July 7, 2011: New residency management system to start on July 9, 2012
The new residency management system is being introduced so that the Minister of Justice can continuously keep track of the information needed to manage the residency of foreign nationals, with the stated aim of improving convenience for those residing lawfully in Japan. Specifically, a Residence Card will be issued to foreign nationals residing lawfully for the medium to long term. Under this system, notification to the Immigration Bureau is required when, for example, a person changes employer. At the same time, the maximum period of stay will be extended from three years to five years, and a special re-entry permit system will be introduced under which a re-entry permit is in principle not required when re-entering within one year.
With the introduction of the new system the alien registration system will be abolished, but the current Certificate of Alien Registration is to be deemed a Residence Card for a certain period after the new system starts.
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March 18, 2011: Handling of re-entry permit applications at the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau
As of March 18, 2011, owing to a sharp rise in applicants following the Tohoku-Kanto earthquake, and in order to speed up processing, the Bureau is, as an emergency measure, only accepting applications without affixing the permit seal at the time of application; a "single" re-entry permit seal is issued at the immigration office at the airport on departure. "Multiple" permits are to be handled at a later date depending on congestion.
Handling at the counter may change within days, so please contact the Immigration Bureau directly for details.
As of March 18, 2011, owing to a sharp rise in applicants following the Tohoku-Kanto earthquake, and in order to speed up processing, the Bureau is, as an emergency measure, only accepting applications without affixing the permit seal at the time of application; a "single" re-entry permit seal is issued at the immigration office at the airport on departure. "Multiple" permits are to be handled at a later date depending on congestion.
Handling at the counter may change within days, so please contact the Immigration Bureau directly for details.
March 24, 2010: Presentation of health insurance cards at Immigration Bureau application counters
The following was notified by the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau to the Tokyo Gyoseishoshi Lawyers Association.
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From April 1 this year, at the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau (including its branch offices), applicants who file an Application for Change of Status of Residence or an Application for Extension of Period of Stay in person will be asked to present their health insurance card. (Note: a change of status or an extension will not be refused because the card cannot be presented.)
However, where the application is submitted by someone other than the applicant, such as a legal representative or a registered application agent, presentation of the card will not be requested (nor is a copy required).
Applicants who do not present a card, for whatever reason, will be given the leaflet "Guide to Enrolling in the Social Insurance System" prepared by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
This handling at the counter is carried out, based on the Cabinet decision of March 31, 2009, as cooperation in promoting enrollment in social insurance.
The following was notified by the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau to the Tokyo Gyoseishoshi Lawyers Association.
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From April 1 this year, at the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau (including its branch offices), applicants who file an Application for Change of Status of Residence or an Application for Extension of Period of Stay in person will be asked to present their health insurance card. (Note: a change of status or an extension will not be refused because the card cannot be presented.)
However, where the application is submitted by someone other than the applicant, such as a legal representative or a registered application agent, presentation of the card will not be requested (nor is a copy required).
Applicants who do not present a card, for whatever reason, will be given the leaflet "Guide to Enrolling in the Social Insurance System" prepared by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
This handling at the counter is carried out, based on the Cabinet decision of March 31, 2009, as cooperation in promoting enrollment in social insurance.
On January 30, 2010: Number of foreign workers up 15.7% in 2009. Chinese are ranked at the top with 250,000.
On January 29, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare officially announced the employment status of foreign workers as of October 2009. The number of foreign workers was 562,818 (up 15.7% from the previous year) and more than half work in small and medium-sized enterprises with less than 100 employees. About 30% are temporary workers.
Since the Employment Measures Act now requires business owners to send to Hello Work (the job placement office) the names and the residency status of foreign workers, we have summarized the current employment status using these notifications.
By nationality, China accounts for the highest ratio, 44.3% (249,325 people), followed by Brazil (18.5%), the Philippines (8.7%), etc. According to their residency status, 45% of them have a status based on their identities, such as Japanese descent or international marriage, followed by designated activities (19.9%) such as technical internship, followed by specialized technologies (17.8%). (January 30, Mainichi Newspaper)
On January 4, 2010: the application format from the Immigration Bureau was officially changed.
From January 2010, the old format for the application for a certificate of eligibility, etc., will no longer be accepted. To adapt to these changes, organizations are now required to submit copies of legal records, such as withholding slips (with a receipt stamp from the tax office).