A cabinet-level basic policy on how many foreign nationals Japan accepts is due in March 2027, preceded by a population strategy at the end of 2026 that will set the labour-force figure it has to fit.
The Immigration Services Agency has consulted on adding a five-year period of stay to Specified Skilled Worker (ii), with the government planning a January 2027 start, while the five-year cumulative cap on Specified Skilled Worker (i) stays where it is.
The enacted 2026 immigration law sets no start date for Japan's electronic travel authorisation, only an outer limit of 31 March 2029, and the same provisions stop the Trusted Traveler Program card being issued.
The Immigration Services Agency is consulting on adding dental technicians and speech-language-hearing therapists to the Medical status of residence, with comments due by 15 October 2026 and the change planned for November 2026.
The Immigration Services Agency has set 1 April 2027 as the start of the "B1 or above" Japanese standard for Specified Skilled Worker certificate of eligibility applications, and says the timing for change-of-status and renewal applications is still under consideration.
Residents in hardship can pay ¥10,000 for an extension and ¥20,000 for permanent residence under measures in force since 1 October 2026, but the online application system does not process the reduction.