IRCC Processing-Time Update Cuts Indian Visitor Visa Waits, Signals Spring Surge
Australia Doubles Temporary Graduate Visa Fee but Spares Pacific Islanders
Lufthansa pilots’ strike grounds nearly half of flights – Austrian travellers face disruption
Latest News
Austrian police break billion-euro Balkan people-smuggling ring
Austrian authorities, working with several EU partners, have arrested more than 130 suspects accused of smuggling about 100,000 migrants into the EU via Austria, earning over €1 billion. The bust signals continued tight border checks and could shape forthcoming immigration policy debates in Austria.
Nationwide halt to Brazilian passport appointments raises mobility risk
Federal Police delegates suspended all standard passport appointments on 11 March 2026, demanding that crime-asset funds be channelled into passport services. Only emergency applications are being processed, jeopardising holiday and business travel and forcing global-mobility teams to revise visa-filing timelines.
Lufthansa 48-Hour Pilot Strike on 12–13 March Spills Over to Swiss Hubs
A 48-hour strike by Lufthansa pilots on 12–13 March will ground most flights via Germany, disrupting Swiss-bound passengers and cargo. Although SWISS is not striking, connections through Frankfurt and Munich are collapsing, forcing expensive re-routing and triggering EU261 compensation rights. Swiss corporates should avoid German hubs until at least 14 March.
Lufthansa pilots confirm 48-hour strike that will ground most flights from German hubs on 12–13 March
Vereinigung Cockpit has called a 48-hour strike covering all Lufthansa passenger and cargo flights from 00:01 on 12 March to 23:59 on 13 March, forcing the airline to cancel most services at Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Hamburg and other airports. Business travellers face severe disruption and freight flows will be hit, with ripple effects on supply chains. Companies should trigger travel-risk protocols and allow for immigration and project deadlines to slip.
Second Irish Government Evacuation Flight Brings 217 Citizens Home from Middle East
A government-chartered flight landed in Dublin on 11 March with 217 passengers evacuated from the Gulf, marking Ireland’s second large-scale repatriation in a week. The operation highlights the importance of robust duty-of-care and travel-risk protocols for Irish organisations with staff overseas.
DHS Restarts Global Entry After Two-Week Suspension
The Department of Homeland Security re-launched Global Entry at 5 a.m. on March 11, reversing a 17-day shutdown that had snarled U.S. airport arrivals. The fee-funded program’s suspension had drawn fierce opposition from airlines and business-travel groups; its return restores expedited clearance for more than 18 million enrolled travelers and eases pressure on Customs staffing. Mobility managers should resume using Global Entry but build contingency plans in case future funding disputes trigger similar disruptions.