Dubai Airport remains open on April 16; 124 delays spark visa-overstay warning for travellers
Spain’s Extraordinary Migrant Regularization Goes Live, Opening Legal Pathways for Up to 500,000 People
Emirates sets 31 May deadline for penalty-free changes as reduced schedule continues
Latest News
EU Entry/Exit System Triggers Three-Hour Queues at Italian Airports, Industry Calls for Flexibility
Since EES went live on 10 April, Italian airports have recorded queues of up to three hours, causing missed flights and prompting industry bodies to demand temporary relief from biometric registration rules. Companies are extending recommended airport reporting times and warning of knock-on effects on assignments and business trips.
U.S. House Votes to Extend Haitian TPS for Three More Years
The House passed a bill 224-204 compelling DHS to extend Temporary Protected Status for Haitians by three years, directly challenging President Trump’s effort to terminate the program. Employers gain near-term certainty for 350,000 workers, but the measure faces an uphill battle in the Senate and a likely presidential veto.
CRS score jumps to 419 in April 15 Express Entry draw targeting French-speaking candidates
IRCC’s 15 April 2026 French-language Express Entry draw issued 4,000 ITAs but raised the CRS cut-off to 419, 26 points higher than the previous round. The jump reflects a smaller draw size and a longer gap between category rounds. Employers may face a tighter talent pool, while candidates will need to boost scores or consider provincial programs. The move underlines Ottawa’s flexible use of category-based selection to meet Francophone-immigration goals.
Two-Day Lufthansa Pilot Strike Grounds Up to 90 % of Flights From German Hubs
VC pilots began a 48-hour strike on 16 April, grounding up to 90 percent of Lufthansa Group departures from Frankfurt and Munich and disrupting freight and passenger flows. With cabin-crew strikes only just finished, the walk-out compounds a month of unrest and could cost the carrier tens of millions of euros. Corporate travellers must reroute or invoke EU261 rights, and supply-chain managers should expect delays to continue after the strike window closes.
France completes switch to EU Entry/Exit System, bringing biometric border checks to business travellers
France activated the EU Entry/Exit System across all its borders on 16 April 2026, replacing manual passport stamps with biometric scans. The change tightens enforcement of the 90-day Schengen limit and requires companies to track staff travel more closely. Initial registrations may lengthen queues, but repeat travellers will use faster e-gates. Businesses should update mobility policies and brief employees before their next trip.
Long queues at Vienna-Schwechat after full switch-on of EU Entry/Exit System
A week after Austria’s mandatory roll-out of the EU Entry/Exit System, Vienna airport is experiencing three-hour passport-control lines. Extra border officers and a pilot fast-track for business travellers have been deployed, but companies are already rerouting executives. The episode highlights short-term pain as Austria digitises its borders.
Belgium Raises Citizenship Application Fee to €1,000 and Tightens Family-Reunification Income Rules
Effective 16 April 2026, Belgium has increased the standard citizenship application fee from €150 to €1,000 and introduced higher income thresholds for family-reunification visas. Sponsors must now earn at least 110 % of the minimum wage plus 10 % per dependent, and partners must be 21. The government says the measures will curb abuse and cut social costs; critics argue they restrict family life and could make Belgium less attractive to talent. Global-mobility and HR teams should adjust budgets, review salary attestations and warn staff of the steeper costs and stricter timelines.
Brazil Overhauls 2026 Immigration Playbook: Digital-Nomad, Investor and e-Visa Rules Clarified
Brazil’s updated 2026 Immigration Guide consolidates all visa and residency changes enacted since late 2025, including a low-barrier digital-nomad visa, refreshed investor thresholds and the e-Visa requirement for U.S./Canadian/Australian travellers. The resource gives global mobility teams a single reference point for deploying staff to Brazil and highlights shorter timelines to permanent residency, making the country markedly more attractive for remote talent and foreign capital.
