Dublin Airport Charges Review Begins with New Passenger Advisory Group
Express Entry Backlog Swells to Three-Year High, Pushing Skilled Workers’ Wait Times
Belgium releases 2026 minimum-salary thresholds for work permits and EU Blue Cards
Latest News
Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed rail adds 52 trains a day, becomes China’s busiest cross-border corridor
From 26 January 2026, the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link will run 415 trains a day—up 14 percent—making it China’s busiest high-speed corridor. New direct services to Nanjing, Wuxi and Hefei expand the number of mainland stations linked to Hong Kong to 110 and cut door-to-door travel times for business travellers. The move supports Greater Bay Area integration and is expected to ease peak-season congestion while shifting more short-haul trips from air to rail.
Hong Kong pledges tighter gate-keeping of imported labour to protect local jobs
Responding to lawmakers on 21 January, Hong Kong labour chief Chris Sun detailed tougher rules and fresh statistics aimed at stopping abuse of the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme. Applications and approvals for imported catering staff have already fallen sharply, 24 employers have been sanctioned, and nearly 20,000 illegal-worker raids were mounted in 2025. Companies must brace for stricter compliance checks and a possible policy overhaul in 2026.
Italy approves draft decree to introduce a 90-day ‘Single Permit’ for work-residence applications
The Council of Ministers has approved a draft legislative decree that creates a single, fully digital application for non-EU nationals who wish to live and work in Italy. Processing times will be capped at 90 days, employees will gain greater job-mobility rights, and short periods of unemployment will no longer void the permit. Once enacted, the reform should significantly shorten assignment lead times and simplify corporate immigration compliance.
IRCC Issues 681 Invitations in First 2026 Express Entry Draw Focused on Provincial Nominees
On 20 January 2026 IRCC invited 681 provincial-nominee candidates in its first Express Entry draw of the year, setting a hefty CRS cut-off of 746. The move highlights Ottawa’s reliance on provinces to steer immigration to regions with acute labour shortages and encourages employers to leverage PNP pathways for faster talent acquisition.
France raises SMIC and overhauls ‘Talent Passport’ salary thresholds for 2026
A Fragomen alert dated 21 January 2026 confirms that France’s minimum wage now stands at €1,823.03 gross per month and that salary thresholds for key ‘Talent Passport’ permits have increased (e.g., EU Blue Card €59,373; Qualified Employee €39,582). Employers must review current assignee pay and adjust new offers or risk permit refusals. Fixed, taxable salary elements count toward the thresholds; discretionary allowances do not.
DGCA secures IndiGo pledge to maintain full network after new crew-duty limits
DGCA said on 21 January that IndiGo has promised zero flight cancellations even after its FDTL exemptions expire on 10 February 2026. The commitment averts major schedule risk for business travellers who rely on the carrier’s dense domestic network.
U.S. Pauses Immigrant Visas for Citizens of 75 Countries
The State Department has halted immigrant-visa processing for citizens of 75 countries, effective immediately. The move, justified as a vetting and public-charge measure, could block nearly half of all employment- and family-based green-cards over the next year and will force employers to rely on temporary visas or relocate talent elsewhere.
Vienna Airport to Axe 200 Jobs as Wizz Air Quits and Ryanair Scales Back
Vienna Airport will shed 200 jobs after downgrading its 2026 passenger forecast to 30 million. The cuts follow Wizz Air’s decision to abandon its Vienna base and Ryanair’s capacity reduction, while Austrian Airlines rationalises its fleet. Fewer low-cost flights and higher taxes could raise travel costs and reduce flexibility for business travellers using Vienna as a Central-European hub.
Australia fast-tracks hate-speech and firearms bills, expanding ministerial power to cancel visas
Parliament has passed two urgent bills that criminalise extremist hate speech and give the Home Affairs Minister broad, immediate powers to cancel or refuse visas on public-safety grounds. The package also tightens firearms rules and border-inspection powers. Global employers must strengthen social-media vetting and prepare for faster, tougher visa cancellations.
Cyprus deported 164 foreign nationals to ease prison overcrowding
Cyprus deported 164 foreign inmates and facilitated 479 other returns between 10 December 2025 and 20 January 2026, easing severe prison overcrowding and signalling a tougher stance on irregular migration. Businesses employing third-country nationals are advised to ensure full immigration compliance as enforcement intensifies.
Air-Force One detour delays Trump’s Zurich arrival, but WEF flight schedule holds
A minor electrical fault forced Air Force One to return to Washington, delaying President Trump’s WEF arrival by two hours. Zurich Airport and Swiss air-traffic control kept the slot system stable, enabling the president’s helicopter transfer to Davos and preventing wider disruption to the 1,000 extra WEF-related flights. The smooth recovery shows Switzerland’s WEF air-security plan can absorb VIP shocks, but travel managers should still plan for pop-up curfew waivers, manifest checks and tighter slot discipline this week.