ImmigrationOctober 6, 2026

Here Are Some of the Long-Term Visa Changes to Look Out For in 2027

Most of 2027's big long-term visa changes are already written into law or official notices. That makes the calendar useful. For several programmes, the date you file decides which rules you get, so the next few months are a real planning window rather than a news cycle.

This piece covers changes that are confirmed by a government or legislative source, then a short watchlist of items that are announced but not final. Nessel is not the source of truth for these numbers. Every figure links to its source at the end. Check the official page again before you file.

At a glance

January 1, 2027: Singapore raises Employment Pass and S Pass salaries for new applications and launches a ONE Pass (AI and Tech) track. The Dutch expat ruling drops to 27% for newer users.
March 31, 2027: Japan's last day to apply for permanent residence under the older guidelines.
April 1, 2027: Japan's full permanent-residence rules start, and Technical Intern Training becomes Employment for Skill Development.

Japan: permanent residence gets much harder (April 1, 2027)

Japan's changes are the largest on this list. We cover them visa by visa in our Japan breakdown on Home Base. The 2027 part, in short:

Filing date decides the rules. Permanent residence applications filed by March 31, 2027 use the older guidelines, though the new income and "public burden" tests already apply. Applications filed from April 1, 2027 use the full revised guidelines.
Japanese at B1 level becomes a permanent-residence requirement. Highly Skilled Professionals and their families are exempt, along with a few other groups.
Pension projection. The Immigration Services Agency (ISA) will compare your projected pension with what someone on the average income gets after 30 years in Employees' Pension. Savings can make up a shortfall.
Longer spouse and child shortcuts. Spouses of Japanese nationals or permanent residents will need 5 years of marriage and 3 years in Japan, up from 3 and 1. Children will need 3 years of residence, up from 1.
Revocation. Permanent residence can be cancelled for deliberate non-payment of taxes or social insurance, serious residence-card violations, or certain crimes.
Technical Intern Training ends. It is replaced by Employment for Skill Development, a three-year route into Specified Skilled Worker with A1 and A2 Japanese milestones.

Who should act now: anyone close to permanent residence, especially if you hold a 3-year stay, have a short Employees' Pension record, or are below B1 Japanese. Clear any unpaid tax, pension, or health insurance before April 2027. Don't rush an incomplete application to beat the deadline.

Singapore: higher salary floors and a new tech track (January 1, 2027)

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced these changes in March 2026. They apply to new applications from January 1, 2027 and to renewals of passes expiring from January 1, 2028.

Employment Pass: the minimum qualifying salary rises from S$5,600 to S$6,000 a month, scaling with age to S$11,500 for applicants in their mid-40s. In financial services it rises from S$6,200 to S$6,600, scaling to S$12,700.
S Pass: rises from S$3,300 to S$3,600, scaling to S$5,100. In financial services it rises from S$3,800 to S$4,000, scaling to S$5,650. MOM expects the S Pass floor to reach about S$4,000–4,500 by around 2030.
ONE Pass (AI and Tech): a new track that replaces the Tech.Pass. Applicants can meet the ONE Pass salary test with a mix of cash and equity, such as employee stock options. MOM has said full criteria, including for renewals, will be published on its website.

The Employment Pass still requires 40 points under the COMPASS framework, and MOM updates COMPASS salary benchmarks separately. A salary that only just clears the 2026 floor may not clear the 2027 floor.

Netherlands: the expat ruling drops to 27% (January 1, 2027, with a caveat)

The 30% ruling lets employers pay part of a skilled migrant's salary tax-free. According to the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), the law cutting it has passed and takes effect January 1, 2027:

Ruling started before January 1, 2024: 30% for the full five years. No change.
Ruling started on or after January 1, 2024: 30% through 2026, then a maximum of 27% from 2027. The salary threshold rises from €46,107 to €50,436 (2024 figures, indexed yearly). For under-30s with a master's degree, it rises from €35,048 to €38,388.

The caveat: the government's own page says it plans to partially reverse the 2027 scaling back, but the date is not final and parliament must still pass it. Plan around 27%, and treat any improvement as a bonus until both houses vote.

This is a tax change, not a residence permit change. It still changes what a Dutch job offer is worth, and employers often build it into salary negotiations.

On the watchlist, not yet final

United Kingdom: earned settlement. The Home Office's consultation proposed that settlement (indefinite leave to remain) would no longer be granted automatically after a fixed period. It closed on February 12, 2026, and the government says it is analysing responses. Until the outcome and transitional rules are published, nobody can say who keeps the current five-year route. Treat any firm date you see as speculation.
Netherlands: partial reversal of the 27% cut. Covered above. It is a plan, not a law.
Singapore: ONE Pass (AI and Tech) criteria. MOM has announced the track, but the full eligibility page, including renewals, is still to come.
Annual thresholds that reset during 2027. Several countries republish salary bars every year: Czechia's Employee Card and Blue Card figures each May, Estonia's average-wage tests each March, and Korea's F-5 income test each April. Check the new figure if your application falls after the reset date.

What to do now

Find your filing-date cutoffs. For Japanese permanent residence, it is March 31, 2027. For Singapore work passes, the new salary floors apply to new applications from January 1, 2027. Apply early only if your application is complete. A rushed, incomplete filing is worse than filing under the new rules.
Re-check salary offers against 2027 floors. This matters most for Singapore Employment Pass and S Pass offers, and for Dutch roles relying on the expat ruling.
Clear arrears. Japan's new revocation rules, and most permanent-residence reviews, look at tax and social insurance history.
Save your sources. Bookmark the official page for your visa and recheck it before you file. The checklist in your Nessel account will remind you which page to read.