Global Mobility News from VisaHQ

On 7 February 2026 Poland temporarily closed Rzeszów and Lublin airports after Russia’s latest missile barrage on Ukraine. Civil flights were halted to give military jets and air-defence systems free rein over the frontier. The move stranded passengers, disrupted cargo and highlighted the security volatility facing companies that use southeastern Poland as a staging ground for projects in Ukraine.

India extended its fast-track e-Tourist Visa scheme to 166 countries on 8 February 2026, adding nine more nationalities and reinforcing the shift to digital entry processes. The wider coverage will ease short-term business travel and reduce visa-processing costs for Indian employers hosting overseas staff.

Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos is in Washington urging the United States to include Cyprus in the Visa Waiver Program by July 2026. Cyprus says it has met all security and data-sharing benchmarks, and business groups project millions in cost savings and a double-digit rise in bilateral travel if the waiver is approved. The move would remove the need for costly U.S. visitor visas and boost the island’s attractiveness as a regional headquarters hub.

Storm Marta has forced the closure of 179 roads, including three key highways, leaving freight and commuter traffic paralysed across Spain. Business travellers and logistics operators should expect diversions and shipment delays until weather fronts ease.

From 25 February 2026 Aer Lingus will require every passenger on Ireland–UK routes to show a passport or Irish passport card; driving licences and other ID will no longer be accepted. Non-Irish/British nationals must also hold the UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation. The airline says the change aligns documentation checks with UK Border Force practice and should reduce boarding disputes. Businesses should verify that employees hold valid passports and, where relevant, apply for ETAs well ahead of travel.

USCIS will accept FY 2027 H-1B cap registrations from March 4 to March 19, 2026 and will apply its new wage-weighted lottery that favors higher prevailing-wage levels. Employers must use organizational myUSCIS accounts, pay the US$215 fee, and can expect selection notices by March 31. The change means better odds for highly paid positions but added preparation for companies that hire large numbers of entry-level STEM graduates.

IRCC has amended its guidance so that, from 2026, joint-programme students need only one provincial attestation letter and master’s/PhD students at public institutions need none. The update supports Canada’s new cap on study permits by focusing paperwork on priority cases while easing burdens for high-skill applicants, potentially speeding up processing.

Federal Police data show that irregular border crossings into Germany dropped by roughly 50 % in 2025, with Saxony seeing the steepest fall. Authorities credit the drop to temporary land-border controls re-introduced in 2023 and since expanded nationwide. While the figures ease security concerns, businesses must still budget extra time for freight and staff movements as checks are likely to be extended.

Paris has published two decrees that (1) allow French consulates to consult the AME database and (2) tighten the document list for filing AME applications. The government says the measures could save €180 million a year while keeping full health-care coverage unchanged for now. For employers and mobility specialists, the reform means closer cross-checks between visa files, border-control biometrics and social-security records, raising the bar on compliance for foreign workers and their dependants.

Emirates confirmed on 8 February 2026 that it is in advanced talks with Indian authorities to raise the long-standing cap on India-UAE flight seats. The airline argues that the current 66,000-seat limit no longer reflects demand, forcing high fares and lost business opportunities. Any quota increase would lower costs for UAE-based firms, widen key Indian gateways, and support mobility programmes that rely on frequent shuttles between the two countries.

Effective 5 February 2026, Mexico has reinstated its free electronic visa (SAE) for Brazilians, replacing the costlier paper visa introduced in 2022. The change slashes processing times from weeks to hours, removes consulate visits and is expected to revive both leisure and corporate traffic ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

On 8 February China Rail expected to carry 13.25 million passengers and deployed 1,688 extra trains, while aviation authorities forecast 19,614 flights. The scale highlights both the resilience of China’s transport grid and the need for corporate travellers to plan carefully during the Spring-Festival peak.

Deník N reports that the Czech government has agreed a moderate tightening of the ‘Lex Ukraine’ regime: income-tested housing aid, targeted labour-market tests and closer monitoring of time spent outside Czechia. The measures fall short of far-right demands but will still require employers and refugees to adjust procedures when they come into force, likely mid-2026.

Interviews with would-be beneficiaries reveal high hopes for Spain’s April 2026 mass-regularisation programme, which could bring half a million workers into the formal economy and ease talent shortages.

Hong Kong will roll out one-way hiking circuits, extra ferry sailings and on-site ranger patrols at nature hot-spots before an expected influx of 1.43 million mainland tourists during the 15-23 February Lunar New Year holiday. The measures aim to prevent overcrowding and environmental damage that plagued previous peak periods, but they could lengthen transfer times for corporate outings and incentive travel groups.

A heavy snowstorm on 7-8 February crippled operations at Toronto Pearson, causing hundreds of delays and dozens of cancellations across six major carriers and stranding thousands of passengers. The incident highlights the vulnerability of Canada’s main international hub to winter weather and the importance of flexible booking strategies for corporate travellers.

The GCC released the first detailed application guide for its Unified Tourist Visa on 8 February 2026, confirming that one digital permit will soon grant entry to all six Gulf states. Indian businesses should prepare for simplified regional travel and adjust compliance processes ahead of the pilot launch later this year.

The GCC on 8 February unveiled the application pathway for a single electronic tourist visa covering all six Gulf states. Once live later in 2026, the permit will allow travellers—including those based in the UAE—to move freely across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman using one online form and fee. Companies expect major cost and time savings on regional business travel and assignments.

Visa-waiver pilots have propelled Yunnan to the top of the entry list for South and Southeast Asian travellers, with 7.86 million arrivals in 2025. The trend opens fresh opportunities for companies running regional events or sourcing trips while showcasing how targeted immigration liberalisation can stimulate trade and tourism.