Japan Toughens Requirements for Permanent Residency for Foreigners
The Japanese are definitely trying to improve the quality of foreigners living in Japan:
The most drastic shifts impact those who plan to stay in Japan for the longest – those applying for permanent residency, a status that grants rights to work, unlimited entries, and infinite stay.
Effective from October, applicants are required to have an income level higher than that of average Japanese households. And from next April, aspiring permanent residents need to have a projected pension fund equivalent to 30 years of payouts. They also have to speak intermediate-level Japanese.
“Considering that permanent resident is the most stable status of residence, this revision makes necessary updates to the application of independent livelihood and national interest requirements to ensure applicants do not become a public burden,” said Hiraguchi during a press conference last month.
Earlier this year, the government also tightened rules for foreign business owners, raising the capital requirement of a business manager visa popular among entrepreneurs from five million yen ($31,000) to 30 million ($126,000).
You can read more at the link, but how many foreigners in the U.S. do people think would get deported if similar requirements were required?
