Japan Immigration News

Japan to Increase Residence Permit Fees Amid Rising Immigration Costs

Release Date: 2025-11-30
Media: Unseen Japan
Summary: The Japanese government plans a major increase in immigration-related fees, aiming to bring them in line with Western countries. With the foreign resident population at a record high and administrative workloads growing, officials argue that the current cost-based fee model is outdated. They say Japan should adopt a beneficiary-pays approach to fund faster processing, improved digital systems, expanded language support, and stronger enforcement against overstayers, who number around 70,000.

Foreign residents reached about 3.96 million in June 2024, creating heavy pressure on immigration services. Proposed changes include raising fees for status changes and renewals to ¥30,000–¥40,000, and permanent residency fees to over ¥100,000—far higher than the current ¥10,000 cap, which will require revising the Immigration Control Act. Visa fees will also rise for the first time since 1978.

The increases may heavily burden families, students, and employers. A family of four could see renewal costs jump from ¥24,000 to ¥160,000, especially challenging for those with one-year permits. Companies hiring many foreign workers may face millions of yen in added expenses and may reconsider whether to cover these fees. A spike in permanent residency applications is expected before the new prices take effect.

Reactions on Reddit are largely negative. Users say the changes would harm students, reduce Japan’s attractiveness, and amount to a cash grab—arguing that fees shouldn’t reach Western levels without higher wages. A few commenters support the increases only if services genuinely improve.

The Ministry of Justice will announce more details later this year. The Diet will debate the proposal, and if approved, the new fees could begin next fiscal year. Advocacy groups are calling for transparency and protection for low-income residents, and public debate is expected to intensify.
Tags: Residence Application

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