- ■ Introduction | The First Step Toward Major Changes in Residence Status Screening
- ■ Chapter 1 | Why a Learning Program Is Needed
- ■ Chapter 2 | Roadmap to the FY2028 Pilot
- ■ Chapter 3 | What Is a “Consideration Factor”?
- ■ Chapter 4 | What Foreign Residents Can Start Doing Now
- ■ Chapter 5 | What Companies Hiring Foreign Nationals Should Do
- ■ Chapter 6 | The Direction Pointed to by an “Orderly Coexistence Society”
- ■ Chapter 7 | Permanent Residence and the Learning Program
- ■ Chapter 8 | The Significance and Challenges of Pre-Arrival Courses
- ■ Chapter 9 | Practical Advice From an Immigration Specialist
- ■ Conclusion | Turning Change Into Opportunity, Not Anxiety
■ Introduction | The First Step Toward Major Changes in Residence Status Screening
On April 28, 2026, it was reported that the Japanese government is considering positioning completion of learning programs on Japanese language, culture, and rules as a “consideration factor” in residence status screening, with a planned pilot launch in fiscal year 2028. The proposals under review also include offering courses that can be taken before arrival in Japan, treating children’s school enrollment as a consideration factor in the parent’s residence status screening, and making program completion a condition for permanent residence.
As a gyoseishoshi (certified administrative scrivener) specializing in residence status and visa applications, I support this direction. In this article, I explain why and outline the practical steps that foreign residents and the executives and HR managers of companies hiring foreign nationals should begin taking now.
■ Chapter 1 | Why a Learning Program Is Needed
As the foreign resident population grows, friction with local communities has been increasing. Issues such as waste sorting, noise, parking, and school enrollment procedures often stem not from ill intent but from a lack of information and cultural differences.
What is needed is not stricter penalties but ongoing learning opportunities, both before and after arrival. The proposed program is designed to support both prevention and long-term settlement. It is expected to cover the Japanese language, cultural background, daily-life rules, and basic administrative procedures, with content tailored to each life stage and region of origin.
■ Chapter 2 | Roadmap to the FY2028 Pilot
According to reports, the government plans the following schedule:
- During FY2027: Drafting program guidelines and developing a system to track completion records
- FY2028: Pilot launch of the program
- Going forward: Considering program completion as a condition for permanent residence
This timeline is relatively near. Foreign residents currently in Japan and companies already employing foreign nationals should begin preparing during FY2027.
■ Chapter 3 | What Is a “Consideration Factor”?
A “consideration factor” is not a strict requirement that determines approval or denial on its own, but an element that may influence the overall evaluation. Even today, factors such as tax payment status, social insurance enrollment, and criminal record carry considerable weight in practice, even when not codified as absolute requirements.
The completion of a learning program is expected to function in a similar way. The likely approach is not “no completion, no approval,” but rather “completion will be evaluated more favorably.” For permanent residence, however, completion is being considered as a condition, which would effectively make it a mandatory requirement.
■ Chapter 4 | What Foreign Residents Can Start Doing Now
For foreign residents, especially those aiming for permanent residence in the future, this is a significant development. I recommend the following preparations:
- Continue Japanese language study in a verifiable form
Take the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), join municipal Japanese classes, or attend in-house corporate training. Maintain records that can be verified by a third party, so you are well-positioned when the new system takes effect. - Engage with daily-life rules and community activities
Participating in waste sorting, neighborhood associations, and your child’s school events helps demonstrate responsible conduct — an increasingly important consideration. - Ensure your children attend school
A child’s school enrollment is set to become a consideration factor in the parent’s residence status screening. Do not leave non-attendance unresolved; coordinate with local authorities and schools to ensure your child is enrolled and attending. - Consult a specialist early
Compare your timeline for permanent residence or naturalization with the rollout of the new system carefully, and consult a gyoseishoshi early about the optimal timing for your application.
