> After 5 years in the country I can apply for permanent residence AFAIK, IANAL, you can get a permanent resident after 5 years on a preferential/highly skille

> After 5 years in the country I can apply for permanent residence AFAIK, IANAL, you can get a permanent resident after 5 years on a preferential/highly skilled visa. This may be difficult for some people to get. See this Excel table: http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_3/en/evaluate/index.html http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_3/en/evaluate/index.htm... To get permanent residence on a normal visa, you have to stay at least 10 years. That is problematic for people who stayed in Japan before the preferential visa system was introduced: previous stay does not count towards the 5 years of preferential visa. See here: http://www.tokyoimmigration.jp/eng/eijyu.html http://www.tokyoimmigration.jp/eng/eijyu.html Furthermore, Japanese permanent residency is much weaker than other countries. Children born to permanent residents do not get citizenship (this is okay if you are from a 1st world country, but problematic for those from 3rd world countries who want to improve their situation). In Australia&UK, permanent residents' children can obtain citizenship. In Canada, USA it is unconditional. And getting citizenship, when not married to a Japanese person, is next to impossible.