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When you google about Permanent Residence in Japan, you will find various information. Even if you ask to your friends, the answers sometimes are different. You may be confused about what is the requirements for Permanent Residence in Japan. If you google about “How many years you need to live in Japan to be qualified for Permanent Residence” You may find various information on this topic. Some people say you need to live in Japan for 20 years. Other people say you could get PR by living in Japan for 2 years. There are people who claimed that you could get Permanent Residence after living in Japan for 1 year.
This is why I explained how many years you need to live in Japan to meet one of the requirements for Permanent Residence.
Principally, you need to live in Japan for 10 years
Let me explain first the principal requirement. You need to live in Jaapn for 10 years to be eligible for PR application. Priviously, the people are required to live in Japan for 20 years. But now the rule is changed. You meet one of the requirements if you live in Japan for 10 years.
You have to be careful on the fact that the Immigration officer also check your Residence status(VISA) in Japan. Among 10 years, Among 10 years, you have to live in Japan for 5 years with residence status like residence status for working(exp. Engineer VISA(技術・人文知識・国際業務), Business Manager VISA(経営・管理) or Residence status for Residence(exp. Spouse of Japanese VISA(日本人の配偶者等), spouse of Permanent Residents(永住者の配偶者等), Long term Residents(定住者)). So, for example, you could not meet this requirements if you’d live in Japan for 6 years with student VISA(留学) and has been living in Japan for 4 years with Engineer VISA.
I also need to mention that you could not meet this requirement if your residence status is technical intern(技能実習) or Specified Skilled Worker (i)(特定技能１号) since these status are designed for workers who plan to work in Japan temporary.
There are some ways to get Permanent Residence for point calculation system.
But you might heard that there is the way to get Permanent Residence after you live in Japan for a few years. This is called point calculation system. The point calculation system is the system to evaluate educational background, work experience, income, age, academic achievement and other achievement of applicants. There is the point calculation sheet to convert achievement into the point. For example, if you have bachelor degree, you will get 10 points. The guideline of Permanent Residence has exceptional rule regarding residence history for applicants who have high score on point calculation system as follows
Applicants who currently have 70 points or more
You need to meet one of the following criteria
a. Living in Japan for 3 years as Highly skilled professional VISA holders(高度専門職１号イ、高度専門職１号ロ、高度専門職１号ハ、高度専門職２号)
b. Living in Japan for 3 years and having 70 points or more if you calculate your score on point calculation system for 3 years before from the date of application.
In this case, if you currently have 70 points and has been living in Japan for 3 years, you will meet the criteria(a.). Even if you don’t have Highly skilled professional VISA, you could get Permanent Residence if you have been living in Japan for 3 years and having 70 points or more in this year and 3 years before.
Applicants who currently have 80 points or more
You need to meet one of the following criteria
c. Living in Japan for 1 years as Highly skilled professional VISA holders(高度専門職１号イ、高度専門職１号ロ、高度専門職１号ハ、高度専門職２号)
d. Living in Japan for 1 years and having 80 points or more if you calculate your score on point calculation system for 1 years before from the date of application(b.).
In this case, if you currently have 80 points and has been living in Japan for 1 years, you will meet the criteria(a.). Even if you don’t have Highly skilled professional VISA, you could get Permanent Residence if you have been living in Japan for 1 years and having 80 points or more in this year and 1 years before(b.).
There is also exceptional rule for family of Japanese and Permanent Residents.
There is also exceptional rule for families of Japanese and Permanent Residents. The Immigration authority think these people have special ties with Japan so they make the rule to let them to get without living in Japan for 10 years. Here are the requirements regarding Residence history for the families of Japanese and Permanent Residents.
Spouse of Japanese and Permanent Residents
If you are spouse of Japanese or Permanent Resident, you need to meet the following conditions.
a. Having been married with Japanese(or Permanent Resident) for 3 years
b. Living in Japan for 1 years.
Child of Japanese and Permanent Resident
If you are child of Japanese or Permentn Resident, you could meet the requirement regarding Residence history by living in Japan for 1 year.
There is exceptional rule for Long Term Resident VISA holder(定住者).
If you live in Japan for 5 years as Long Term Resident VISA holder(定住者), you will also meet the requirement regarding Residence history
These are just some of exceptional rules regarding Residence history, I recommend you to check Guideline of Permanent Residence when you prepare for application of Permanent Residence.
Daichi Ito
Are you considering for PR application?
We are the Immigration specialists who handle applications for Permanent Residence in Japan(永住許可申請). We work as agents for PR applications to the Immigration Services Bureaus(出入国在留管理局).
We provide the consultation service regarding PR application in Japan. Please find the detail from the following website.
https://www.kamalegal.com/general-4