Global Mobility News from VisaHQ

Austria and four other EU members (Germany, Greece, Denmark and the Netherlands) have formed a working group to set up offshore deportation and processing centres, starting with Uganda and a Central-Asian location. The initiative, agreed on 22 January 2026 in Nicosia, aims to accelerate returns and deter irregular migration but faces legal, humanitarian and political hurdles. Corporate mobility teams should anticipate tighter controls at Austrian borders and track potential policy offsets designed to attract needed talent.

The United States halted immigrant-visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries, including Brazil, as of 21 January 2026. Tourist and student visas remain unaffected, but family and employment green-card cases are frozen, disrupting corporate transfers and personal migration plans. Brazilian authorities are seeking clarification while companies scramble for alternatives.

From 8 January 2026 new Skilled Worker, HPI and Scale-up visa applicants must meet the higher B2 English standard, replacing the longstanding B1 level. Separately, the UK will **fully enforce** its Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme on 25 February 2026, meaning visa-free visitors who arrive without an ETA can be denied boarding and carriers fined. Employers need to build extra time for language tests, update sponsorship paperwork and add ETA checks to business-travel processes.

The GCC has postponed its long-awaited unified tourist visa until 2026 because member states, including the UAE, need more time to align immigration databases, security checks and revenue-sharing procedures. The new timeline means companies must continue using individual country visas for at least another year, but it also gives businesses and airlines more lead-time to adapt systems and policies. Once operational, the visa is expected to boost regional tourism and simplify travel logistics for visitors and corporate assignees alike.

From 16 January 2026 until 15 January 2027, Chinese citizens can enter the Philippines visa-free for up to 14 days via Manila or Cebu for tourism or business. The pilot, confirmed by China’s embassy on 22 January, aims to revive Chinese arrivals and cut red tape for short-term business trips. Companies should factor in the shorter stay limit and airport restrictions but can expect faster deployments and lower travel costs.

The CJEU ruled on 22 January 2026 that Italy cannot require mobile workers to accumulate more Italian contribution years than domestic workers to obtain the disability-pension minimum. The judgment ends a rule that penalised Italians with foreign work histories, boosting legal certainty for cross-border assignments and reinforcing the EU principle of equal treatment.

Zurich Airport handled 850 private-jet movements in just 72 hours as delegates converged on Davos, with 216 individual aircraft logged by 21 January. The surge triggered parking overflow to nearby airfields and tested Swiss border-control capacity, offering lessons for travel managers and prompting calls for greener landing-fee structures.

U.S. Consulates in India have pushed all regular H-1B/H-4 stamping interviews to 2027, creating a de-facto travel ban for thousands of Indian tech workers. The backlog, driven by new social-media vetting rules, forces companies to freeze non-essential travel and redraw project timelines. Employers should counsel staff to avoid international trips, explore third-country renewal options and budget for extended stays in India.

Fresh figures show that only 50,060 people immigrated to Finland in 2025—down 21 % year-on-year—yet net migration still drove all population growth. Ukrainian arrivals dominated, while Russia-related inflows fell sharply. With stricter permanent-residence rules now in force, companies face a tighter talent pool and should plan for longer onboarding timelines and added integration costs.

New government data show Spain registered 3.12 million foreign workers in 2025, a 7.2 % year-on-year jump that lifts the foreign share of the workforce to a record 14.1 %. Growth is strongest in high-skill sectors, reflecting policy shifts that favour entrepreneurial and knowledge-based migrants. The figures reassure employers that Spain will keep work-permit channels open while intensifying talent-attraction efforts.

A coroner has found that the death of Filipino trainee Jerwin Royupa exposed systemic flaws in the subclass 407 Training Visa. Australia’s Anti-Slavery Commissioner is now pressing the government to reform the visa’s sponsor-vetting and wage safeguards. Employers relying on 407 trainees should expect tougher scrutiny and possible rule changes in the first half of 2026.

MTR will add 16 direct-access mainland China stations to the Hong Kong section of the high-speed rail network from 26 January, boosting the total to 110. The move, announced 22 January, targets Lunar New Year demand, increases Shanghai sleeper services to nightly operations and raises frequencies on the Guangzhou corridor. The upgrade is expected to drive visitor spending and give corporate travellers a faster alternative to short-haul flights.

Belgian rail unions will stop work from the night of 25 January until 30 January, protesting a government bill that ends lifetime appointments at SNCB and Infrabel. SNCB will run only a limited timetable; Eurostar and other international trains will also be affected. The CGRS will keep asylum interviews in place but offers rescheduling for those who cannot travel. Companies should prepare alternative travel and remote-work solutions.