Japan Govt to Tighten Requirements to Receive Permanent Residency from April 2027

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:14 JST, March 12, 2026

The government has finalized plans to tighten requirements for being granted permanent residency starting April 2027. The move aims to optimize procedures based on the government’s basic policy for foreign nationals compiled in January.

To obtain permanent residency, the applicant must hold a visa status with the “longest” period of stay at the time of application, which is currently five years in principle.

In practice, however, even a three year period of stay has been considered sufficient to meet the requirement. According to the Immigration Services Agency, this practice originated as a transitional measure because, prior to the 2012 extension of the maximum period of stay to five years, three years was the standard maximum.

More than 10 years have passed since the extension. As part of reviewing foreign resident policies, the government decided to standardize the longest period at five years and revised guidelines on Feb. 24.

Meanwhile, the government will tighten the interpretation of the engineer/specialist in humanities/international services status for professionals such as engineers and interpreters.

If a business commits human rights violations, such as not paying wages, against foreign nationals including specified skilled workers, that business will be barred from accepting such workers for five years. This rule will also apply to engineer/specialist in humanities/international services status holders. The government plans to revise the guidelines as early as April.

Starting Monday, staffing agencies that dispatch foreign nationals with this visa status as well as client companies are required to submit documents, such as a pledge, confirming workers will engage in work consistent with their status.