DHS Proposes Sweeping Overhaul of Asylum-Seeker Work Authorization
UK Electronic Travel Authorisation Becomes Mandatory for 85 Visa-Free Nationalities
Germany Rolls Out Nationwide Digital Portal for Skilled-Worker Visas
Latest News
China Confirms 30-Day Visa-Free Entry for Canadian and British Nationals
A notice dated 23 February 2026 confirms that China has extended its unilateral 30-day visa-free regime to citizens of Canada and the UK between 17 February and 31 December 2026. The policy removes paperwork for short business and leisure trips, enabling faster corporate travel and signalling Beijing’s commitment to deeper economic engagement with two major G7 partners.
Staff Shortages Threaten Spain’s Ambitious Migrant Regularisation Drive
Immigration-office unions say the April-to-June mass-regularisation of 500,000 undocumented migrants will overwhelm Spain’s 1,830 Extranjería staff, who are already facing six-month backlogs in major cities. Delays could ripple into visa renewals and EU Blue-Card processing, affecting multinationals and mobile talent. Companies are urged to file paperwork early and brace for disruptions.
Global Entry Halted as DHS Shutdown Drags On, PreCheck Partially Restored
Because DHS’s partial shutdown still lacks a funding fix, CBP suspended Global Entry nationwide on Feb 23 2026. TSA PreCheck was briefly threatened but ultimately stayed open. The loss of expedited customs processing lengthens international arrivals, complicates tight business itineraries and could divert high-value travel to competing hubs.
Canada moves to strip citizenship of alleged Mumbai attack plotter Tahawwur Rana
IRCC has begun legal steps to revoke the Canadian citizenship of Pakistan-born Tahawwur Rana, accused of helping to plot the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The rare move underscores Ottawa’s willingness to use citizenship revocation powers in national-security cases and serves as a cautionary tale for employers and travellers about full disclosure requirements.
Berlin Extends Internal Border Checks Until Mid-September 2026
Germany will keep its ‘temporary’ land-border controls for another six months, extending them to at least mid-September 2026. The move, aimed at curbing irregular migration, departs from Schengen’s open-borders principle and creates uncertainty and minor delays for cross-border commuters, supply chains and business travellers.
Paris Airports Urge EU to Postpone Full EES Roll-Out Until After Summer Peak
Aéroports de Paris asked the European Commission on 23 February 2026 to delay the mandatory, biometric EU Entry/Exit System until after the summer high-season, warning of multi-hour border queues at Charles-de-Gaulle and Orly. The request, endorsed by airline and travel-industry bodies, would give France time to expand equipment and training. Business travellers should expect either longer processing times from April or a compressed compliance push in the autumn.
Poland repeals “Special Act”, folds Ukrainian refugees into EU-wide temporary-protection regime
Poland has enacted a law that ends its stand-alone Special Act for Ukrainian refugees. From 5 March 2026 Ukrainians will fall under the standard EU Temporary-Protection Directive and lose several fast-track benefits, while their legal stay is prolonged until 4 March 2027. Employers must switch Ukrainian staff to full Polish work-permit rules and ensure PESEL registration within 30 days. The change heralds a more uniform—but stricter—immigration landscape for business travellers and assignees.
Bangladesh Restarts Tourist Visas for Indians After Two-Month Suspension
Dhaka will resume issuing tourist visas to Indian citizens from 24 February 2026, ending a two-month halt that disrupted thousands of trips and dented bilateral tourism revenue. Missions in New Delhi, Agartala and Siliguri will handle up to 1,000 applications daily, though initial queues are expected. The restoration removes a barrier for leisure travellers and small-business visitors and signals warmer post-election ties between the neighbours.
UAE and Uganda Begin 90-Day Visa-Free Travel for Diplomatic & Service Passport Holders
Effective February 21, 2026, the UAE and Uganda now allow 90-day visa-free stays for holders of diplomatic and service passports. The waiver streamlines official travel, cuts costs and supports Emirati investment projects in East Africa while boosting Uganda’s economic engagement with the Gulf. Mobility managers should update procedures immediately and monitor compliance to avoid overstay fines.
Airlines warn of EES bottlenecks; Vienna Airport accelerates biometric roll-out
On 23 February, airport and airline groups ACI Europe, A4E and IATA warned the EU that the new biometric Entry/Exit System is already causing multi-hour queues. Vienna Airport confirmed capacity concerns and is rushing to add 65 kiosks and extra police staffing before the full switch-over on 10 April 2026. Austrian Airlines has started passenger education campaigns. Business-travel stakeholders fear major summer disruption unless Austria and the EU adopt temporary relief measures.
Flanders activates new chain-liability regime & stricter work-permit rules for contractors
Flanders’ long-announced immigration reform reaches full force today. Prime contractors are now legally responsible for ensuring every foreign national in their supply chain has the correct Belgian work authorisation, with fines up to €48,000 per irregular worker and potential site closures. Combined with a slimmer shortage-occupation list, the rules raise compliance stakes for multinationals running projects in Belgium.
New ‘Enfermagem Sem Fronteiras’ pathway readies Brazilian nurses for U.S. green-card jobs
A joint programme launched in Porto Alegre on 23 Feb 2026 integrates English fluency, NCLEX coaching and U.S. licensing guidance into Brazil’s nursing degree, creating a turnkey route to employer-sponsored H-1B/EB-3 visas and eventual green cards for nurses and their families. The initiative helps U.S. hospital systems fill a projected 440,000-job gap while giving Brazilian talent a structured, compliant path abroad.
EU clears cross-border bus cabotage in Austrian-Swiss border region
On 23 February 2026 EU ministers backed Austria’s request to update its 1958 transport treaty with Switzerland, paving the way for limited bus and coach cabotage within specified districts along the common border. The decision promises more flexible cross-border commuting options and lower operating costs for companies running staff shuttles.
Cyprus Confirms It Will Stay Outside EU’s New Biometric Entry/Exit System
Cyprus announced on 23 February that it will not implement the EU’s biometric Entry/Exit System this April, keeping manual passport stamping for the time being. Business travellers will avoid the queues expected at many Schengen airports, but UK residents with outdated “yellow-slip” documents risk delays when connecting onward. The decision provides short-term relief for corporate mobility planners but underscores the need to prepare for full Schengen compliance in the coming years.
Finland activates temporary airspace restrictions for ‘Vihuri 26’ military exercise, travellers warned of reroutes 23–26 February 2026
A Traficom AIP Supplement reserves large swathes of Finnish airspace for the Vihuri 26 exercise from 23–26 February 2026, forcing commercial flights to reroute or level-cap. Airlines and corporate operators should expect delays and build slack into itineraries. The event highlights growing defence-related mobility disruptions in post-NATO Finland.
Hong Kong launches “Study in Hong Kong Week” as APAIE 2026 opens
Hong Kong kicked off APAIE 2026 and a dedicated “Study in Hong Kong Week”, signalling an aggressive push to attract international students and academics. Officials touted faster e-visa processing and broader school options for expatriate families, moves that could reshape corporate mobility plans for 2026-27.
UK to scan Irish Sea ferry passengers with live facial-recognition cameras
The UK Home Office will run a week-long live facial-recognition trial on passengers arriving in Holyhead from Ireland starting 23 February. Thousands of Irish travellers will be filmed and matched against immigration watch-lists, sparking civil-rights concerns and raising the prospect of routine biometric checks on a previously passport-free route. Businesses should expect longer processing times and advise employees accordingly.