The Immigration Services Agency announced on October 1, 2026 that it has revised its Guidelines on Permanent Residency Permission, and separately announced that it has created new Guidelines on Revocation of the Permanent Resident Status of Residence ^[1][2].

The revised permanent residency guidelines restate that under Article 22, Paragraph 2 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, applicants must meet three requirements: good conduct, possession of assets or skills sufficient for an independent livelihood, and a finding that the person's permanent residence serves the national interest ^[1]. Spouses and children of Japanese nationals, permanent residents, or special permanent residents are exempted from the good conduct and independent livelihood requirements, and those recognized as needing protection by the UNHCR or other international bodies, or recognized refugees or complementary protection recipients, are exempted from the independent livelihood requirement ^[1]. The agency noted that wording requiring "compliance with obligations under this law" and "payment of public dues," to be formally added to the law by the 2024 amendment taking effect April 1, 2027, merely clarifies a standard that has already been considered in past screenings ^[1].

According to the guidelines, the good conduct requirement concerns whether an applicant has repeatedly engaged in illegal or disruptive behavior ^[1]. The independent livelihood requirement is assessed based on an applicant's residence history, current and expected future income, assets and skills, generally evaluated at the household level and compared against average income levels of Japanese households ^[1]. The national interest requirement takes into account factors such as tax and public due payments, criminal violations, long-term residence as a member of Japanese society, Japanese language ability, understanding of Japan's systems and rules, and school enrollment of school-age children, among other circumstances ^[1]. The guidelines also address special exceptions to the general rule requiring roughly ten years of residence, special treatment for those who have contributed to Japan, and how the ten-year rule applies to holders of "Designated Activities" status ^[1].

Separately, the new revocation guidelines follow a 2024 amendment to the Immigration Control Act that added two new grounds for revoking permanent resident status, under Article 22-4, Paragraph 1, Items 8 and 9 ^[2]. The Immigration Services Agency said the guidelines were created in response to supplementary Diet resolutions requiring that any revocation of permanent residency, or any related change of status of residence by the authorities, must strictly weigh an individual's degree of settlement in Japan and the severity of the violation, so as not to unfairly harm foreign nationals already settled in the country, and that specific case guidelines be published to ensure careful administration ^[2]. The agency said the new guidelines aim to give foreign nationals and others greater predictability and fairness, and will begin operating from April 1, 2027 ^[2].

Foreign residents considering or holding permanent residency should review the full guidelines published by the Immigration Services Agency, as the agency has not specified exact income thresholds or case-by-case revocation examples in the summaries released so far ^[1][2].

Source credit 出典：「令和８年１０月１日付け永住許可に関するガイドラインを改定しました。」（出入国在留管理庁）（https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/10_00279.html）、PDL1.0（https://www.digital.go.jp/resources/open_data/public_data_license_v1.0）を加工してJapan News (j.apan.news)が作成 出典：「令和８年１０月１日付け永住者の在留資格の取消しに関するガイドラインを策定しました。」（出入国在留管理庁）（https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/deportation/resources/nyukan_nyukan85_00002.html）、PDL1.0（https://www.digital.go.jp/resources/open_data/public_data_license_v1.0）を加工してJapan News (j.apan.news)が作成 This article is Japan News's own English summary of the Japanese original. It has been translated and edited by Japan News; it is not an official translation, and the Immigration Services Agency did not write or review it.