China Extends 30-Day Visa-Free Entry Scheme Through 2026, Adding UK and Canada
On 15 April 2026 China confirmed that its 30-day visa-free entry pilot will now run until 31 December 2026 and will cover almost 50 countries, including the UK and Canada. The extension eliminates consular paperwork for most business and tourist trips of up to one month, a significant boost for corporate mobility and event planners. Companies are urged to update travel policies and remind staff that overstays still carry heavy penalties.
Swiss travellers face up to three-hour border queues as EU Entry/Exit System hits its first major test
Airports in Switzerland and across Europe are reporting queues of up to three hours for non-EU passengers as the new biometric Entry/Exit System enters full operation. Zurich, Geneva and Basel have all had to redeploy staff and warn travellers to arrive extremely early. The delays threaten missed connections and extra costs for Swiss-based business travellers and multinational employers, underscoring the growing importance of proactive travel-risk management.
Hong Kong stakes HK$1.66 billion on luring high-value visitors and MICE travellers
Hong Kong has boosted its 2026 tourism budget to HK$1.66 billion, funnelling 75 per cent into attracting overnight leisure visitors and high-spending MICE delegates. The strategy targets South-east Asia, India, the Middle East and selected EU markets, and bundles new subsidies with marketing campaigns and ticket giveaways. For business-travel planners, this means richer incentives, priority immigration handling and heightened demand around major conventions.
Dáil passes landmark International Protection Bill, ushering in the biggest overhaul of Ireland’s asylum system in decades
Ireland’s lower house has approved the International Protection Bill 2026, a sweeping reform designed to align the Irish asylum system with the EU Migration and Asylum Pact before the June deadline. The Bill introduces mandatory screening with biometrics, strict decision deadlines of three to twelve weeks, and a new border procedure, all aimed at accelerating decisions and curbing unfounded claims. While the government says the overhaul will save money and bring certainty for employers, critics fear rushed decisions and tougher family-reunification rules will face legal challenges. President Connolly must now decide whether to sign or refer the legislation to the Supreme Court for review.
China Warns Citizens to Avoid Seattle Airport After Scholars Denied Entry to U.S.
Beijing issued a travel alert telling Chinese nationals to avoid entering the U.S. via Seattle-Tacoma Airport after about 20 scholars were denied entry and questioned by CBP. The warning adds friction to U.S.-China academic and business travel and may dampen Chinese visitor flows as peak season approaches.
EU Entry-Exit System Blamed for Three-Hour Queues as British Travellers Face Post-Easter Chaos
Since the EU’s biometric Entry-Exit System became mandatory on 10 April, UK passengers have faced waits of up to three hours at major European airports, according to a 15 April Guardian report. The initial congestion highlights the operational risks of the post-Brexit border regime and signals that UK firms must factor extra buffer time and costs into continental travel plans.
Qantas slashes domestic capacity but boosts London and Paris services amid cost headwinds
Faced with an AUD 800 million fuel shock, Qantas will cut domestic flying by 1 % in Q4 2026 while adding seats to London and Paris services. The move reallocates wide-body aircraft to higher-yield European routes and could tighten supply—and raise prices—on key Australian domestic corridors. Travel buyers should lock in inventory early to avoid peak-season surprises.
Cyprus pushes hard-line migrant returns policy as it prepares to lead EU negotiations
Ahead of its July EU Council presidency, Cyprus is championing an aggressive returns regulation modelled on its own programme that now removes five times more migrants than it receives. The policy enjoys support from several member states but faces legal challenges and NGO criticism. Faster corporate-permit processing is a silver lining for employers, but compliance risks rise as workplace inspections intensify.
Immigration‐Office Workers Call Indefinite Strike for 21 April, Threatening Processing of Spain’s New Amnesty
Spain’s main civil-service union has called an open-ended strike of immigration-office staff from 21 April 2026, citing understaffing and IT failures. The walkout threatens to paralyse in-person steps of the new migrant-regularization programme and delay residence permits, potentially disrupting corporate mobility plans during the spring hiring season.