Global Mobility News from VisaHQ

Cyprus has adopted its first comprehensive migrant-integration strategy, allocating €60 m to language tuition, job-market access and streamlined public services for the island’s growing foreign workforce. Predictable permit timelines and employer-friendly support schemes should make Cyprus more attractive for multinationals while reinforcing its bid to enter the Schengen area.

USCIS has confirmed that the controversial US$100,000 fee for H-1B beneficiaries filing from outside the U.S. will remain in force for the FY-2027 cap. The surcharge, payable on top of all other filing fees, is pushing many employers to consider the L-1 transfer route or to relocate projects abroad. Companies must review budget forecasts and talent-placement strategies before the March 4-19 electronic registration window opens.

Hong Kong estimates 1.43 million mainland visitors will pour into the city between 15 and 23 February. A 24-hour command structure, round-the-clock checkpoints and overnight trains are being readied to keep queues short. The influx could lift hotel occupancy above 90 percent and reinforce Hong Kong’s positioning as a revitalised events hub.

From 25 February 2026 Aer Lingus will only accept passports (or Irish passport cards) on all Republic of Ireland–UK flights, ending the long-standing practice of accepting driving licences and other ID. The move anticipates the UK’s compulsory Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme and aims to cut boarding delays. Irish passengers must now ensure passport validity, and companies should factor ETA costs into travel budgets.

IRCC has changed study-permit rules so that international students in joint programs now need only one provincial or territorial attestation letter instead of multiple letters. The switch cuts costs and processing time for approximately 12,000 students a year and helps schools comply with the new national cap on study permits. Institutions and advisers say the move will streamline applications but urge students to verify program eligibility and provincial responsibilities.

Icy conditions on 7 February caused 339 delays and four cancellations at Warsaw, Kraków, Gdańsk, Katowice and Poznań airports, hitting LOT, Wizz Air, Ryanair and other carriers. Business travellers face missed connections and re-routing headaches, while airlines invoke force-majeure rules that limit compensation. Companies should build extra buffer time into itineraries and rely on real-time flight-status tools to keep mobility plans on track.

Citing escalating unrest, the MEA has advised Indians to postpone non-essential travel to Iran and urged those already there to exercise extreme caution. The advisory raises insurance costs, may disrupt flight routings and spotlights the duty-of-care obligations of firms sending employees to the region.

Electronic passport gates in Brussels Airport’s non-Schengen area failed on Friday night and remain offline, forcing all travellers through manual checks and creating queues of up to 50 minutes. Airlines are staggering check-in and warning of missed connections, while global-mobility teams should build extra buffer time into itineraries. The incident underscores risks surrounding the upcoming EU Entry/Exit System.

Effective 5 February 2026, Mexico has re-activated its electronic SAE visa for Brazilians, allowing applications to be completed entirely online and scrapping the consulate-issued sticker that had discouraged travel. Airlines have begun enforcing QR-code proof at check-in, and tourism authorities expect a strong rebound ahead of the 2026 World Cup, easing corporate and leisure mobility between the two countries.

China Railway reports that 12306 has already sold 140 million tickets for the 2026 Spring-Festival travel season, with daily ridership topping 10 million for five days straight. An extra 1,249 trains have been added for 7 February, and total rail journeys over the 40-day period are projected to hit 540 million. The unprecedented volume will strain passenger services and squeeze mixed freight capacity, prompting companies to review contingency plans.

Legislation signed on 6 February extends Czechia’s temporary-protection regime for Ukrainians and lets self-sufficient refugees graduate to a five-year residence card, easing churn for employers. The same law effectively freezes Czech citizenship applications from Russian nationals and hardens penalties for cooperation with hostile states, signalling a stricter security environment for mobility stakeholders.

Storm ‘Marta’ has forced the closure of 168 Spanish roads – 137 in Andalucía alone – and led the Port of Algeciras to cancel all sailings to Tanger-Med on 7 February. Freight and passenger mobility between Spain and North Africa is severely curtailed, and the DGT urges people to avoid non-essential travel. The disruption is expected to ripple through supply chains and corporate travel itineraries into next week.

From 25 February 2026 Aer Lingus will only accept passports or Irish passport cards on Republic of Ireland–UK routes, ending the long-standing practice of boarding with driving licences under the Common Travel Area. Non-Irish nationals must also hold a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation. The carrier says the move aligns it with competitors and reduces compliance risks, but employers should expect a short-term spike in urgent passport renewals.

Brussels released its first EU Visa Strategy on 7 February 2026, laying out a roadmap for fully digital Schengen visas, longer-validity multiple-entry permits and new measures to attract global talent. Italy—one of the busiest Schengen issuers—stands to benefit from shorter queues, faster processing and easier intra-EU mobility for highly-skilled workers.

Freezing rain shut Berlin’s main airport on 6 February, cancelling about 170 flights and stranding thousands of passengers. The closure may last several days, disrupting corporate travel itineraries and highlighting the need for contingency routing and duty-of-care tracking.

Pune’s international terminal is poised to introduce FTI-TTP e-gates, cutting immigration wait times for pre-cleared travellers to under a minute. The move will relieve chronic queues, support Pune’s surging outbound project travel and plug the city into India’s growing trusted-traveller network—good news for corporates moving staff in and out of Maharashtra’s manufacturing hub.

Sydney Airport processed 17.17 million international passengers in 2025, the highest in its history, and has appointed a Lendlease-led consortium to deliver a unified T2-T3 domestic precinct. The record traffic underscores sustained demand despite high airfares and paves the way for new airline capacity, while the redevelopment will add swing gates and biometric processing by 2030. Business travellers can expect both more route options and intermittent construction-related disruption.

Long lines at Geneva Airport prompted the EU to signal flexibility in the final roll-out of the biometric Entry/Exit System. With queues hitting three hours even under a partial deployment, industry bodies want the 10 April hard deadline delayed or softened. Swiss airports warn they lack the staff and kiosks to fingerprint every non-EU traveller during the summer peak, and corporates are revising travel policies accordingly.

Cyprus has finished the first phase of the €85 m Limnes Migrant Centre outside Larnaca. The facility will start operating immediately, easing overcrowding elsewhere and underpinning the government’s push for faster asylum processing and managed returns – developments that should streamline local services relied upon by international companies.