English– category –

If you graduated from a university outside Japan, you can still earn university-related bonus points in the Highly Skilled Professional (高度専門職) points system. If your university is on the eligible list, you receive 10 points; if you...

If you graduated from a Japanese university, you start ahead in the Highly Skilled Professional (高度専門職) points system. A bachelor's degree from a Japanese university is worth 20 points — 10 for academic background and 10 for a Japan...

On 1 October 2026, the Guidelines on Permanent Residence Permission (永住許可に関するガイドライン) were revised. The draft published in August has now been confirmed as the version revised on 1 October 2026. How the revision affects you ...

Permanent residence in Japan normally requires ten years of residence. With 70 or more points under the Highly Skilled Professional points system, that falls to three years. With 80 or more, it falls to one. What is easily overlooked is ...

From 1 October 2026, the government fees for residence permissions changed. Permanent residence rose from ¥10,000 to ¥200,000. Change of status of residence and extension of period of stay, previously a flat ¥6,000, now vary according to...

If you want to keep living in Japan while remaining a foreign national, that is permanent residence. If you want to become Japanese, that is naturalisation. The choice affects your nationality, your passport, your right to vote, and your...

On 1 October 2026, the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (出入国在留管理庁) revised the Guidelines on Permanent Residence Permission (永住許可に関するガイドライン). The draft published on 4 August went through public comment and has n...