Global Mobility News from VisaHQ

China’s 2026 ‘chunyun’ kicked off on 2 February with authorities predicting a record 9.5 billion passenger movements. Rail will handle 540 million trips and aviation 95 million, both surpassing pre-Covid highs. The travel rush is doubling as a live test of digital arrival cards and 240-hour visa-free transit, offering practical clues for inbound business visitors. Companies should brace for production slow-downs and post-holiday freight bottlenecks.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has publicly defended a royal-decree that will grant one-year residence and work permits to an estimated 500,000 undocumented migrants already living in Spain. Applications open in April and require proof of five months’ residence before 31 December 2025 plus a clean criminal record. The measure is expected to formalise large segments of Spain’s labour force and provide employers with legal certainty.

USCIS will open the FY 2027 H-1B electronic registration portal from 3 – 19 March 2026, charge a $215 fee per entry, and apply a new weighted lottery favoring higher wage levels. The agency also announced a 64,716-visa expansion of the H-2B programme. Employers must move quickly to align wage data, budgets and compliance processes.

China processed a record 697 million border crossings in 2025, with foreign entries up 26 percent to 82 million. Three-quarters of international visitors used visa-free or transit-waiver channels, underlining the business value of Beijing’s expanded facilitation schemes. Employers welcome the rebound but warn staff that visa-free entry does not authorise work.

Fragomen has reminded employers and travellers that from 25 February 2026 the UK’s ETA scheme will be fully enforced. Dual British-Irish citizens—and anyone else claiming an ETA exemption—must present documentary proof at departure or risk being denied boarding. Companies should audit traveller profiles and update policies immediately to avoid last-minute disruptions.

On 2 February 2026, Ontario issued 1,825 invitations through six OINP Employer Job Offer draws, prioritising physicians, health-care workers, early childhood educators and regional candidates. The large intake helps address critical labour shortages and signals that 2026 provincial nomination quotas are already moving fast.

The European Commission published a comprehensive Visa Strategy and talent-attraction package on 2 February 2026. Key elements include longer-validity Schengen visas for trusted travellers, 30-day processing targets for researchers and start-ups, and stricter employer-sanctions rules. Germany—Europe’s largest visa-issuing country—has begun aligning internal procedures, meaning business travellers and sponsoring employers could see both faster approvals and more compliance audits. Companies should review right-to-work systems and prepare for possible inspections.

The European Commission says France may temporarily suspend or limit EES biometric checks during peak periods, delaying full implementation until after the 2026 summer season. The move averts the worst queues but keeps travellers in a mixed manual-and-biometric environment, requiring extra planning time for business trips and assignee moves. It also signals that companies must still prepare staff for mandatory enrolment before the autumn cut-over.

India has liberalised its customs regime for arriving passengers. Effective 2 February 2026, the duty-free limit jumps to ₹75,000, jewellery allowances are now weight-based, and passengers can file electronic declarations before landing. The changes should cut clearance times, lower relocation costs and reduce disputes at Indian airports—welcome news for multinationals rotating staff into the country.

The ICP will open a one-stop electronic visa centre in Beirut, letting applicants complete UAE visa paperwork and biometrics without travelling to the Emirates. The hub streamlines tourist, work and study visas to 48-72 h, helping UAE employers recruit Lebanese talent faster and boosting inbound tourism flows. It is the first of several overseas e-visa offices planned as the UAE scales digital government services internationally.

Home Affairs data released 2 February show 2.32 million temporary-visa holders in Australia—an all-time high. The spike, led by bridging and graduate visas, casts doubt on the government’s pledge to reduce temporary migration and signals tougher sponsorship and compliance rules ahead for businesses.

Effective 1 February 2026, Brazil has extended the validity of visit visas for Angolan citizens from two to five years, allowing multiple entries and reducing administrative overhead for companies that shuttle Angolan talent to Brazil. The move signals Brazil’s intent to broaden lusophone mobility and will immediately benefit oil-and-gas, maritime and academic projects that depend on short-term Angolan expertise.

Uber has launched limousine-style, app-bookable rides that travel directly between Hong Kong and Macao and reinstated in-app taxi hailing in Macao. The service, live from 3 February 2026, offers upfront pricing, 24-hour advance booking and aims to cut out multiple transfers for the thousands who commute or visit daily. The product gives corporates a new, receipt-friendly cross-border option and aligns with Greater Bay Area integration goals.([scmp.com](https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3342212/uber-enters-first-asian-market-years-macau-relaunch?utm_source=openai))

Ireland spent €1.2 billion on IPAS accommodation in 2025—up 19 percent year-on-year even though asylum applications fell by almost a third. The figures highlight continuing pressure on housing and public finances, fuelling calls for faster processing and more state-owned centres. Companies relocating staff to Ireland should watch the political fallout, as it could influence permit policy and the cost of temporary housing.

Rome has confirmed that tourism companies will be able to submit pre-compiled applications for 2026 seasonal worker quotas at 09:00 CET on 9 February. Thirteen thousand of the 88,000 slots are earmarked for employer associations, and demand is expected to far exceed supply, making rapid electronic filing essential for mobility teams.

As of 3 February 2026, New Brunswick will place all AIP endorsements into a monthly selection pool and will no longer accept applications for accommodation-and-food-services jobs or 13 retail-related occupations. The change tightens labour-market alignment and signals growing provincial control over immigration quotas.

From 5 February 2026 Mexico will scrap the physical visa and require Brazilian passport-holders to obtain a quick, online e-Visa instead. The digital process cuts time and cost for tourists and short-term business visitors and is expected to revive demand ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Air China will run more than 70,000 flights during the 2026 Lunar New Year period—up 10 percent year-on-year—and is restoring capacity on key international routes while deploying home-grown C919 aircraft on busy domestic sectors. The extra seats should ease fare pressure for business travellers and support China’s push to showcase seamless, tech-driven passenger processing.

Wizz Air will launch thrice-weekly Larnaca–Varna flights from 30 January 2026 and increase frequencies on 12 current routes, adding over 250,000 extra seats to Cyprus this summer. The expansion improves connectivity for business travellers, expatriate staff and seasonal workers while supporting Cyprus’ wider aviation-growth and Schengen-accession ambitions.