Global Mobility News from VisaHQ

As of 1 January 2026, all Polish residence-permit applications have to be filed online through the MOS portal; paper submissions are no longer accepted. At the same time, the government has quadrupled most immigration fees (standard permits now PLN 400, posted-worker permits PLN 800, national visas €200). The move pushes HR teams to digitise workflows immediately and forces multinationals to revise mobility budgets for 2026.

Immigration Department figures show 3.2 million passenger movements through Hong Kong checkpoints during the 1–3 January mainland holiday, reaching 85 % of 2019 volumes. The surge underlines the recovery of cross-border mobility and signals that firms should plan business travel strategically around holiday peaks.

China processed 6.61 million border crossings during the 2026 New Year break, with foreign arrivals up 29.8 % and visa-free entries up 35.8 % year-on-year. The data confirm that the country’s expanded visa-free regimes are driving inbound travel and offer corporates greater flexibility for short-term assignments and business visits.

Turkey has abolished its on-arrival “sticker” visa for Cypriot passport-holders, replacing it with a mandatory electronic visa effective 2 January 2026. Travellers must now apply online before departure, adding lead-time and compliance risk for corporates. The move complicates cross-border business, especially for firms with mixed Greek- and Turkish-Cypriot staff, and underscores the need for updated travel policies.

A new Act on the Stay of Foreigners, in force from 1 January 2026, moves the entire Czech immigration process online through a mandatory “Foreigner Account”. Companies gain real-time case visibility and faster processing, while applicants need just one biometric visit. The reform is expected to shorten lead times, reduce errors and strengthen Czechia’s appeal for high-skill migrants.

Aena expects its network to handle 10,943 flights on 3–4 January 2026, a 5.5 % year-on-year increase and the highest ever for the first weekend of a year. The spike, fuelled by post-holiday returns and strong inbound tourism, will stress-test Spain’s newly deployed EES biometric border controls. Corporations should brief travellers on longer airport dwell times and have contingency plans in place.

The MEA has urged Indians to postpone all but essential travel to Venezuela following US military strikes and fears of civil unrest. Employers with staff on the ground are activating evacuation and duty-of-care plans, while airlines are rerouting flights to avoid Venezuelan airspace. The advisory raises insurance costs and complicates corporate travel itineraries, making immediate contingency planning critical for mobility managers.

Vienna has issued its highest travel warning for Venezuela and activated a crisis cell to support some 750 Austrian nationals in the country. Citizens are urged to leave while commercial flights are still operating, and employers with assignees on the ground have triggered evacuation protocols. The move carries immediate duty-of-care and insurance implications for companies and travellers alike.

The Czech Consulate General in Dresden has stopped accepting most standard Employee-Card and long-term Business-Visa applications, citing staff redeployment. Companies must divert assignees to other embassies or delay start dates, adding cost and complexity to Czech hiring plans.

IRCC has abolished the Provincial/Territorial Attestation Letter requirement for Master’s and PhD students at public institutions effective 1 January 2026. Graduate students are now exempt from provincial study-permit caps and PhD files qualify for two-week processing. The shift eases university recruitment and simplifies corporate-sponsored study assignments.

A sweeping Arctic front has placed large parts of the UK under Met Office Amber and Yellow snow/ice warnings, grounding regional flights, slowing rail lines and making key roads impassable. Business travellers face cancellations and delays, while employers must sharpen duty-of-care and immigration-compliance planning if assignments are extended. The disruption underscores how extreme weather can quickly complicate mobility schedules.

The FAA allowed its emergency Caribbean airspace closure—triggered by U.S. strikes in Venezuela—to lapse at midnight, letting U.S. airlines resume service after more than 1,000 cancellations. Business travellers should expect several days of schedule instability while carriers reposition aircraft; mobility teams are urged to review contingency routings and duty-of-care protocols.

Foreign visitor numbers and spending soared over the 2026 New Year break after China’s sweeping visa-free and payment-access reforms. Easier entry and mobile payments are fuelling demand for flights, hotels and duty-free shopping, giving mobility teams new options—but also new capacity headaches—when planning short-term assignments.

Venezuelan authorities closed the main Pacaraima–Santa Elena crossing for several hours on 4 January after U.S. strikes in Caracas, letting Brazilians leave but blocking Venezuelan entrants. The brief shutdown, later reversed, exposes how fast Brazil’s northern border can be sealed and may foreshadow fresh refugee flows. Businesses with staff or cargo in the region should dust off contingency plans.