Is permanent residence difficult with an annual income of 5.04 million yen and 3 dependants?
Foreigners Employment Support Organization (FESO) ／ Published ／ Last updated
This article is a translation of the Japanese original. Where the two differ, the Japanese version prevails.
Read the Japanese original（日本語版を読む）
Answer
Even with an annual income of 5.04 million yen (504万円) and 3 dependants, there is plenty of room to make a 永住許可申請 (Application for Permanent Residence). No official standard saying "a household of X people needs an annual income of at least Y yen" has been published, and an overall judgement is made, including the stability of your income, your assets and your tax record. The key is to show the factors other than annual income with objective material.
What is this enquiry about?
An enquiry from someone with an annual income of 5.04 million yen (504万円) and 3 dependants, asking whether he can meet the livelihood requirement.
Subject: 永住許可申請 (Application for Permanent Residence)
Application type: permanent residence
Situation: Chinese national, male, 38 years old. Resident on 「技術・人文知識・国際業務」 (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services), with a 3-year period of stay. His annual income has been stable at 5.04 million yen (504万円) for the past 5 years. The family is 4 people: himself, his spouse and 2 children.
Question: with an annual income of 5.04 million yen and 3 dependants, is my income below the level needed for an 永住許可申請? Is there any room to apply in this situation? Is there a way of writing my written explanation, or any other step, that can make up for the shortfall?
What is the "livelihood requirement" for permanent residence?
It looks at whether you have the financial means to live in a stable way without relying on the state or local public bodies.
One of the requirements for permanent residence is "having sufficient assets or skills to make an independent living". This examines whether the applicant and the family members they support have the financial means to go on living in Japan in a stable way, and whether they can live without relying on the state or local public bodies.
No clear official standard saying "a household of X people needs an annual income of at least Y yen" has been published. In general, an annual income of around 3 million yen (300万円) for a single person, plus an additional amount according to the number of family members you support, is said to be a guide figure in practice. With the annual income and the number of dependants described here, one could take the view that the amount per person is tight, but this is only a guide figure, and an overall judgement is made.
Why is there still room to apply even if my income is below the guide figure?
Because factors other than annual income are also taken into account in an overall judgement.
Stability and continuity: the fact that an annual income of 5.04 million yen (504万円) has continued steadily for the past 5 years is a strong point in your favour. Stability counts for more than a one-off high income
Other assets: assets other than income, such as savings, real estate and securities, are also taken into account in judging your ability to support yourself
Household finances: depending on your outgoings, such as rent and education costs, it may be concluded that you are living comfortably enough even on a lower income
Record on tax and social insurance: properly meeting your public obligations is an essential requirement for permanent residence, and it is also an important sign of the stability of your ability to support yourself
Your spouse's potential to work: if a spouse who is your dependant also has the intention and the ability to work, this may be taken into account as pointing to a rise in household income in future
Screening always weighs everything together. The conclusion is not decided by the income figure alone.
What should I submit to make up for my income?
Material showing assets other than income, and the possibility that your income will rise in future.
Certificate of bank balance: show that you and your spouse together have a meaningful amount of savings. If possible, attach copies of your bank books for the last few years as well, to show that the balance is not just temporary
Proof of real estate and other assets: if you own real estate in Japan or in your home country, submit a certificate of registered matters or documents showing its assessed value
Proof of your spouse's plans and ability to work: show the intention and the ability to work in concrete terms (a JLPT certificate, qualifications and licences, a CV, and so on). If there is a job offer, submit the letter of job offer or the employment contract
Financial support from relatives: if you receive regular remittances from relatives in your home country, or have arrangements for support in an emergency, submit records of the remittances, a written undertaking about the support, and so on
How should I write the written explanation?
Not a list of facts, but a concrete account of how your life works on that income.
A concrete account of your ability to support your household: explain in concrete terms, such as the level of your rent and the ways you keep living costs down, that an annual income of 5.04 million yen (504万円) with 3 dependants causes no difficulty in living in Japan. Emphasise that "now and into the future, my family and I, including my dependants, are able to live a stable life", and if you have stable income other than your salary, set it out in detail
The role of your savings and assets: explain that, together with your annual income, you have enough savings to cope with sudden expenses or an emergency, and that these assets will remain a stable base supporting your family in future
How your family works together: if you have concrete plans, write them down, for example that the whole family works together and lives carefully and frugally, or that your spouse is keen to work in future and contribute to household income
Your record on tax obligations: the payment record for pension, social insurance and tax is an essential requirement for permanent residence, and fully meeting it makes your position on the livelihood requirement more credible
What should I prepare before applying?
Making your financial situation visible, and meeting your public obligations perfectly.
Make your financial situation "visible" List your annual income for the past 5 years, your household income, your savings and your fixed assets, and get an accurate picture of your household finances. Prepare a monthly income and expenditure table so that you can show concretely that you live without difficulty on an annual income of 5.04 million yen (504万円) with 3 dependants. Attaching a few months of household accounts as supporting material is also effective.
Meet your public obligations perfectly Check that there is nothing unpaid in your social insurance (pension, health insurance) or tax (income tax, resident tax), and if there is, pay it in full without delay. Gather all the documents that prove payment (pension records, receipts for health insurance contributions, 納税証明書 (tax payment certificate), 課税証明書 (certificate of tax payment status), and so on).
Work together with your spouse If your spouse intends to work in Japan, consider steps such as continuing to study Japanese or starting to look for a job. That effort in itself may be viewed favourably.
Write a detailed written explanation Bring together the factors that make up for your ability to support your household into a persuasive written explanation, using concrete figures and examples.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has a standard for the annual income needed for permanent residence been published?
No, it has not. There is no official standard saying "a household of X people needs an annual income of at least Y yen". As a guide figure in practice, an annual income of around 3 million yen (300万円) for a single person is said to be needed, plus an additional amount according to the number of family members you support.
What should I show if my income is below the guide figure?
Material showing assets other than income and the possibility that your income will rise in future: a certificate of bank balance, proof of real estate and other assets, proof of your spouse's plans and ability to work, records of financial support from relatives, and so on.
Does having a stable income help?
Yes, it helps. Stability counts for more than a one-off high income, so the fact that your annual income has stayed at the same level for the past 5 years is said to be a strong point in your favour.
Is my record on tax and social insurance related to the livelihood requirement?
Yes. Properly meeting your public obligations is an essential requirement for permanent residence, and at the same time it is said to be an important sign of the stability of your ability to support yourself.
This article provides general information. Immigration rules change, and outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Please check the Immigration Services Agency website or consult a qualified specialist.
This page is a translation of the Japanese original. Where the two differ, the Japanese version prevails.
