Czechia to Lift EU Blue Card Salary Threshold to CZK 73,833 From 1 May
Brussels Airport urges EU to soften EES rollout as missed-flight tally mounts
‘Global Talent Carnival’ opens in Kwun Tong as Hong Kong doubles down on talent drive
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IRCC launches first Express Entry draw for Trades Occupations, issuing 3,000 ITAs
On 2 April 2026, IRCC invited 3,000 candidates in the first Express Entry draw dedicated to Trades Occupations under the revised category-based selection system. Candidates required a minimum CRS score of 477. The move gives employers quicker access to permanent workers in high-demand trades and indicates Ottawa’s ongoing preference for occupation-specific invitations.
India scraps paper arrival cards, makes e-Arrival Card compulsory for all foreigners
From 1 April 2026, India has abolished paper arrival cards; all foreign passengers must now file an online e-Arrival Card within 72 hours before landing. The move, confirmed on 2 April, finalises the IVFRT 2.0 digitisation drive, giving immigration officers real-time data and cutting processing times. Companies relocating staff to India should add the filing step to pre-travel check-lists to avoid fines and boarding refusals.
Trump moves to resume DHS pay during record shutdown
President Trump said he will sign an executive order restoring pay for all Homeland Security employees, ending a 48-day salary freeze that had crippled TSA and CBP staffing and snarled air travel. The pay order eases immediate pressure on airports and business travelers but does not itself reopen the partially shuttered DHS, leaving immigration adjudications and some border operations in limbo. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/4a3e4a3e77bd33213b98888e79a81f51))
China Moves Border Permits Online: National Immigration Administration Announces Electronic Border Management Area Permit
Effective 15 April 2026, China will stop issuing paper Border Management Area Permits and switch to an electronic permit accessible via the NIA 12367 app suite. The move cuts paperwork for travellers to sensitive frontier zones, shortens processing times and reduces document-loss risks—important gains for companies that deploy staff to mining, energy and logistics projects near China’s land borders.
Gibraltar–Spain border treaty postponed to July, giving businesses and commuters three extra months to prepare
EU diplomats have approved—but delayed—the new Gibraltar–Spain border treaty. Provisional application will begin on 15 July 2026 instead of 10 April, meaning existing passport-stamp procedures stay in place through the busy spring-summer period. The pause buys businesses and some 15,000 daily cross-border commuters time to adapt HR files, travel policies and supply-chain workflows before Schengen-aligned checks start.
EU Entry/Exit-System startet Pflichtbetrieb – deutsche Flughäfen warnen vor längeren Grenzkontrollen
Ab April ist das biometrische Entry/Exit-System in Deutschland Pflicht. Drittstaatsangehörige müssen Fingerabdrücke und Gesichtsbilder erfassen lassen, Fluglinien müssen Visa vorab digital prüfen. Das erschwert Overstay-Tricks und erfordert von Unternehmen präzisere Reiseplanung, kann aber zunächst zu längeren Wartezeiten an deutschen Flughäfen führen.
Belgium pauses biometric data collection under EU Entry/Exit System after airport chaos
Belgium has suspended the fingerprint and facial-scan element of the EU’s Entry/Exit System after trials at Brussels Airport produced hour-long queues and hundreds of missed flights. Digital registration continues, but officials say full biometric rollout is on hold until processing speeds and staffing improve, giving business travellers temporary relief but prolonging uncertainty ahead of the 10 April 2026 EU deadline.
AFP steps up airport patrols and behavioural crackdown ahead of Easter travel rush
The AFP has launched high-visibility policing operations at all major airports for the Easter peak, warning passengers that intoxication or disruptive conduct will attract swift prosecution. Extra officers and canine teams will patrol terminals, while the agency highlighted more than 5,300 aviation incidents already this year. Travellers are urged to arrive early and remain patient; businesses should adjust duty-of-care guidance accordingly.
Draft regulation ends visa-free work option for citizens of Colombia, Georgia and Venezuela
A draft regulation now under inter-ministerial review will bar citizens of Colombia, Georgia and Venezuela from working in Poland while on a visa-free stay, forcing them to obtain a national visa or residence card. The move, driven by concerns over illegal job-hopping and Schengen pressure, will lengthen onboarding timelines and require employers to tighten document checks.
Easter Monday Disruption Looms as easyJet France Cabin Crew Call 6-April Strike
UNAC, the main cabin-crew union at easyJet France, has called a 24-hour strike for 6 April, demanding improved scheduling stability and better fatigue management after crews rejected the 2026 pay-and-conditions deal. The stoppage threatens heavy flight cancellations on a peak holiday travel day, forcing companies and travellers to build contingency plans. The action underscores growing labour tensions in Europe’s low-cost sector as carriers juggle post-war fuel volatility and staff shortages.
Labor Department proposes steep prevailing-wage hikes for H-1B, E-3 and PERM cases
A DOL proposal released April 2 would raise government-set prevailing wages for H-1B, E-3 and PERM filings by up to 30 percentage points, dramatically increasing the salary floor for entry- and mid-level foreign hires. Companies have until May 26 to comment and should reassess upcoming sponsorship budgets. ([crownworldmobility.com](https://www.crownworldmobility.com/insights/immigration-weekly-update-april-2-2026/))