Japan to raise the minimum annual income floor for Highly Skilled Professional status: 3 million yen today, ministerial ordinance due this fiscal year
Japan · Policy change · ISA sources reported 2026-10-18 (proposed)
| Country / region | Japan |
|---|---|
| Category | Policy change |
| Date | Reported 2026-10-18 from Immigration Services Agency sources; ordinance amendment due within the fiscal year |
| What happened | Sources at the Immigration Services Agency (ISA) told media on 10-18 that the agency has basically decided to raise the minimum annual income requirement for the Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) status, which targets foreign nationals with advanced skills and expertise, and will complete the ministerial ordinance amendment within the fiscal year. Under current rules, of the three HSP fields — advanced academic research, technical/specialist activities and business/management — the technical and business/management fields carry a '3 million yen or more' minimum annual income line, while the academic research field has no uniform minimum; the new level has not been set. Context: the National Tax Agency's September 2026 survey on private-sector wages put average annual pay of continuously employed workers at 4.87 million yen in 2025 (+1.9% year on year) — already above the current 3-million-yen line — and the ISA's 10-16 release put the foreign resident total at 4.281 million (+3.8% from end-2025). The points system is unchanged: 70 points earns HSP (i) status with a stay of up to five years; after three years of qualifying activity, applicants may apply for HSP (ii) status with no fixed period. |
| Impact on applicants | This is a proposed rule and not yet in force — until the ordinance is amended and published, applications continue to be assessed against the current 3-million-yen line. Applicants planning ahead should budget for a floor that only moves up; business/management applicants in particular should weigh the combined capital requirement with the Business Manager threshold (30 million yen, in force since 2026-10-16). Both tightenings point the same way: the overall cost of a Japan residency plan is rising. |
| Source | Immigration Services Agency of Japan (reported 2026-10-18 via Chinese Weekly News / China News Service) ↗ Note on scope: proposed rule — the ordinance is unpublished and the new level undecided; current standards and the points system per the ISA website |
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan (reported 2026-10-18 via Chinese Weekly News / China News Service) ↗ · Last verified: 2026-10-26 · For reference only; not application or legal advice. Always check the official source for current rules.
FAQ
What did Japan announce about the Highly Skilled Professional income floor?
Sources at the Immigration Services Agency told media on 10-18 that the agency has basically decided to raise the minimum annual income requirement for the Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) status, with the ministerial ordinance amendment to be completed within the fiscal year. Under current rules, of the three HSP fields — advanced academic research, technical/specialist activities and business/management — the technical and business/management fields carry a '3 million yen or more' minimum annual income line, while the academic research field has no uniform minimum. The new level has not been set. Context: the National Tax Agency's September 2026 survey put average annual pay of continuously employed workers at 4.87 million yen in 2025 (+1.9% year on year) — already above the current 3-million-yen line — and the ISA reported the foreign resident total at 4.281 million on 10-16 (+3.8% from end-2025).
How does the current HSP system work, and when would a new floor take effect?
The points system is unchanged: annual income, age, academic background and work experience each score points, and 70 points earns Highly Skilled Professional (i) status with a stay of up to five years; after three years of qualifying activity, applicants may move to (ii) status with no fixed period. This change is a proposal: the ordinance has not been amended and the new level is undecided, so applications continue to be assessed against the current 3-million-yen line until publication. Applicants planning ahead should budget for a floor that only moves up.
Where does this information come from?
Immigration Services Agency of Japan sources reported on 2026-10-18 (via Chinese Weekly News / China News Service); National Tax Agency '2026 survey on private-sector wage conditions (Reiwa 7)' published 2026-09; ISA foreign-resident statistics published 2026-10-16. Note on scope: proposed rule — the ordinance is unpublished and the new level undecided; the agency's official announcement governs (verified by us on 2026-10-26).
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