Global Mobility News from VisaHQ

Starting 21 January 2026, Bangladeshis receiving new U.S. B-1/B-2 visas must post a refundable bond of up to US$15,000. The measure targets historically high overstay rates and increases costs and lead-times for Bangladeshi business and leisure travelers. Existing visas and other categories are unaffected, but firms should budget for the deposit and beware of bond-payment scams.

IRCC will immediately set aside 5,000 additional PR admission spaces for French-speaking candidates that provinces and territories can fill in 2026. The move accelerates progress toward rising Francophone-immigration targets and creates new recruitment opportunities for bilingual talent. Employers and candidates with strong French skills should monitor provincial nomination streams for expedited pathways.

France’s lower-house law committee has backed a bill that would limit public-sector transport strikes to 30 days a year and protect peak travel periods. The measure promises clearer scheduling for business travellers and relocating staff but faces legal push-back from unions. If passed, it could take effect before Easter 2026.

A 24-hour crash of Poland’s customs export database shut two major truck crossings with Ukraine and slowed a third, halting loaded freight on 18 January. Authorities restored the system early on 19 January, but logistics firms expect lingering queues and are advising alternative routings. The disruption highlights the fragility of Poland’s eastern customs interface for automotive and humanitarian supply chains.

Belgium has lifted the 2026 salary thresholds that underpin Work Permit B, Single Permit and EU Blue Card applications. Highly-skilled workers must now earn roughly 6-7 % more than in 2025, with even steeper rises for executive roles. Employers must update contracts and immigration budgets immediately or risk application refusals.

A parliamentary reply published on 19 January shows the Irish Government spent over €2.8 million in 2025 on deporting 205 people via six charter flights and dozens of commercial services. Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said stronger enforcement is now a priority as deportation orders nearly doubled to 4,700. The data highlight rising removal costs and signal stricter compliance expectations for employers and migrants.

Cyprus has equipped its border guards with 2,300 Schengen-connected tablets, cutting the average passport-check from several minutes to roughly 30 seconds. The EU-funded roll-out boosts Cyprus’s technical case for joining Schengen in 2026 and offers immediate queue-time savings for airlines, business travellers and cargo operators. Companies should revisit travel-policy assumptions and ensure employees’ documents remain machine-readable.

Sub-zero temperatures pushed Warsaw Chopin Airport into lengthy de-icing operations, delaying 68 % of departures and 17 % of arrivals on 18-19 January. LOT extended its minimum connection times and freight handlers warned of backlogs. Business travellers should retain delay evidence for EU 261 claims and allow generous buffers in onward schedules.

Brussels has pushed the mandatory start of ETIAS to late 2026, giving travellers to Spain a temporary reprieve. However, the biometric Entry/Exit System is on track for full deployment by April 2026, meaning non-EU visitors will still face new fingerprint and facial-image capture on arrival. Companies should update mobility policies to reflect the two-step schedule and budget for the €20 ETIAS fee in 2027.

A cross-party deal is emerging on a hate-speech Bill that would give Australia’s home-affairs minister broad powers to cancel or refuse visas of people who promote extremism, even without convictions. Global-mobility teams may need to tighten social-media screening and prepare emergency response plans for assignees. The law could be passed within days, leaving little time for compliance adjustments.

The Finnish government has published a draft law empowering immigration authorities to revoke study-based residence permits if a non-EU/EEA student receives any basic social assistance. Automated data sharing with Kela would flag welfare payments, tightening oversight of roughly 76,000 international students. Universities and employers fear reputational damage and new compliance obligations if the measure passes this spring.

Passenger statistics published on 17 January reveal that Zurich Airport processed 32.6 million travellers in 2025, eclipsing its 2019 peak. Robust trans-Atlantic corporate demand, strong leisure flows and the return of Gulf and Asian carriers drove the 4.5 % year-on-year growth. More seats and slightly lower fares will ease corporate travel planning, but ongoing construction works may lengthen dwell times until late 2026.

Random German border checks combined with heavy snow paralysed Austria’s vital A12 corridor on 17-19 January, causing 90-minute delays, missed flight connections and costly supply-chain knock-ons. The incident underscores the business risk posed by unscheduled Schengen controls and winter weather, prompting companies to add travel buffers and contingency routings.

Official statistics show 292,000 foreigners entered China visa-free or on transit schemes over the New-Year break—up 35.8 % year-on-year. The numbers confirm that Beijing’s 15-/30-day visa waivers and 240-hour transit expansion are stimulating inbound demand, easing short-notice business trips while keeping work activities off-limits.