Poland Authorises Domestic Production of Anti-Personnel Mines for ‘East Shield’ Border Fortifications
Migrant Workers Rally at Leinster House to Demand Faster Family-Reunification Rules
India launches digital sponsorship module to speed e-visas for foreign experts
Latest News
Poland Finalises Digital-Only MOS Portal & Quadruples Immigration Fees From 1 January 2026
Warsaw has confirmed that from 1 January 2026 all residence-permit applications must be lodged online via the MOS portal and accompanied by qualified e-signatures. Simultaneously, fees for permits and visas will quadruple, forcing companies to re-budget 2026 assignments and accelerate any remaining paper filings before year-end.
Cyclone-Triggered Blackout Cancels 369 Flights in São Paulo, Disrupting Year-End Business Travel
Nearly 400 flights have been cancelled at São Paulo’s two main airports after cyclone damage caused a prolonged power outage. Airlines have introduced flexible rebooking, but supply chains and business travellers continue to face delays, highlighting infrastructure and duty-of-care challenges during Brazil’s peak travel season.
Belgium Starts Enforcing Higher Income Thresholds for Family-Reunification Visas
Effective immediately, Belgian consulates must refuse family-reunification visas unless the Belgian-based sponsor already earns at least €2,323.08 net per month (plus 10 % per extra dependent). The rule existed on paper but is now being strictly enforced, creating a higher bar for assignee families and forcing employers to review salary packages.
IRCC issues record-breaking 6,000 invitations in French-language Express Entry draw
IRCC held its largest-ever French-language Express Entry draw on Dec 17, 2025, inviting 6,000 candidates with CRS scores as low as 399. The draw brings December’s total ITAs to nearly 20,000 and reflects Ottawa’s strategy to bolster Francophone communities and hit 2026 economic-immigration targets sooner. French-speaking applicants now have an unprecedented window to secure permanent residency, while employers gain faster access to bilingual talent.
Switzerland to Pilot Segregated Housing for Disruptive Asylum Seekers
From summer 2026, Switzerland will test segregated housing for asylum seekers who repeatedly threaten or assault others in federal centres. The six-month pilot aims to improve safety and free up resources by placing disruptive adult males in secure wings at two sites. If the trial works, SEM plans to extend the concept nationwide, a move that could ease operational pressure and improve conditions for the majority of well-behaved residents.
Austria Extends Suspension of Family Reunification for Refugees Until July 2026
Parliament has prolonged Austria’s stop on family reunification for refugees and subsidiary-protection holders until 2 July 2026. The Interior Ministry cites overstretched schools and security concerns, while critics say the measure violates human-rights obligations. The extension freezes dependants’ entry for at least another six months, complicating workforce-planning and duty-of-care for employers with protected-status staff.
New Citizenship Act Takes Effect in Finland, Introducing Fully-Digital Applications and Tougher Eligibility
Finland’s re-written Citizenship Act entered into force on 17 December 2025. All applications are now digital-only and applicants must show two years of stable, non-benefit income, pass stricter criminal-record checks and risk citizenship revocation for serious offences. Mobility teams need to reassess eligibility of foreign staff immediately, as files lodged after today face materially higher hurdles.
Permanent-Residence Rules Tighten: Six-Year Stay and Language Proof Now Mandatory
From 17 December 2025, permanent-residence applicants must show six years of lawful stay (previously four), A2-level Finnish/Swedish, and a two-year work record. Time spent on student permits no longer suffices unless followed by employment, and absences abroad of two years may void the permit. Firms will need early language-training and absence-tracking strategies.
Lula Threatens to Pull Brazil Out of Mercosur-EU Trade Pact Unless Deal Signed This Month
President Lula set a 31 December ultimatum for the Mercosur-EU trade agreement, threatening that Brazil will quit the talks if Europe fails to sign. The move endangers expected mobility provisions that would have eased visas and work-permit quotas for talent moving between Brazil and the EU, forcing multinationals to prepare fallback compliance plans.
Flanders Tightens Chain Liability and Narrows Low-Skilled Work Permit Routes from 1 January 2026
From 1 January 2026 Flanders will: 1) make every contractor jointly liable for illegal employment in its supply chain; 2) re-introduce labour-market tests and close many low-skilled migration routes; and 3) announce an extra regional processing fee for work permits later in 2026. Companies must tighten compliance checks and expect longer lead-times and higher costs.
Migration Advisory Committee urges overhaul of Skilled Worker salary thresholds
The MAC’s 2025 report, published on 17 December 2025, recommends reducing occupation-specific Skilled Worker salary thresholds from the median (50th-percentile) to the 25th-percentile of UK earnings while keeping the overall £41,700 floor. The committee says the move would protect local wages, ease regional skill shortages and boost the visa route’s fiscal contribution. Employers may gain flexibility from April 2026 if ministers accept the advice.
Visa centre in Dhaka shuts as India warns of security threat; appointments rescheduled
India temporarily closed its main Visa Application Centre in Dhaka after warning of extremist threats to its diplomatic mission, forcing all 17 December appointments to be rescheduled. The shutdown heightens uncertainty for Bangladeshi travellers and companies relying on fast-track Indian visas.
MYEFO slashes net-overseas-migration forecast as Canberra tightens student visas
Treasury’s mid-year update cuts this year’s net-overseas-migration forecast from 335,000 to 310,000 and flags further reductions as the government’s student-visa crackdown bites. Universities and employers warn of skills shortages, while ministers say the measures are needed to ease housing pressure. The revision cements migration as a central election issue and means sponsors should brace for longer lead-times and higher costs.
Dubai International activates ‘oneDXB’ plan as forecasts show record 312,000 passengers on 28 December
Dubai Airports now expects 312,000 passengers to transit DXB on 28 December, the highest daily volume ever. A ‘oneDXB’ peak-operations plan has been triggered, adding staff, maximising Smart Gate capacity and extending Dubai Metro hours. Mobility managers should build in extra arrival time and encourage online check-in to avoid delays during the record holiday rush.