Global Mobility News from VisaHQ

Austria’s foreign ministry has raised its advisory for Venezuela to the highest level and set up a crisis team after U.S. military action. Around 750 long-term Austrian residents and a handful of tourists are being contacted, while employers and tour operators scramble to adjust travel plans. The move underscores Vienna’s readiness to protect citizens abroad and highlights the need for robust duty-of-care procedures for business and leisure travellers alike.

Nearly 200,000 travellers entered Hong Kong on 31 December, a 12 % year-on-year surge that reaffirms the city’s status as Asia’s favourite countdown destination. The influx—150 k mainland visitors and 48 k overseas—occurred despite fireworks being replaced by a harbourfront light show. Businesses should expect continued holiday-season demand spikes and plan accommodation and transport logistics early.

Effective 1 January 2026, most applicants for multi-year residence permits, 10-year cards and French citizenship must now pass an A2-level French-language exam and a new civic-knowledge test. The change, intended to strengthen integration, adds cost and time to renewal workflows and could complicate workforce planning for employers who rely on non-EU talent.

From 1 January 2026 all Polish residence-permit applications must be submitted online via the MOS portal, with paper filings invalid. At the same time, government fees have quadrupled, raising the cost of a standard permit to PLN 400 and national visas to €200. The change forces employers to overhaul processes but promises faster, data-driven adjudication.

From 1 January 2026 all Czech immigration procedures—applications, renewals, fee payments and address changes—move to an on-line “Foreigner Account” linked to the applicant’s national e-ID. Only biometrics remain in person, promising faster, paper-free processing and real-time case tracking. Employers should update onboarding workflows and ensure newcomers apply for a Czech e-ID at the earliest opportunity.

From 2 January 2026, Cypriot passport-holders must apply online for a Turkish e-visa or visit a Turkish mission in advance; the former sticker-visa-on-arrival has been scrapped. Turkish-Cypriots remain exempt. Businesses must now factor in lead time and documentation checks for staff travelling to Turkey.

New Delhi has urged Indians to avoid travelling to Venezuela after U.S. strikes triggered fresh security risks. Those already in the country must register with the Embassy and limit movement. The advisory could disrupt crew rotations and short-term business trips to Venezuela’s energy sector, forcing firms to activate contingency plans.

GOV.UK guidance pages now carry prominent banners warning that the English-language requirement for first-time Skilled Worker, Scale-up and HPI visas rises from B1 to B2 on 8 January 2026. Employers must ensure candidates sit the correct SELT level or present alternative evidence, or risk refusals and project delays.

China moved an unprecedented 207 million passengers on 1 January 2026, the opening day of the New-Year holiday, with rail travel up nearly 68 percent year-on-year. The surge confirms that domestic mobility has fully rebounded and will intensify competition for transport and lodging during peak periods—key considerations for corporate-travel planners.

Venezuela shut its main land border with Brazil for several hours on 3 January after a U.S. military raid in Caracas. Brazil activated humanitarian and security protocols but reported no immediate surge in refugee crossings. Companies with staff or cargo routes through northern Brazil should expect short-notice disruptions and review contingency plans.

A thick fog bank forced 23 inbound flights bound for Dubai-area airports to divert on 3 January 2026, with dozens more departures delayed. Operations recovered by mid-afternoon, but airline networks will feel knock-on effects for at least a day. Corporate travel planners should expect further weather-related schedule volatility through the winter fog season.

The FAA has barred U.S. airlines from flying near Venezuela and parts of the Caribbean after U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Maduro. More than 700 U.S. flights—including 300 in Puerto Rico—were canceled on January 3, stranding leisure and business travelers across the region. Companies must activate contingency plans, reroute essential staff and prepare for continuing schedule volatility until the NOTAM is rescinded.

The Flemish Region has switched on a fully digital Single-Permit portal aligned with new 2026 work-permit rules. Employers can now submit both fixed-term and unlimited-duration permits through one interface, but face tightened salary criteria for some roles and an initial backlog. The move harmonises Flemish practice with other Belgian regions and should shorten processing times once teething problems subside.