Global Mobility News from VisaHQ

A record-breaking 46 cm snowfall at Toronto Pearson on January 25-26 canceled more than 600 flights and disrupted cargo and cross-border trucking, stranding thousands of travelers and delaying corporate projects. Companies must activate contingency plans as airlines and airports expect multi-day recovery operations.

Finland on 26 January rolled out a new marketing push for its Fast Track specialist visa, promising foreign tech and AI experts a combined work-and-residence permit in as little as two weeks as well as a family-friendly lifestyle. More than 30 Finnish firms and universities are participating, hoping to lure talent from the US and other markets where layoffs and visa backlogs are common. The move gives employers a rapid, low-administration pathway to bring staff into the EU while showcasing Finland’s work-life balance.

Heathrow has finished installing CT scanners across all terminals, immediately abolishing the 100-ml liquid limit and the need to remove laptops at security. The £1 billion project promises faster queues, less plastic waste and a smoother passenger experience—welcome news for business travellers and mobility managers whose staff connect through the UK’s largest hub.

France’s Defender of Rights condemned the use of tear-gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades to stop migrants boarding boats for the UK, calling the tactics disproportionate and dangerous. She urged a ban on such weapons in purely preventive operations and demanded systematic body-camera use and full reporting. The findings may spur litigation and complicate cross-Channel logistics for businesses.

All five US consulates in India have run out of H-1B and other employment-visa interview slots for 2026, pushing new appointments to 2027. The backlog—driven by stricter social-media checks and the end of third-country visa stamping—poses major travel-risk for Indian talent and forces companies to rethink project plans and cross-border assignments.

Brazil will abolish short-stay visa requirements for Chinese nationals, granting up to 30 days of visa-free entry per visit. The step reciprocates China’s 2025 waiver for Brazilians and is expected to boost both leisure and corporate travel flows. Mobility teams should revise pre-trip approvals and educate travellers that stays longer than 30 days will still demand a visa.

Switzerland’s migration agency says net immigration fell 10 percent in 2025 and asylum claims dropped to 25,781. It expects a further decline to roughly 25,000 applications in 2026. The lower numbers ease pressure on reception centres and may translate into quicker case processing—welcome news for employers and mobility managers.

Spain’s cabinet will pass an emergency Royal Decree on 27 January 2026 granting a one-year residence and work permit to irregular migrants who can prove they have lived in the country since before 31 December 2025. The scheme could affect more than half a million people, giving businesses rapid access to new legal workers while aiming to shrink Spain’s informal economy.

Frankfurt Airport has activated APIDS, an AI tool that automatically highlights prohibited items on CT X-ray images, across all security lanes. Early results show double-digit throughput gains and lower false alarms, potentially cutting minimum-connection times for business travellers using Germany’s main hub.

MTR Corp added 16 cities to its cross-border high-speed rail timetable on 26 Jan 2026, bringing the network to 110 mainland destinations from West Kowloon Station and launching a limited ‘buy-one-get-one’ ticket offer for the popular Futian route. The move deepens Hong Kong-Mainland integration, gives business travellers faster access to eastern China’s commercial hubs, and is expected to shift corporate travel from air to rail while boosting visitor numbers and lowering carbon footprints.

India has added nine more nationalities to its e-Tourist Visa roster, taking the total to 166. The fully online permit—delivered in about 72 hours—now covers a broader swathe of Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe, shaving weeks off visa lead times for short business visits. The change further positions India as a digitally friendly destination for corporate travellers.

Major European, North American and Asian airlines have curtailed or rerouted flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, citing new EU safety guidance and fears that civil aircraft could be misidentified amid US-Iran tensions. Gulf carriers keep flying but with circuitous routings that lengthen journeys. Mobility managers should brace for schedule volatility, extra costs and duty-of-care implications over the coming weeks.

Tens of thousands rallied in Melbourne on Australia Day, with First Nations and refugee advocates facing off against an anti-immigration ‘March for Australia’. Although major violence was averted, the protests highlight growing polarisation around immigration ahead of key visa-policy decisions and warrant caution for inbound assignees and business travellers.

A five-day rail strike that started late on 25 January is paralysing Belgium’s network and causing knock-on delays to Eurostar, TGV, ICE and Thalys services. Employers should expect reduced domestic trains, possible missed international connections and higher travel-management costs. The walk-out underlines industrial resistance to rail-sector liberalisation planned for 2032.

New CSO data show 125,300 people immigrated to Ireland in the year to April 2025—16 % fewer than the prior year but still the fourth straight year above 100,000 arrivals. Net migration added 59,700 to the population, intensifying pressure on housing and public services. Employers face a tight rental market and longer lead-times for relocations, while policymakers weigh the findings as they finalise the International Protection Bill 2026.

Starting 1 January 2026, the Czech state now pays public health-insurance contributions for unemployed foreign nationals who hold Czech employee cards and are registered with the Labour Office. The move aligns Czech practice with EU equal-treatment rules and spares foreigners from purchasing private cover while between jobs—an important simplification for employers’ mobility programs.