Global Mobility News from VisaHQ

Beginning 1 December 2025, Austria will introduce a Frontier-Worker Permit that lets residents of neighbouring countries commute legally to jobs in Austrian border districts. Employers gain a single compliance document, while applicants must pass an AMS labour-market test and will not receive residence rights. The measure should ease labour shortages in frontier regions and reduce administrative burden for companies.

From 19 November the Balearic capital will become Spain’s first major holiday airport to require non-EU visitors to give fingerprints and a facial/iris scan under the EU’s new Entry/Exit System. Extra time at passport control is expected during the learning curve, but the move positions Spain to meet the April 2026 Schengen deadline and sets a template for other Spanish gateways.

Finland escorted an ex-Wagner mercenary back to Russia after rejecting his asylum bid, applying its emergency powers to push back irregular arrivals at the closed eastern border. The removal underscores Helsinki’s stricter security screening and signals that future applicants—especially those with military ties—face higher rejection and deportation risks. Businesses should advise transferees to avoid land crossings and prepare for more intensive background checks.

The State Department revoked U.S. visas for owners of Nicaraguan transport firms accused of profiting from migrant smuggling corridors to the United States. The move widens Washington’s campaign to deter irregular migration and could disrupt corporate travel supply chains that rely on sanctioned carriers.

The new White Paper fleshes out Labour’s asylum plan and introduces an ‘emergency visa brake’ that can halt entry-clearance for poorly cooperating countries. It also paves the way for a universal digital immigration status and tighter right-to-work rules, giving employers a short consultation window to influence technical design.

On November 17, IRCC confirmed that its November 14 Express Entry draw invited 3,500 candidates in health-care and social-service occupations, with a CRS cut-off of 462. The targeted round supports hospitals and community agencies facing staffing shortages and reflects Canada’s shift toward skills-based immigration selection. Employers gain quicker access to permanent hires, while internationally trained professionals benefit from a historically low points threshold.

On 17 November 2025 the EU Council approved tighter, faster rules for suspending visa-free travel. Germany, as a Schengen state, could now see visa requirements re-introduced for certain nationalities with only 20 days’ notice, affecting business trips, client visits and tourist flows. Mobility managers should monitor EU alerts and build extra lead-time into travel plans.

Poland reopened the Kuźnica Białostocka and Bobrowniki road checkpoints on 17 November, restoring passenger and limited freight traffic with Belarus for the first time since September’s security shutdown. The move eases costly detours for hauliers and business travellers but retains strict controls, including a ban on Belarus-registered trucks and enhanced spot checks. Companies should expect shorter routes but prepare staff for document inspections and restricted operating hours.

• Effective 22 Nov 2025, Indians must once again obtain a visa to enter or transit Iran. • MEA warns of kidnapping and job-fraud rings exploiting the former visa-free regime and urges travellers to avoid unlicensed agents. • Corporates face longer lead times for crew rotations and project travel via Iran; airlines will enforce visa checks at origin. • The change highlights rising security concerns along the India–Iran mobility corridor.

Dubai’s GDRFA has expanded and clarified who can use Smart Gates at DXB and DWC. UAE citizens, residents, GCC nationals and several categories of visa holders can now clear immigration in seconds using facial recognition, easing peak-season congestion and benefiting business travellers.

• A legislative package published on 17 November amends the Migration Regulations to align the new Skills-in-Demand visa with existing enforcement powers. • From 29 November, the Minister will be able to cancel a SID visa where sponsorship obligations are breached, and employer obligations will run until every dependant’s status is resolved. • The fixes remove grey areas that hindered enforcement and give employers a final rule-set to build into 2026 hiring plans.

The United States announced stricter visa reviews on 17 Nov 2025, allowing retroactive checks on all visa categories and introducing a tougher civics test. Brazilian visitor numbers are projected to drop sharply, complicating business travel and talent mobility. Corporations are advising employees to expect longer lead-times and carry extra documentation.

Beijing upgraded its travel advice on November 17, urging Chinese citizens to avoid Japan after a spate of assaults on Chinese nationals and political friction over Taiwan. Japanese tourism and retail stocks fell sharply, underscoring the economic impact when Chinese outbound travel slows. Firms with travellers or assignees in Japan should review security and contingency plans.

Zurich Airport put the EU’s new Entry/Exit System into live operation today, digitising the border process for non-EU travellers. First-time enrolment captures facial and fingerprint data, replacing passport stamps and enabling automated overstay alerts across the Schengen zone. Corporates should expect minor delays during the bedding-in period and revise compliance procedures, as the system makes stay-day calculations more rigorous.

A Reuters review of European migration policy highlights Czechia’s role in a nine-nation bloc pressing the EU to loosen ECHR constraints on deportations. Combined with Prague’s own January 2026 asylum-law amendment, the move signals stricter enforcement even as talent-attraction schemes remain in place. Employers should prepare for tighter checks and faster, less forgiving procedures.

HKIA handled 5.37 m passengers in October, up 18 %, with transit numbers leaping 50 % after capacity expansions linked to the new third runway. The rebound signals improved connectivity and seat supply for business travellers and a healthier logistics environment for corporates.

A joint UK-Ireland communiqué released on 17 November 2025 reaffirms the Common Travel Area and promises that the UK’s forthcoming Digital ID scheme will not restrict visa-free travel. A bilateral working group will draft data-sharing rules so that the new credential integrates smoothly with Irish systems, providing certainty for businesses that rely on frequent cross-border staff moves.

The Supreme Court will review whether turning back asylum seekers under the border-capacity policy known as “metering” violates U.S. law. A revival of metering could slow legitimate cross-border business travel and freight while reshaping asylum processing norms.

The Home Office has issued a 30-day ultimatum to Angola, Namibia and the DR Congo: accept the return of failed asylum-seekers or lose access to UK visas. While the numbers are small, the move signals a tougher era of linkages between migration control and visa policy, and could complicate niche business travel to southern Africa.