Japan lifts residency fees and rules
Japan raises permanent residency fee by 20 times
Thursday, 1 October 2026
Warm-up
- What factors might attract you to live long term in another country?
- How do higher fees change people's plans to move or stay?
- What language skills should governments ask new residents to show?
Vocabulary
- residency
- Permission to live in a country for a long period or permanently.
- immigration
- Movement of people into a country to live or work.
- requirement
- Something that a rule says you must have or do.
- proficiency
- A good level of skill in a subject or language.
- shortage
- A situation where there is not enough of something needed.
- hardship
- Serious difficulty, especially because of money or life conditions.
- enrolment
- The act of signing up to join a course or school.
- bureau
- A government office that provides a public service.
Reading
Listen to this story
American EnglishJapan has raised the fee for foreigners applying for permanent residency by 20 times, to 200,000 yen. The move is part of wider immigration policy under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to manage a rapidly growing foreign population. Earlier this week, long lines formed at Tokyo's main immigration bureau, with waits of over seven hours.
In July, Japan made a five-fold rise in visa fees, the first in 50 years, to reflect inflation and exchange rate changes. From 1 October, ordinary residency procedures also cost more: previously 6,000 yen, they now range from 10,000 yen for three months or less to 75,000 yen for five years or more. Discounts apply for applicants facing financial hardship or for refugees.
New requirements include income at or above the Japanese average, basic Japanese-language proficiency from April next year, and pension expectations similar to 30 years in the employee system, with assets considered if needed. Foreign residents reached 4.12 million at the end of 2025, up 9.5% in a year. Although immigration is sensitive, an ageing Japan relies on foreign workers to plug a labour shortage. Language school enrolments and sign-ups for the JLPT have surged.
Comprehension
- What is the new fee for a permanent residency application?
- Which leader is linked to the immigration policy changes?
- When were visa fees last raised before this year's increase?
- From when will basic language proficiency be required?
- How many foreign residents did Japan have at the end of 2025?
Grammar focus
Future perfect continuous
Use will have been + verb-ing to show how long an action continues up to a future time. Form: will have been + verb-ing. Time cues: by + future point; since + start point; for + length of time. (Examples constructed.)
- By April next year, language schools will have been enrolling new students for months.
- By the afternoon, applicants will have been queueing for hours.
Grammar exercise
Complete each sentence with the future perfect continuous form.
- By 1 October, applicants (wait) ___ in line for hours.
- By April next year, learners (study) ___ for the JLPT for months.
- By April next year, many applicants (prepare) ___ documents for months.
- By 1 October, staff (process) ___ applications for days.
- By April next year, schools (run) ___ extra classes for months.
Discussion
- Are higher immigration fees a fair way to manage demand? Why?
- Which new requirement seems most reasonable or hardest to meet?
- How might these changes affect Japan's labour shortage?
- What support should governments give new long-term residents?
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