Global Mobility News from VisaHQ

EU interior ministers agreed on 8 December to remove Poland from the bloc’s new migrant relocation and financial-contribution mechanism, citing the country’s heavy spending on its Belarus border and its reception of Ukrainian refugees. The opt-out eases budget pressure and reduces uncertainty for employers moving staff to Poland.

IRCC has launched a dedicated Express Entry category for doctors and set aside 5,000 provincial nominations plus faster work-permit processing to help foreign physicians obtain permanent residence. This addresses an acute shortage of medical professionals, gives hospitals a new recruitment lever, and offers foreign doctors a clearer, faster path to settle in Canada.

The new Flow Decree sets immigration quotas for 2026-28 at nearly half a million permits, boosting legal pathways by 10 percent and locking in click-day dates for January–February. Seasonal agriculture and tourism dominate, but 230,550 places go to non-seasonal and self-employed workers, with 20,000 conversion slots. Employers must prepare now as scrutiny of contracts, housing and biometric data intensifies. The decree is crucial for businesses facing labour shortages across Italy.