Last updated: August 2026 (covers the February 2026 guideline revision and the revocation system starting April 2027)
Summary
- You normally need 10 years in Japan. But there are big exceptions — 1 year of residence for spouses of Japanese nationals, and as little as 1 year for Highly Skilled Professionals.
- From April 1, 2027, your residence card must show a 5-year period of stay. The current allowance for a 3-year card ends on March 31, 2027.
- The same day, a revocation system for permanent residence begins. It targets people who deliberately refuse to pay taxes and social insurance.
- But it requires intent and bad faith. Being unable to pay because of illness or job loss is not what this is aimed at. And revocation does not mean immediate deportation.
- Screening looks at 5 years of resident tax and 5 years of proven income, and 2 years of pension and health insurance. The only preparation that works starts today: keep paying.
Permanent Residence (永住 eijū) removes the limit on how long you can stay and the limit on what work you can do. It is not naturalization — you keep your original nationality.
This article reflects the February 2026 guideline revision and the revocation system starting April 2027. If you are reading guides written last year, part of what you know is now out of date.
First: how many years do you need?
The rule is 10 years, including at least 5 years on a work-based or residence-based status. Five years as a student plus five years working after graduation adds up to ten.
But the exceptions are large. Check whether one applies to you before assuming you have a decade to wait.
Besides the years, you need good conduct (no criminal record — repeated minor traffic violations over the past 5 years are also looked at) and a guarantor (a Japanese national or permanent resident with stable income).
How much income do you need?
You must be able to support yourself. There is no published fixed threshold, but there are working benchmarks.
How much you can legally earn depends on your status. See How much can you earn on your visa?
February 2026 revision: your card must say 5 years
This is the part people get wrong. What changed is not “how many years you have lived here.” It is “the length of the period of stay printed on your residence card.”
Until now, a 3-year period of stay was treated as if it were the “longest” one, as a special allowance. That allowance ends on March 31, 2027. From April 1, 2027, you generally need a 5-year period of stay (statuses based on family relationships are excluded).
There is a transitional rule. If you hold a 3-year period of stay on March 31, 2027, you can still be approved under the old treatment — but only for a first application made within that period of stay.
The risk to watch: if your renewal after April 2027 gives you 3 years again, you cannot apply for permanent residence until a later renewal gives you 5. Every renewal or status change should be treated as an attempt to reach 5 years.
April 2027: permanent residence can now be revoked
The 2024 amendment to the Immigration Control Act created a system for revoking permanent residence. It takes effect on April 1, 2027, and it applies to people who already hold permanent residence.
There are three grounds:
- Deliberately failing to pay taxes or social insurance premiums
- Violating notification duties under the Immigration Act (for example, not reporting a change of address)
- Being sentenced to imprisonment for a serious crime
Be precise here: it requires intent and bad faith
A lot of alarming coverage skips the condition attached to this. Revocation requires that the non-payment be deliberate and in bad faith.
Being unable to pay because of illness or unemployment is not what this system is aimed at. The fact that you had no money, on its own, does not get your status revoked.
And revocation does not mean immediate deportation. Taking into account your circumstances in Japan and your family situation, a change to a status such as “Long-Term Resident” is normally considered. Revocation and the change of status are two separate decisions.
There is only one thing you can do today
Keep paying. That is the whole preparation.
The screening periods are fixed:
- Resident tax and proof of income: the most recent 5 years
- Pension and health insurance: the most recent 2 years
Think about what those numbers mean. By the time you decide to apply, the last five years are already written. You cannot go back and fix them.
The thing most people miss is late payments. Even if you paid in the end, the delay stays in the record. For National Health Insurance and National Pension, set up automatic bank transfer and stop thinking about it. See National Health Insurance explained and Part-time work and taxes.
And from April 2027, this continues after you get permanent residence. That is the real change: it is no longer something you get and then forget about.
What has NOT been decided (don’t confuse this with the news)
This matters, so it gets its own section. The following three are under consideration. None of them is decided.
- A Japanese language requirement — under consideration for inclusion in the permanent residence requirements. There have been reports discussing a level around JLPT N2, but this is not officially confirmed.
- Raising the income requirement — under consideration
- Mandatory participation in a program on living rules in Japan — under consideration
If you see a page stating flatly that “N2 will be required,” check its source. What is actually decided is the two things in the first half of this article: the 5-year period of stay and the revocation system.
FAQ
Q. I’ve lived here 10 years. Can I apply now?
A. Years alone are not enough. You also need 5+ years on a work-based or residence-based status, sufficient income, a clean payment record for taxes and social insurance, and a guarantor. And from April 2027, a 5-year period of stay on your card.
Q. My card says 3 years. What should I do?
A. If you apply by March 31, 2027, the old treatment still applies (first application within that period of stay). If you cannot make that, aim to get 5 years at your next renewal.
Q. I was once late paying my taxes. Will my permanent residence be revoked?
A. Revocation requires deliberate, bad-faith non-payment. Falling behind because of illness or job loss is not what the system targets. But it does stay in the record, so pay on time from now on. If you are worried, consult an immigration lawyer (行政書士 / gyōsei shoshi).
Q. If my permanent residence is revoked, do I have to leave Japan?
A. Not immediately. Based on your circumstances and family situation, a change to a status such as “Long-Term Resident” is normally considered. Revocation and the change are separate decisions.
Q. What is the difference between permanent residence and naturalization?
A. Permanent residence is a residence status. Naturalization is taking Japanese citizenship. With permanent residence you keep your original nationality and you cannot vote. Naturalization normally means losing your original citizenship.
Q. Should I take the JLPT for permanent residence?
A. It is not a requirement right now. It is under discussion but not confirmed. That said, Japanese ability widens your job options, which makes the income requirement easier to meet. Learn kanji with elementary school drills covers a way to study that costs almost nothing.
In short
The baseline is 10 years — but the exceptions for spouses and Highly Skilled Professionals are large, so check which one applies to you first.
Two things change on April 1, 2027. Your card will generally need a 5-year period of stay, and permanent residence becomes revocable. Do not mix up “how long you have lived here” with “the number printed on your card” — only the second one changed.
Revocation is limited to deliberate, bad-faith cases, and it does not mean immediate deportation. This is not something to panic about.
But screening looks at 5 years of tax records and 2 years of pension and health insurance. By the time you decide to apply, your past is already fixed. The only preparation available today is paying on time.
