Global Mobility News from VisaHQ

Home Affairs has moved India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan to Evidence Level 3, requiring much stricter financial and academic proof for student-visa applicants. The shift is aimed at curbing document fraud but is likely to lengthen processing times and could dent first-semester enrolments. Corporations that fund study pathways for staff or dependants should expect delays and higher compliance costs.

Sweeping amendments to Finland’s Aliens Act took effect on 8 January 2026, lengthening the standard residency period for a permanent residence permit from four to six years and adding mandatory language-skill and work-history requirements. Fast-track options remain after four years but demand higher income, education or language proficiency. The changes force companies to revisit assignment timelines and support budgets, while migrants nearing the four-year mark must reassess their plans.

Judge Indira Talwani said DHS broke federal rule-making law when it tried to end seven family-reunification parole programs without notice. Her injunction keeps 10,000-12,000 Latin-American parolees—and their work permits—valid past the planned January 14 cut-off, averting major workforce disruption for U.S. employers. The administration is expected to appeal, leaving companies and families in limbo.

Storm “Elli” forced Deutsche Bahn to suspend all long-distance trains in northern Germany on 9 January, stranding travellers and triggering a rush for alternative transport and hotel rooms. The incident highlights the vulnerability of Germany’s mobility infrastructure to extreme weather and the need for robust corporate contingency planning.

A new three-year Flow Decree allocates 500,000 work visas for 2026-28—Italy’s largest quota ever. The plan boosts seasonal slots, tightens anti-fraud safeguards and gives employers long-term visibility for staffing construction, logistics and service projects. Early filing and strict wage compliance are essential to avoid missing out or being black-listed.

Poland has prolonged EU temporary-protection status for Ukrainian refugees until 4 March 2026 and unveiled an integration strategy centred on language training, skills audits and a public data dashboard. The decision protects employers’ existing Ukrainian workforce and offers new recruitment opportunities, but companies must prepare for tighter social-benefit rules and eventual transitions to standard residence permits.

Dubai Airports listed 17 Flydubai flights to Iranian cities as cancelled on 9 January and other regional airlines quickly followed suit. The move, linked to protests and an internet blackout in Iran, disrupts a vital short-haul corridor for UAE businesses and expatriates, forcing corporates to reroute staff and review travel-risk plans.

Emirates warns that from 25 February 2026 passengers departing the UAE for the UK must hold an Electronic Travel Authorisation or a compatible UK e-Visa. Without it, they will be refused boarding. The advisory forces UAE corporates and travel managers to build digital UK border checks into trip workflows.

Austria has renewed passport checks on its Slovak, Czech, Hungarian and Slovenian borders until 15 June 2026. The move, aimed at curbing irregular migration, is already causing queues of up to 45 minutes and extra document scrutiny for business travellers and freight drivers. Companies should adjust itineraries and ensure cross-border staff carry the new Frontier-Worker Permit plus supporting papers.

A code-orange snow alert prompted Brussels Airport to cancel 40 flights and impose slower turnaround procedures on 9 January. The disruption stranded travellers, squeezed cargo capacity and created knock-on immigration risks for re-routed passengers—issues that corporate mobility teams must build into winter contingency plans.