Japan Raises Permanent Residency Fees Twentyfold as Immigration Rules Tighten Under Takaichi

Japan has dramatically increased the cost of applying for permanent residency, raising the fee to 200,000 yen (approximately $1,270 or £955) — a twentyfold jump from the previous charge. The change took effect on 1 October 2026, marking one of the most significant hikes in the country's immigration processing costs in recent memory. Applicants seeking long-term settlement in Japan must now also satisfy new criteria related to income, pension contributions and, eventually, Japanese-language ability.

The fee revision is part of a broader package of immigration policy changes introduced under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who has made managing the country's foreign population a central priority since taking office in October last year. Her government has argued that the measures are necessary to ensure the immigration system remains orderly and that both Japanese citizens and foreign residents can live with a sense of safety and fairness.

Ahead of the deadline, immigration offices across the country were inundated with applicants hoping to file their paperwork before the higher charges kicked in. Tokyo's main immigration bureau reported waiting times exceeding seven hours earlier this week, with long queues forming outside its facilities. The scenes underscored the urgency many foreign residents felt about completing their applications before the new rates took hold.

Under the revised fee structure, the cost of changing residency status or extending a period of stay now varies according to how long the applicant wishes to remain. Those seeking three months or less will pay 10,000 yen, while those applying for five years or more face a charge of 75,000 yen. Previously, non-permanent residents paid a flat 6,000 yen for each such application. The government has indicated that applicants facing financial hardship, as well as those designated as refugees, will be eligible for discounts.

For those pursuing permanent residency specifically, the financial bar has been raised considerably. Aspiring permanent residents must now demonstrate 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. Meeting that threshold is likely to prove difficult for some long-term foreign workers, particularly those in lower-paid sectors or those supporting larger families.

The changes have prompted a mixture of frustration and resignation among foreign residents. Micaiah Stevens, a 37-year-old who has lived and worked in Tokyo for a decade, was unable to gather the necessary documentation to submit his permanent residency application before the price increase. He still intends to apply, but questioned whether the new measures are fair or well-designed for the long term.

"My immediate reaction was that foreigners were being treated a bit too conveniently," Stevens told the BBC. "We're being asked to make more than the average Japanese person, pay a significantly higher fee, just to be able to work in Japan and provide taxes." He added that the language and cultural barriers already discourage some talented individuals from coming to Japan, and that the latest changes do not appear to have been conceived with long-term thinking in mind.

The fee hike follows an earlier round of increases implemented in July, when Japan raised visa fees for all foreigners by five times — the first such increase in half a century. Authorities described that move as a way to reflect inflation and exchange rate fluctuations. Together, the two rounds of increases represent a substantial shift in the cost of maintaining legal status in Japan, affecting not only permanent residency applicants but also short-term residents and workers.

Behind the policy changes lies a demographic dilemma. Japan's population is ageing rapidly, and the country increasingly depends on foreign workers to fill labour shortages in sectors ranging from caregiving to construction and hospitality. Immigration remains a politically sensitive subject, and the government has sought to balance economic necessity with public concerns about rapid social change. Japan's foreign resident population surpassed 4.12 million at the end of 2025, a record 9.5% increase from the previous year.

That growth has fuelled anxiety in some quarters over immigration and its impact on communities. In an X post published days 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 population expands. She wrote that her government is working to ensure its policies toward foreign nationals are orderly, and that both Japanese citizens and foreign residents can live safely and securely.

From April next year, permanent residency applicants will face even stricter requirements. Basic Japanese-language proficiency will become a formal condition, a change that has already triggered a surge in enrollments at Japanese language schools and a rise in registrations for the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, according to local media reports. For many applicants, the language requirement represents a significant additional hurdle that will take months or years to prepare for.

Pension expectations have also been tightened. Applicants' projected pension benefits must now be equivalent to those of someone who has contributed to the employee pension system for 30 years. If an applicant's expected pension falls short of that benchmark, the value of their financial assets may still be taken into consideration. The provision offers some flexibility, but it adds another layer of documentation and planning for those hoping to secure permanent status.

Taken together, the measures signal a clear direction in Japanese immigration policy under Takaichi: higher costs, stricter financial and linguistic criteria, and a stated emphasis on order and fairness. Supporters argue the changes are a reasonable response to public sentiment and the need for a managed system. Critics contend that they risk deterring the very workers Japan needs to sustain its economy and communities, while placing disproportionate burdens on those who have already built their lives in the country.

For applicants like Stevens, the immediate challenge is practical. The higher fees are now in force, the documentation requirements have grown more demanding, and further restrictions are on the horizon. Whether the new framework succeeds in balancing public concerns with labour market needs will likely remain a subject of debate in Japan for years to come.