Business owners will be able to tell at a glance whether or not they will be able to employ the foreign national in question, making the process easier for everyone involved. Residence cards will now have all the latest information pertinent to the holder's status of residence, such as their working permissions and/or permissions to engage in other activities printed on their card. Decisions regarding working permissions are now more obvious.Residence cards are only issued to foreign nationals who have permission to reside in Japan for a moderate amount of time they are not issued to those who are staying in the country illegally. Only mid to long-term residents are eligible.With the introduction of the current Residency Management System and the integration of (eligible) foreign nationals into the Basic Resident Register, government agencies at both the national and municipal level will be able to more accurately gauge the status of both their Japanese and foreign residents, resulting in improved allocations of services. The 2012 amendment to the Immigration Control Act has further refined the regulations, ensuring that only information which is absolutely necessary is being requested, thus reducing the burden on applicants. The previous system also required the same information from all foreign nationals residing in Japan, regardless of whether or not it had any bearing on their status of residence. Moreover, residents should see a reduction in the amount of paperwork they are required to submit when applying for various services at Regional Immigration Services Bureaus, making the process less onerous. Those registered under the new system will be able to depart Japan and remain abroad for under one year without needing to obtain re-entry permission.An increase to the maximum length of the period of stay (from three years to five years).
In addition to streamlining information related to the management of mid to long-term residents, the new system will introduce the following benefits: