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Japan to raise residence permit and permanent residency fees next month
Japan’s permanent residency application fee will jump to ¥200,000 from ¥10,000, and the government is also tightening eligibility criteria for permanent status.
Japan will substantially increase fees for residence permits starting next month, with costs for renewing or changing residency status potentially reaching up to ¥75,000 depending on the length of stay, according to SCMP Economy. The permanent residency application fee will rise to ¥200,000 from ¥10,000, and Japan is also tightening the requirements for obtaining permanent status.
The proposed new criteria go beyond administrative fee changes, with applicants expected to demonstrate they can support themselves. Additional conditions include an above-average household income, sufficient projected pension benefits, Japanese-language proficiency, and an understanding of Japanese institutions and rules for daily life, SCMP Economy reported.
Japan’s move comes as the country leans more heavily on foreign labor to address a shrinking and aging population and persistent labor shortages. SCMP Economy said the number of foreign workers reached a record high of 2.57 million at the end of October last year, and the Bank of Japan estimates foreign workers accounted for more than half of the labor force increase between 2023 and 2024.
The article also highlights potential uneven impacts of the higher fees. According to Japan’s 2020 population census cited by SCMP Economy, male foreign workers were much more likely than Japanese men to be in non-regular employment, which could affect eligibility and documentation for permanent residency under the new standards.