Japan Immigration News

Foreigners with permanent residency could face stricter rules

Release Date: 2024-02-05
Media: Asahi Shimbun
Summary: The Japanese government is considering an amendment to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law that would allow the revocation of permanent residency status for foreign nationals who fail to meet tax and social security obligations. This measure aims to “optimize” permanent residency requirements as more foreign nationals settle in Japan.

Permanent residency in Japan offers foreign nationals unrestricted duration of stay and employment options, granted by the Justice Minister to those who meet criteria like residing in Japan for at least 10 years and fulfilling obligations such as taxes and social security. While currently about 880,000 permanent residents (27% of all foreign residents) are living in Japan, local governments, concerned about financial impacts, are pushing for stricter rules to ensure tax compliance.

The amendment also aligns with a new system replacing the technical internship program, which facilitates foreign workers’ transition to the “specified skills” residency status, potentially increasing the number of permanent residents in Japan.
Tags: Permanent Resident

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