Global Mobility News from VisaHQ

The Federal Council has decided to keep Switzerland’s 2026 work-permit quotas unchanged, giving employers continued access to 8 500 authorisations for third-country specialists and preserving special quotas for EU/EFTA service providers and UK citizens. The move averts an immediate talent squeeze and provides certainty for mobility planners, although political pressure to reduce immigration remains high.

Despite the reopening of Medyka, another 4,000 trucks are still waiting at three Polish crossings into Ukraine. The continuing blockade is costing exporters an estimated €12 m a day and forcing manufacturers on both sides of the border to curb production.

Times of India reports that, effective 29 November, the UAE will allow long-term humanitarian volunteers to qualify for the 10-year Golden Visa without property or cash investment. Applicants must prove substantial impact with recognised organisations and clear ICP vetting. The change boosts CSR-driven mobility options for companies and strengthens the UAE’s humanitarian brand.

France’s 2026 draft budget would push the fee for a ten-year residency card from €200 to €300 and raise most other immigration documents by up to 50 %. The Finance Ministry says the move brings France closer to EU peers, but NGOs warn of a heavy burden on migrants and international students. Employers should budget for higher assignment costs if the bill becomes law on 1 January 2026.

The National Immigration Administration has launched an electronic Arrival Card that foreign travellers can complete online before boarding. Early data from Shanghai Hongqiao show clearance times for group arrivals have been cut by more than 50 percent. The switch to a fully digital system removes the last paper form for foreigners entering China and lets corporate mobility teams monitor compliance centrally—important as travel rebounds ahead of the 2026 peak season.

Aegean Airlines has won a one-year PSO contract guaranteeing direct Larnaca–Brussels flights from 1 December 2025. The deal caps fares, boosts frequencies during Cyprus’ 2026 EU Presidency and ends a decade-long reliance on time-consuming connections, greatly benefiting officials and business travellers.

The Department of Justice is reviewing Ireland’s English-language student-visa programme amid fears it is being used as a ‘back-door’ work route. Ministers say the outcome could see fewer visas and stricter school oversight, potentially shrinking a 60,000-strong annual intake. Employers relying on student workers or graduate-scheme talent should prepare for tighter supply and higher wage demands.

France’s Consulate in Tunis says the visa refusal rate for Tunisian applicants has fallen to 18 %, half the level seen at the height of the 2021-22 quota dispute. More than 50 % of visas issued this year are multi-year, easing mobility for students and skilled workers. The policy shift removes a key bottleneck for French employers recruiting North-African talent and underscores how migration cooperation can translate into friendlier visa policies.

From 25 February 2026, travellers from 85 visa-waiver countries must hold an ETA before boarding a UK-bound flight. Airlines will deny boarding to anyone without “permission to travel”, making advance compliance essential for corporate travellers. Companies should update travel-booking workflows and educate staff now to avoid denied-boarding costs in 2026.

Exiled pro-democracy leader Nathan Law says the UK’s proposal to extend most migrants’ route to settlement from five to 10 (or even 20) years leaves many Hong Kong refugees in prolonged uncertainty. Although BNO visa holders keep the five-year path, thousands without that status could face longer, costlier processes, affecting their housing, jobs and family stability. Businesses relocating Hong Kong staff should prepare for higher compliance costs and engage with the forthcoming consultation.

Cyclone Ditwah forced India’s two largest carriers to cancel more than 50 flights on 29 November and publish nationwide advisories. The disruption affects key business-travel corridors in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Sri Lanka and is likely to cascade into other domestic routes for several days. Companies should prepare for re-routing costs, delayed project starts and updated duty-of-care protocols.

The Trump administration has suspended every asylum decision nationwide and frozen all new U.S. visas for Afghan passport holders after a White House shooting involving an Afghan resettlee. The order imperils more than 1.4 million asylum cases and some 100,000 Afghan immigration filings, including Special Immigrant Visas, and creates immediate business-travel and workforce-planning challenges for U.S. employers. Advocacy groups say the move violates court orders and abandons wartime allies, while policy experts warn it could herald blanket asylum denials. Corporate mobility teams should halt Afghan travel, reassess start dates, and brace for significant compliance disruptions.

• Airbus ordered an immediate software rollback on A320 aircraft after a flight-control glitch linked to solar radiation. • Jetstar grounded 34 jets, cancelling about 90 flights on 29 November; most are expected to return to service within 24 hours. • Qantas and Virgin Australia report minimal impact but have offered spare capacity. • The episode underscores the need for contingency plans as software and space-weather risks grow.

A nationwide strike on 28–29 November shut down large parts of Italy’s air, rail and urban-transit system, forcing ITA Airways to cancel dozens of flights and causing widespread train delays. The protest, organised by base unions against the 2026 budget, left business travellers scrambling for alternatives and disrupted supply chains. Corporate mobility teams should expect residual delays over the weekend and build extra flexibility into travel plans.

Belgium will raise its flat embarkation levy to €10 on all flights departing Belgian airports from 1 January 2027. Airlines warn the move will hike fares and threaten route viability, while corporates brace for higher mobility costs. The tax is expected to generate €140 million annually for rail and climate projects.