■ Chapter 5 | What Companies Hiring Foreign Nationals Should Do
For executives and HR managers, this signals the arrival of an era in which post-hire support directly impacts residence status outcomes. Key points to prepare include:
- Formalize in-house Japanese language learning
Subsidize external schools, secure study time within working hours, and support JLPT examination fees. Formalizing these as employee benefits encourages continued learning. - Record and retain learning history
Track who studied what, when, and to what extent. Such records may serve as evidence in future renewals or permanent residence applications. Build this system within your HR platform now. - Adopt a family-support perspective
If a child’s school enrollment factors into the parent’s screening, employers can add value by offering information on schools and enrollment procedures for employees with accompanying families. Leave the actual procedures to specialists, but acting as a bridge significantly improves retention. - Establish cultural and rules-based training
Comprehensive onboarding — covering business etiquette, Japanese labor practices, internal rules, and daily life in the community — can substantially reduce post-hire friction. - Re-examine compliance
Regularly review whether activities fall within the permitted scope of the residence status, whether work rules are aligned, and whether tax and social insurance practices are sound, in coordination with your gyoseishoshi and labor and social security attorney.
■ Chapter 6 | The Direction Pointed to by an “Orderly Coexistence Society”
After receiving a progress report on foreign-national policy from Minister Kimi Onoda, who is in charge of foreign resident coexistence affairs, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi posted on X (formerly Twitter): “For the sake of foreign nationals who follow the rules, we will respond firmly to problematic conduct and aim to realize an ‘orderly coexistence society.'”
This statement reflects two important perspectives. The first is “protecting foreign nationals who follow the rules in good faith.” The second is “responding firmly to problematic conduct.” The learning program can be understood as a system designed to support the former and reduce the need for such responses.
I support this direction. Foreign nationals who strive to build a life in Japan deserve to have their efforts appropriately recognized. That, I believe, is the true starting point of a coexistence society.
■ Chapter 7 | Permanent Residence and the Learning Program
Particularly noteworthy is the proposal to “consider making program completion a condition for permanent residence.” Permanent residence has long been evaluated based on continuous residence period, tax payment, conduct, and means of livelihood. A new requirement — completion of the learning program — may be added to this list.
If you have been living in Japan long-term and plan to apply for permanent residence in the near future, you may face a strategic decision: apply before the new system takes effect, or prepare in line with the new framework. Determining the optimal timing — based on residence history, family composition, occupation, and community involvement — is precisely where a gyoseishoshi adds value.
■ Chapter 8 | The Significance and Challenges of Pre-Arrival Courses
Reports indicate that pre-arrival course options are also under consideration. This is expected to have a major impact on those entering Japan from overseas under categories such as Specified Skilled Worker or Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services.
Benefits include smoother post-arrival settlement and lower onboarding costs for employers. The challenges include building course infrastructure in sending countries, addressing cost burdens, and preventing involvement by unscrupulous intermediaries.
For companies recruiting from abroad, building “how to confirm and support program completion” into the recruitment design will increasingly affect competitiveness in hiring.
■ Chapter 9 | Practical Advice From an Immigration Specialist
Finally, as a specialist, I emphasize the importance of acting now, rather than waiting for the system to be finalized.
- Is your current residence status being managed appropriately?
- Are there any factors that could become problematic at renewal?
- If aiming for permanent residence or naturalization, should you apply under the current system or the new one?
- How should your company design its learning support program?
- Are there any issues with the school enrollment of children of accompanying employees?
These questions cannot be fully addressed in a single consultation. Continuously understanding the situation of the individual or the company and developing a long-term strategy together is the role we gyoseishoshi are here to play.
■ Conclusion | Turning Change Into Opportunity, Not Anxiety
The learning program scheduled for pilot launch in FY2028 is not simply a burden — neither for foreign nationals nor for the companies that employ them. Rather, it has the potential to become a framework that properly recognizes those who study earnestly, follow the rules, and integrate into their communities.
- Keep learning records in a “visible” form
- Ensure children are enrolled in school
- Companies should institutionalize learning support
- Strategically design the timing of permanent residence and naturalization applications
- Maintain ongoing collaboration with specialists
By starting now, the new system can become an opportunity rather than a risk. For any concerns regarding residence status, visa applications, or hiring foreign nationals, please do not hesitate to contact our office.
Reference article:
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/fd5bc960ee6824aba369507e9b3eb6105b068a22
