Global Mobility News from VisaHQ

A draft 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan obtained by Yahoo News cuts annual study-permit approvals to 155,000—half last year’s projection—and trims temporary worker numbers while nudging up economic-class permanent residence. The clamp-down will squeeze college finances and shrink the pipeline of PGWP holders that many employers rely on.

Effective 1 January 2026, most non-EU nationals seeking multi-year residence permits, 10-year resident cards or French citizenship must prove specific French-language levels (A2, B1 or B2) and pass a new civics exam. Exemptions are limited, and employers face workforce-planning risks if staff cannot meet the standards.

As of 1 January 2026, Poland requires all residence-permit applications to be filed electronically via the MOS portal and has raised government fees by up to 700 %. The digital-only rule aims to speed up processing, but the sharp cost increase will affect relocation budgets and may prompt multinationals to rethink assignment volumes and durations.

A 24-hour strike by Greek air-traffic controllers on 2 January led to the cancellation of 31 flights linking Cyprus with Athens and Thessaloniki, disrupting business and leisure travellers alike. Airlines are rebooking passengers under EU261 rules, and Hermes Airports is urging travellers to check live updates. The incident exposes Cyprus’ reliance on Greek airspace and highlights the need for diversified winter connectivity.

The Czech Republic’s new Residence Law took effect on 1 January 2026, creating a single online portal for all immigration procedures and introducing a legally-binding “guarantor” role for employers and universities. The fully digital workflow promises faster processing but adds new compliance duties and potential fines. Companies should activate sponsor profiles and update onboarding processes without delay.

A charter flight carrying 124 deported Brazilians arrived in Belo Horizonte on 31 December, pushing 2025 repatriations under the “Aqui é Brasil” programme past 3,000—nearly twice the 2024 figure. The returns follow tougher U.S. removal policies and require extensive reception logistics coordinated by five federal ministries. The flow strains local social services but also creates a pool of labour that Brazilian employers could tap if reintegration schemes scale up. Mobility teams should watch for potential reciprocal entry measures aimed at U.S. visitors.

Thick fog on 2 January forced multiple Indian carriers to cancel or delay flights at major northern airports. IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet activated fee-free change policies, while Air India re-launched its ‘FogCare’ waiver. Business travellers should expect ripple-effect delays for at least six weeks and plan itineraries accordingly.

Germany’s new EU Blue Card salary floors—€50,700 for standard roles and €45,934.20 for shortage occupations—entered into force on 1 January 2026. Employers must raise any outstanding offers below these figures or risk rejection of work-permit applications, adding roughly €2,400 per assignee to labour costs. The change forces HR teams to audit existing filings and adjust compensation strategies immediately.

Preliminary data show that 262,000 mainland Chinese visitors entered Hong Kong on 1 January 2026—roughly double the figure for New Year’s Day 2025. Extended checkpoint hours, additional rail services and a packed events calendar all helped manage the surge. The rebound signals renewed confidence in Hong Kong as a short-break destination and suggests brighter prospects for corporate events and retail spending.

A new presidential proclamation effective 1 January 2026 fully or partially blocks entry for citizens of 39 countries. The measure immediately disrupts visa issuance, airline boarding and corporate assignments, forcing companies to re-route talent and rethink Q1 deployment plans.

The ETA scheme becomes mandatory for all remaining visa-exempt nationals on 25 February 2026, carrying a £16 fee. Employers should build ETA checks into pre-trip workflows to avoid denied boarding and project delays.

Passenger-traffic data released on 2 January 2026 show mainland China handled more than 207 million journeys on New-Year’s Day, up 20 percent year-on-year, with rail traffic jumping nearly 68 percent. The surge confirms a full domestic-mobility rebound and foreshadows heavy demand ahead of the Spring Festival rush, signalling higher fares and capacity challenges for corporate travel planners.

From 1 January 2026, German employers must give every third-country national hired from abroad a written notice about the free ‘Faire Integration’ advisory service on their first work-day. Non-compliance risks fines, so HR teams should embed the new leaflet into offer-letter or onboarding packs immediately.