The effects of nitrile group substitution onto aromatic polyamide backbone on the gas permeability and permselectivity of the polymers are examined. The gas permeability of aromatic polyamides increase with increasing the content of nitrile group substitution, whereas the permselectivity decreases with increasing the nitrile group contents. The effects of chain linrearity on the permeability and permselectivity are also examined. The non-linearity of the polymers increases the permeability. These behaviors are interpreted in terms of chain packing and crystallinity of the aromatic polyamides.