If I am dismissed while my permanent residence application is being screened, will it be denied?
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
Losing your income counts against you in screening for permanent residence. However, it does not mean that your application is denied straight away. What matters is to report to the Regional Immigration Services Bureau promptly, find new work, and show that a stable income can again be expected.
What is this enquiry about?
An enquiry from someone who was dismissed by their employer just after applying for permanent residence.
Subject: 永住許可申請 (Application for Permanent Residence)
Application type: 永住許可申請 (while screening is under way)
Situation: Malaysian national, male, 42 years old. He has lived in Japan for 10 years as an IT engineer under 在留資格「技術・人文知識・国際業務」 (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services), and recently applied for permanent residence. While screening was under way, however, he was laid off by the company he worked for.
Question: If I am laid off while my permanent residence application is being screened, does it affect the screening? What should I do from here?
How does being dismissed during screening affect permanent residence?
It counts against you, because having a stable basis for living is an important requirement.
In screening for permanent residence, having a stable basis for living is one of the very important requirements. In concrete terms, the following points are taken into account.
Stable income: You are expected to be able to expect a stable income on a lasting basis. The fact that your income has stopped for the time being because of the dismissal suggests that you may no longer meet this requirement.
Stability of employment: Being in stable employment is also important in showing that your income will be stable in future.
Your tax situation: Even if your record of paying tax in the past is good, if you have no income from now on, there may be difficulties in carrying out your duty to pay tax.
Conduct: The fact that you have kept to the law in Japan and lived without problems as a member of society is looked on favourably, but a worsening financial situation is also taken into account from the point of view of the future burden on social security.
A situation where your income has stopped may have a large influence on the decision on permanent residence, and denial is also possible. That said, by responding appropriately you can keep the possibility open.
What should I do from here?
Look for work, report, report again once you have a job offer, and show your savings, in that order.
Look for your next job promptly Please start looking for new work as your first priority. Your 10 years of experience as an IT engineer should be a strength. Searching actively for work and obtaining a job offer is the most important thing.
Report the situation to the Regional Immigration Services Bureau Please report the fact that you were dismissed promptly to the Regional Immigration Services Bureau where you applied for permanent residence. Staying silent may put you at an even greater disadvantage later on. It is important to tell them honestly that your situation has changed, and to explain how your job search is going.
Report as soon as you receive a new job offer Once you have a job offer, report it straight away and submit the related documents, such as your employment contract. This lets you show that a stable income can again be expected.
Show your savings If you have sufficient savings, it can also help to submit a certificate of your account balance to show that you can manage day-to-day life for the time being.
Use ハローワーク (Hello Work, the public employment security office) Getting support with your job search at ハローワーク is also useful.
What happens if I am out of work for a long time?
It may also affect your status of residence itself, so it is important to keep a record of your job-search activity.
To obtain permanent residence, it is essential to earn a stable income again.
Also, if a state in which you are not carrying out the activities that go with your status of residence continues for a long period, this may also affect the status of residence itself. Job-search activity at ハローワーク is important both as a record showing what you have been doing while unemployed and as a way of securing your next job.
What matters most in getting through the screening?
3 things: keep looking for work without giving up, report honestly, and show objective evidence.
Keep looking for work without giving up: To obtain permanent residence, it is essential to earn a stable income again.
Provide information honestly and quickly: It is important to tell the Regional Immigration Services Bureau accurately about the change in your situation, without hiding it.
Submit objective evidence: By submitting objective evidence such as a letter of job offer for your new job, an employment contract, or a certificate of your savings balance, you need to show that you again have a stable basis for living.
It is a difficult situation, but by responding appropriately you can keep the possibility of permanent residence open. First of all, please do everything you can to find new work.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I am dismissed while my permanent residence application is being screened, will it always be denied?
It is not always denied. Losing your income counts against you, but by reporting promptly, finding new work and showing that a stable income can again be expected, you can keep the possibility of permission open.
Do I have to report the fact that I was dismissed?
Please do report it. You need to report the fact that you were dismissed promptly to the Regional Immigration Services Bureau where you applied for permanent residence. Staying silent may put you at an even greater disadvantage later on.
Once my next job is decided, what should I submit?
As soon as you have a job offer, report it straight away and submit the related documents, such as your employment contract. This lets you show that a stable income can again be expected.
Are savings taken into account in screening?
They can help in some cases. If you have sufficient savings, you can submit a certificate of your account balance to show that you can manage day-to-day life for the time being.
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.
