Global Mobility News from VisaHQ

IRCC’s 2026–2028 plan keeps permanent-resident targets flat at 380,000 but slashes new temporary resident admissions by 45 % next year, with equally steep cuts for students (-49 %) and foreign workers (-37 %). The shift will tighten hiring pipelines for employers who depend on quick work permits and reduce international-student revenues for schools, while emphasising pathways that convert existing talent to permanent status. Companies should audit foreign-talent needs and secure LMIA-based permits before quotas reset in January 2026.

A software failure in Delhi’s Air Traffic Control centre on 7 November grounded India’s busiest airport, delaying more than 200 flights and rippling across airline networks. The disruption hit business travellers at the start of the high-season and exposed infrastructure gaps that mobility managers must now factor into scheduling and duty-of-care plans.

On 7 November, the National Immigration Administration confirmed that its 30-day, unilateral visa-free scheme for 44 countries will run until 31 December 2026 and that Sweden will be added on 10 November 2025. The extension removes visa lead-times for thousands of business travellers and underlines Beijing’s commitment to facilitating inbound mobility.

On 6 November the National Immigration Administration launched 10 new immigration facilitation measures. Key items include expanding the Talent Exit-Endorsement nationwide, allowing mainlanders to apply for Taiwan family-visit permits anywhere, and rolling out facial-recognition e-gates at 20+ ports. The package sharply reduces paperwork and wait-times for business travellers and supports China’s push to attract and retain global talent.

Peers approved several tough amendments to the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill on 5 November, including a one-week duty to deport illegal arrivals and new reporting on student-visa breaches. If upheld by MPs, the measures will accelerate removals, limit Home Office discretion and ratchet up compliance pressure on universities and employers.

Canada’s new three-year immigration plan, released 5 Nov 2025, freezes permanent-resident targets at 380,000 but halves study-permit admissions and cuts temporary-worker quotas by more than one-third. The policy aims to curb population pressures while funnelling more PR spots to economic and French-speaking talent—key information for employers and universities that depend on foreign nationals.

Effective 5 November 2025, five ports in Guangdong—including the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge and West Kowloon rail station—were added to China’s 240-hour visa-free transit scheme, raising the number of eligible entry points to 65. The change makes it easier for travellers from 55 countries to enter southern China without a pre-arranged visa, a boon for business events in the Pearl River Delta.

On Nov 4 the U.S. shutdown hit day 35, making it the longest in history. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the FAA will slash capacity at 40 major airports starting Nov 7, citing unpaid controller shortages that are already causing hours-long delays. The looming cuts threaten Thanksgiving travel, disrupt expatriate moves and stall airport modernization projects.

Beijing announced on 4 November 2025 that visa-free entry for Austrian passport-holders will be extended until 31 December 2026 and supplemented by a new optional digital arrival card. The decision slashes red-tape for business travellers and is expected to boost both corporate and leisure traffic between Austria and China.

Beijing has extended its 30-day unilateral visa-free scheme for 40+ countries until 31 December 2026 and will add Sweden on 10 November 2025. The decision removes visa lead-times for most short-term business and tourist trips, supporting exhibition attendance, supplier audits and client meetings throughout 2026. Mobility teams should update travel policies and booking tools accordingly.

Cyprus used its ‘Amalthea’ maritime corridor on 4 November to send 940 tonnes of relief supplies to Gaza, bringing total deliveries above 27,000 tonnes. The operation, run with the UAE and UNOPS, underscores Cyprus’ emergence as a regional logistics and mobility hub and is prompting plans for a dedicated humanitarian-visa category.

Beijing has expanded its ‘talent exit endorsement’ nationwide and added four Hong Kong-linked control points to China’s 240-hour visa-free transit scheme, while also introducing document-free facial-recognition e-gates at key Shenzhen border crossings. The moves, welcomed by the HKSAR Government, are set to ease travel for mainland professionals and international visitors alike, bolstering Hong Kong’s role as a talent and transit hub.

On 3 November Emirates unveiled a AED 85 million programme to install more than 200 facial-recognition cameras throughout Dubai International’s Terminal 3. Opt-in travellers will be able to move from curb to gate without showing passports or boarding passes, cutting processing times by up to 80 %. The project, delivered with the GDRFAD, strengthens Dubai’s position as a high-throughput global hub and gives corporate travel managers new options for tighter connections and productivity gains.

DHS has published a draft rule to collect DNA, iris, facial and other biometrics from everyone linked to a U.S. immigration filing, regardless of age or category. The proposal would make genetic sampling routine in visa, green-card and naturalisation cases, triggering major privacy and compliance challenges for employers and travellers.

Beginning 1 Nov 2025, all immigrant-visa interviews will be tied to the applicant’s country of residence (or, by request, nationality). The policy ends third-country “visa shopping,” may lengthen queues in high-volume posts and forces employers to revisit mobility timelines for green-card cases. Applicants in countries without routine U.S. services will be routed to designated regional posts.

On November 1 Ottawa met its legislative deadline by tabling the 2026-28 Immigration Levels Plan. Permanent-resident admissions stay near 380 000, but new-arrival caps for temporary workers and students drop another 20 % to help drive the non-permanent-resident share of population below 5 %. The plan tilts toward in-Canada Express Entry candidates, adds spaces for Provincial Nominees and maintains tight regional limits on low-wage TFWs—information crucial for workforce planners and relocation managers.

Effective 1 November 2025, the UAE introduced a 24/7 hotline, 30-minute emergency return documents, and crisis evacuation support for Golden Visa residents abroad. The measures significantly reduce risk for long-term expats and make UAE assignments more attractive for multinationals.

Australia’s brand-new 4 + 1 Year Work Visa opened on 1 November 2025, consolidating several temporary-skilled schemes into one streamlined pathway with a clear route to permanent residence. Key features include a minimum AUD 90 000 salary, freedom to change employers, regional tax incentives and an on-line processing target of 8–12 weeks. The visa is expected to relieve critical shortages and give multinational employers far more flexibility when relocating staff to Australia.

The SEM now checks an applicant’s last place of residence when deciding on new S-status requests. People from seven western Ukrainian oblasts are generally no longer eligible, while existing permit-holders keep their rights until at least March 2027. Employers must prepare for longer lead-times when hiring from Ukraine and inform staff about a stricter 15-day travel limit.