入管職員を２００人以上を増やし、不法残留の外国人摘発が強化される

　出入国在留管理庁は、在留期間を過ぎても日本に滞在し続ける不法残留外国人の摘発を強化するため、職員の緊急増員を行う方針である。入国警備官や入国審査官を計２００人以上増やし、水際対策の強化にもつなげる。7月末にも関連政令の改正を閣議決定する。

　不法残留者数は２０２０年（１月１日時点）には約８万３０００人に達し、２６年（同）も６万８０００人と高止まりの状態が続いている。不法残留を放置すれば、在留資格外の仕事に就く不法就労などを増やすことになりかねず、治安の悪化にもつながることから、摘発をしなければならない。

　不法残留者の摘発を行う警備官は約５０人増員し、不法就労者が最も多い茨城県に集中的に配置する。審査官も約１８０人増員し、書面審査だけでは見抜けない不法就労の実態調査を強化するほか、在留外国人の増加で審査が増えている在留資格審査のより早くや厳しくする。

　政府は、外国人政策に関する新たな有識者会議も月内にも設置する方針だ。日本維新の会などが求める在留外国人比率など数値目標について議論するほか、別の有識者会議では、外国人に日本の文化やルールなどを学んでもらう制度の設計について話し合う予定だ。

More Than 200 Immigration Officials to Be Added to Step Up Crackdown on Foreign Nationals Overstaying Their Visas

The Immigration Services Agency plans to urgently increase its staff to step up efforts to crack down on foreign nationals who continue to stay in Japan after their authorized period of stay has expired. The agency will increase the number of immigration security officers and immigration inspectors by a total of more than 200, which will also help strengthen border control measures. The Cabinet is expected to approve amendments to the relevant cabinet order as early as the end of July.

　The number of overstayers reached approximately 83,000 in 2020 (as of January 1) and has remained high at 68,000 in 2026 (as of the same date). If overstaying is left unchecked, it could lead to an increase in illegal employment—such as working outside the scope of one’s residence status—and contribute to a deterioration in public safety; therefore, enforcement is essential.

　The number of security officers tasked with cracking down on overstayers will be increased by about 50, and they will be concentrated in Ibaraki Prefecture, which has the highest number of illegal workers. The number of immigration examiners will also be increased by about 180 to strengthen investigations into illegal employment—which cannot be detected through document reviews alone—and to expedite and tighten the screening of residence status applications, which has increased due to the growing number of foreign residents.

　The government also plans to establish a new panel of experts on foreigner policy within this month. In addition to discussing numerical targets—such as the ratio of foreign residents—called for by groups like the Japan Innovation Party, a separate panel of experts is scheduled to discuss the design of a system to help foreign residents learn about Japanese culture and rules.

将增派200多名出入境管理官员，加强打击非法滞留外国人的力度

　出入境在留管理厅为加强打击逾期居留的非法滞留外国人，计划紧急增派工作人员。将入境警备官和入境审查官的总人数增加200人以上，以此加强边境管控措施。预计7月底将通过内阁会议决定修订相关政令。

　非法滞留者人数在2020年（截至1月1日）达到约8.3万人，26年（同日）也维持在6.8万人左右的高位。若放任非法滞留现象，可能会导致从事超出居留资格范围的工作等非法就业行为增加，进而引发治安恶化，因此必须加强查缉。

　负责查缉非法滞留者的警备官将增员约50人，并集中部署在非法就业者最多的茨城县。审查官也将增员约180人，除了加强仅靠书面审查无法察觉的非法就业实态调查外，还将针对因在留外国人增加而审查量激增的居留资格审查，加快并严格审查流程。

　政府计划在本月内设立一个关于外国人政策的新专家会议。除了就日本维新会等提出的在留外国人比例等数值目标进行讨论外，另一个专家会议还计划就设计让外国人学习日本文化和规则等制度进行商讨。