Global Mobility News from VisaHQ

Home Affairs data released 2 February show 2.32 million temporary-visa holders in Australia—an all-time high. The spike, led by bridging and graduate visas, casts doubt on the government’s pledge to reduce temporary migration and signals tougher sponsorship and compliance rules ahead for businesses.

China’s 2026 ‘chunyun’ kicked off on 2 February with authorities predicting a record 9.5 billion passenger movements. Rail will handle 540 million trips and aviation 95 million, both surpassing pre-Covid highs. The travel rush is doubling as a live test of digital arrival cards and 240-hour visa-free transit, offering practical clues for inbound business visitors. Companies should brace for production slow-downs and post-holiday freight bottlenecks.

The European Commission says France may temporarily suspend or limit EES biometric checks during peak periods, delaying full implementation until after the 2026 summer season. The move averts the worst queues but keeps travellers in a mixed manual-and-biometric environment, requiring extra planning time for business trips and assignee moves. It also signals that companies must still prepare staff for mandatory enrolment before the autumn cut-over.

The European Commission published a comprehensive Visa Strategy and talent-attraction package on 2 February 2026. Key elements include longer-validity Schengen visas for trusted travellers, 30-day processing targets for researchers and start-ups, and stricter employer-sanctions rules. Germany—Europe’s largest visa-issuing country—has begun aligning internal procedures, meaning business travellers and sponsoring employers could see both faster approvals and more compliance audits. Companies should review right-to-work systems and prepare for possible inspections.

On 2 February 2026, Ontario issued 1,825 invitations through six OINP Employer Job Offer draws, prioritising physicians, health-care workers, early childhood educators and regional candidates. The large intake helps address critical labour shortages and signals that 2026 provincial nomination quotas are already moving fast.

China processed a record 697 million border crossings in 2025, with foreign entries up 26 percent to 82 million. Three-quarters of international visitors used visa-free or transit-waiver channels, underlining the business value of Beijing’s expanded facilitation schemes. Employers welcome the rebound but warn staff that visa-free entry does not authorise work.

From 5 February 2026 Mexico will scrap the physical visa and require Brazilian passport-holders to obtain a quick, online e-Visa instead. The digital process cuts time and cost for tourists and short-term business visitors and is expected to revive demand ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has publicly defended a royal-decree that will grant one-year residence and work permits to an estimated 500,000 undocumented migrants already living in Spain. Applications open in April and require proof of five months’ residence before 31 December 2025 plus a clean criminal record. The measure is expected to formalise large segments of Spain’s labour force and provide employers with legal certainty.

Wizz Air will launch thrice-weekly Larnaca–Varna flights from 30 January 2026 and increase frequencies on 12 current routes, adding over 250,000 extra seats to Cyprus this summer. The expansion improves connectivity for business travellers, expatriate staff and seasonal workers while supporting Cyprus’ wider aviation-growth and Schengen-accession ambitions.