally need expected pension benefits equivalent to those of someone who has contributed to the employee pension system for 30 years. Financial assets may, however, be considered where expected pension benefits fall below the threshold.
Japan Tightens Immigration Rules
The fee increase forms part of a broader overhaul of Japan’s immigration system as the country deals with a record foreign population and persistent labour shortages.
The number of foreign residents exceeded 4.12 million at the end of 2025, representing a 9.5% increase from the previous year.
Despite Japan’s historically restrictive immigration policies, foreign workers have become increasingly important to an ageing economy facing shortages across several industries.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has made immigration management a key policy priority since taking office in October 2025.
In an X post before the new fees took effect, Takaichi acknowledged concerns among some Japanese citizens over the growing foreign population.
She said the government was working to ensure that its policies toward foreign nationals were orderly and that “both Japanese citizens and foreign residents can live safely and securely.”
Other Immigration Fees Also Increased
Japan had already raised other immigration-related charges in July, introducing a five-fold increase in visa fees for foreigners.
Authorities said that increase was intended to reflect “inflation and exchange rate fluctuations” and represented the first adjustment to the fees in 50 years.
Before October 1, non-permanent residents paid ¥6,000 each time they applied to change their residency status or extend their period of stay.
Under the new system, the fee depends on the length of the stay being requested, ranging from ¥10,000 for stays of three months or less to ¥75,000 for five years or more.
People experiencing financial hardship and those designated as refugees can qualify for discounts.
Foreign Residents Question New Requirements
The tougher rules have drawn criticism from some foreign residents who say the additional financial and administrative requirements could make Japan less attractive to international workers.
Micaiah Stevens, a 37-year-old who has lived and worked in Tokyo for 10 years, was unable to assemble the documents needed to submit his permanent residency application before the fee increase.
He still intends to apply but questioned the new requirements.
“My immediate reaction was that foreigners were being treated a bit too conveniently,” Stevens told the BBC.
He also questioned the requirement to earn more than the average Japanese income while paying a substantially higher application fee.
The changes come as Japan attempts to balance concerns about immigration and social change with the country’s growing dependence on foreign workers.
