Yes. People living in Japan under the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services status can apply for permanent residence. The standard residence-history test is 10 consecutive years in Japan, including at least five consecutive years under qualifying work or residence statuses. Ten years is an eligibility milestone, not automatic approval.
What is the “international services visa”?
People sometimes say “international visa” when they mean Japan's combined Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services residence status, used for various professional jobs, including interpreting, international business and engineering. The word “international” does not prevent an eventual application for permanent residence.
You do not have to spend all ten years at the same employer. You do, however, have to remain legally resident and comply with the activities and notification rules of your status.
Does time as a student count?
Consider someone who lawfully studies in Japan for five years, then spends five years under a qualifying professional work status. That history may satisfy the residence-duration component: ten consecutive years of residence, with the final five under qualifying status. Student part-time work is not magically converted into five years of qualifying work-status residence.
Nor does the clock necessarily start when the current work-status card was issued. What matters is the relevant uninterrupted residence history, not how long you have held one physical card. Extended absences can affect the assessment.
Ten years is the entrance exam, not the graduation ceremony
Imagine a video game announcing, “You have logged in for ten years—permanent residence unlocked!” Unfortunately, immigration procedures have a tougher final boss. Officials assess good conduct, financial stability, taxes, public pension and health-insurance payments, immigration notifications and other factors. Meeting a duration rule is not a promise of approval.
Your current period of stay matters too. The general requirement is to hold the longest period available for your status, commonly five years for this category. Transitional provisions exist for some people with three-year periods, depending on application timing and other conditions.
The important 2026–2027 rule change
Japan published revised permanent residence guidelines on 1 October 2026. They apply generally to applications from 1 April 2027. Applications from 1 April 2026 through 31 March 2027 generally use the 24 February 2026 guidelines, but specified income-related provisions of the newer guidelines apply.
From April 2027, the revised framework makes household income, household size and projected pension benefits explicit assessment factors. It also considers Japanese ability at approximately B1 level, with exceptions for certain applicants, including qualifying highly skilled professionals. B1 is not a universal requirement to present one particular language-test certificate. Understanding everyday rules and systems in Japan is another consideration.
Could the ten-year route be shorter?
There are exceptions under the highly skilled professional points system: qualifying applicants with 70 points may use a three-year route, while those with 80 points may use a one-year route. The points and relevant historical periods must satisfy the exact conditions. Some people holding a regular professional work status can qualify through points calculations.
What should you check first?
Review the dates of your lawful residence, qualifying work-status period, travel history, tax and insurance records, notifications and current authorized period of stay. Then match the application date to the correct official guideline.
Ten years does not mean “congratulations, you are now a permanent resident.” It means you may be ready to enter the application stage—where the final boss checks the paperwork.
References (4)
- Immigration Services Agency, “Permanent Residence Guidelines” (revised 24 February 2026): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/resources/nyukan_nyukan50.html
- Immigration Services Agency, “Permanent Residence Guidelines” (revised 1 October 2026): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/10_00279
- Immigration Services Agency, “Permission for Permanent Residence: applicable guideline by application date” (notice 1 October 2026): https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/procedures/eizyuu_00001.html
- Immigration Services Agency, “Highly Skilled Professional Points System FAQ”: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/resources/newimmiact_3_qa.html
