Proposed income requirements for those seeking permanent residency will be applied to applications submitted as early as April of this year, according to revised government guidelines that were officially unveiled Tuesday.

The revised guidelines for permanent residency provide more detailed benchmarks for the first time and introduce higher income, pension and Japanese-language requirements, as the government seeks to ensure recipients can support themselves and contribute to the country over the long term.

Under the current system, applicants must be of good conduct, have sufficient assets or skills to support themselves and show that granting permanent residency is in Japan’s national interest. They must also possess the maximum available length for the residency permit category they possess.