Japan Tightens Permanent Residency Rules, Bangladeshi Migrants Face Uncertainty

Japan is moving toward a major shift in its immigration policy. Tokyo has taken steps to tighten the conditions for obtaining permanent residency, known as PR. This has created serious uncertainty for foreign professionals and migrants who have lived in Japan for years, including many expatriate Bangladeshis.

According to a report published by Al Jazeera, the new rules will take effect in phases starting October 1.

What the New Rules Include

According to new guidelines from the Immigration Services Agency, several strict conditions will now apply to permanent residency applicants.

First, there is a specific income requirement. A household’s annual income must exceed Japan’s average income, and this will also apply to applications submitted from April of this year onward.

Second, applicants must demonstrate the required level of proficiency in the Japanese language.

Third, applicants must submit pension and tax records showing at least 30 years of equivalent pension fund contributions. Japanese authorities say these strict measures aim to ensure that foreign nationals can support themselves financially and do not become a burden on the state.

Concerns Among Bangladeshi Expatriates

Mr. Abdul, a Bangladeshi software engineer living in Tokyo, shared his concerns with Al Jazeera. He has lived in Japan for about eight years. He said he had been preparing to apply for both permanent residency and citizenship. He said the new rules have made his future uncertain. He added that he is now looking into other countries as a backup option, in case his application gets rejected.

Rise of the Right and Social Context

Despite Japan’s declining population and severe labor shortage, experts see this tightening of immigration policy as a result of a rightward political shift. The far right political party Sanseito is gaining influence in politics and promoting a “Japan First” policy. According to university researchers and economists, while foreign workers are needed to address the labor shortage, stricter permanent residency conditions could push many skilled foreign workers to leave Japan and choose other countries in the future.