Decided 1 April 2027
PR applicants will be assessed on Japan's rules and systems
ISA will check PR applicants' understanding of Japan's rules and systems, mainly against its Guidebook on Living and Working. It hasn't said how yet.
PR: spouse or child route
Spouses and children of Japanese nationals, permanent residents or special permanent residents applying for PR.
What to do now on this route What to keep, what to check each year and which deadlines to watch.Coming up
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1 April 2027
- PR applicants will be assessed on Japan's rules and systems Decided
- PR applicants will be expected to have Japanese at B1 level Decided
- PR: a 3-year permit stops counting as the maximum period of stay Decided
- PR: long absences from Japan will count against you Decided
- PR: projected pension will be compared with a benchmark Decided
- Spouse route to PR: 5 years married, 3 years in Japan Decided
All 8 changes
Decided 1 April 2027
PR applicants will be expected to have Japanese at B1 level
PR applicants will generally be expected to have Japanese at CEFR B1 level or above. ISA says it will publish which tests count before the rule starts in April 2027.
Decided 1 April 2027
PR: a 3-year permit stops counting as the maximum period of stay
PR applicants must hold the maximum period of stay. For applications filed from 1 April 2027 that generally means a 5-year permit. A 3-year permit still counts until then, and in one narrow case after.
Decided 1 April 2027
PR: long absences from Japan will count against you
One trip abroad of 6 months or more, or 2 years 6 months abroad in total over the last 10 years, will generally count against a PR application unless there's a reasonable cause.
Decided 1 April 2027
PR: projected pension will be compared with a benchmark
A PR applicant's projected pension will be compared with what 30 years of employee pension at above-average income would pay. Savings can make up a shortfall.
Decided 1 April 2027
Spouse route to PR: 5 years married, 3 years in Japan
Spouses of Japanese nationals and permanent residents will need 5 years of genuine married life and 3 years of continuous residence, up from 3 and 1. Children will need 3 years, up from 1.
In force 1 October 2026
Permanent residence fee rises to ¥200,000
Permanent residence now costs ¥200,000 in revenue stamps when it's granted, up from ¥10,000, for applications received from 1 October 2026.
In force 1 October 2026
PR: household income is expected to beat the Japanese average
A permanent residence applicant's household income is generally expected to stay above the average income of a Japanese household of the same size. ISA says it won't publish the yen figures. This part of the 1 October 2026 guideline already applies to pending applications.
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