Canada hikes permanent-residence fees across all immigration streams effective today
India Overhauls OCI Programme: Wider Eligibility, Penalties for Late Passport Updates
Poland launches mandatory MOS 2.0 e-portal for all residence-permit filings
Latest News
Congress Ends Record DHS Shutdown, Restoring TSA and CBP Operations
Lawmakers ended a 75-day shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security on April 30, restoring pay for TSA and CBP officers and averting further airport chaos. The bill funds most DHS components but withholds money for ICE, setting the stage for more budget fights later this year. Business travellers and mobility programs should see faster security lines and resumed Global Entry processing, but the reprieve may be temporary.
EU–Mercosur Trade Pact Kicks In Tomorrow, Opening Door to Faster Business Travel Between Brazil and Europe
The EU–Mercosur Interim Trade Agreement enters provisional force on 1 May, slashing tariffs and introducing simplified short-term work-authorisation waivers for service providers. Brazilian and European companies will face less paperwork when shuttling staff for installations and after-sales support, but should brace for transition-period border checks. The pact is expected to accelerate both trade and corporate travel volumes, with a second-stage labour-mobility annex already on the negotiating table.
Spain’s “humane” migration strategy hailed as a European model
Migration Minister Elma Saiz told Euronews that Spain’s mass regularisation scheme—expected to grant residency to half a million people—is central to a “humane” migration model designed to tackle looming labour shortages. While EU partners worry about spill-over effects, the permits will restrict work and residence to Spanish territory. The plan could ease hiring for employers but may overwhelm local immigration offices.
Hong Kong tour groups to mainland China surge by 40 % for Labour Day weekend
Outbound tour bookings from Hong Kong to mainland China for 1–5 May are up 30–40 % year-on-year, driven by high-speed-rail convenience, modest flight surcharges and improved mainland hygiene standards. Businesses should anticipate congested transport links and plan staff travel accordingly. The boom highlights the Greater Bay Area’s growing pull on Hong Kong consumers and corporate mobility plans.
UAE Imposes Travel Ban on Nationals Visiting Iran, Lebanon and Iraq
Effective 30 April 2026, the UAE has prohibited its citizens from travelling to Iran, Lebanon and Iraq and urged those already there to return home. The decision—triggered by rising regional security risks—forces businesses to cancel or reroute staff travel and activate repatriation plans, with potential knock-on effects on project timelines and insurance coverage.
Australia and Canada Sign Open Skies Pact, Unlocking Unlimited Flights
A newly-signed open skies agreement scraps all capacity limits on flights between Australia and Canada. Qantas and, potentially, Jetstar can now add services beyond the current daily Sydney–Vancouver rotation, while Air Canada receives reciprocal rights. The move is expected to increase competition, lower fares and improve connectivity for business travellers and mobile talent moving between the two resource-rich economies.
Brussels Airport warns of major flight cancellations on 12 May as national strike approaches
Brussels Airport has told airlines to cancel around 50 % of departures on 12 May 2026 because a nationwide trade-union strike will leave key service suppliers understaffed. Arrivals could also be hit, and travellers are being advised to rebook or reroute. The disruption comes as biometric border checks already lengthen processing times, raising the stakes for business travellers and exporters who depend on the hub.
IRCC invites 3,200 Canadian Experience Class candidates in final April Express Entry draw
On 30 April 2026 IRCC issued 3,200 ITAs to Canadian Experience Class candidates with CRS 508, giving temporary workers and recent graduates a fresh route to permanent residence. Employers should help invitees meet the tight 60-day eAPR deadline and reconcile job letters with NOC codes.
China shares insider playbook for visa-free visits and 144-hour transit stays ahead of May rush
With just hours to go before China’s Labour-Day travel rush, CGTN has released an authoritative guide explaining how foreigners can maximise the country’s visa-free schemes and 144-hour transit policy. Beyond paperwork, it outlines new digital tools—from e-SIMs to QR wallets—that make spending and mobility easier, but also warns employers that visa-free entry does not legalise paid work. The guidance is critical reading for travel managers sending staff to China in May.
Cyprus Police Dismantle Forged Entry-Permit Ring at Larnaca Airport
Cyprus police arrested four people accused of selling forged entry permits to migrants after a traveller carrying a fake sticker was intercepted at Larnaca Airport. The bust highlights Cyprus’s stricter document checks ahead of the EU Entry/Exit System and signals stiffer penalties for carriers and intermediaries who enable irregular entry. Multinationals moving staff through Larnaca should verify that service providers use legitimate channels.
Czechia to Process Work-and-Residence ‘Single Permit’ Applications Within 90 Days from May
From 1 May 2026 the Czech Interior Ministry must decide on EU Single Permit applications within 90 days, shortening a process that previously stretched to six months and easing staff-deployment planning for multinationals. The change headlines a package of May regulatory tweaks outlined by the government on 30 April.
Ryanair urges Madrid to suspend EU Entry/Exit System after three weeks of airport chaos
Ryanair warns that Spain’s full activation of the EU Entry/Exit System on 10 April has produced passport-control lines of up to two hours and is urging the government to suspend the system until after the peak summer season. The airline says inadequate staffing and kiosk outages are leading passengers to miss flights, putting pressure on both leisure and business travel.
Ryanair Urges Paris to Suspend EU Entry/Exit System Ahead of Summer Rush
Published on 30 April, Ryanair’s letter asks France to invoke an EU safeguard clause and suspend deployment of the biometric Entry/Exit System until after the peak holiday season, citing multi-hour queues already forming at several airports. The move highlights operational vulnerabilities that could disrupt summer business travel and raise mobility costs.
Trafficking Survivors Launch High-Court Challenge to £662m UK-France Channel Deal
Six alleged trafficking victims have filed for judicial review of Home Office guidance that underpins the new UK-France Channel migration deal. If the court blocks their deportations, key parts of the £662 million agreement—including rapid removals—could be paused, forcing the UK to revisit its enforcement strategy and budget. Mobility teams should brace for possible operational delays and fresh compliance requirements.
Plan to end State-funded hotel stays for 16,000 Ukrainians raises fresh immigration-system risks
The Government will begin a six-month process to end hotel and B&B accommodation for roughly 16,000 Ukrainian refugees, prompting warnings that many may switch to formal asylum claims and swamp the protection system. Employers of Ukrainian staff should prepare for housing and permit-renewal challenges as supports are phased out.
New Hub-and-Spoke SOP Sets Out Immigration Playbook for Domestic–International Connections
A new government SOP converts India’s first domestic–international hub-and-spoke flights into seamless international journeys. Passengers clear immigration at the origin airport, bags are retagged air-side, and strict segregation at hubs prevents mixing with domestic traffic. The policy will improve connectivity but requires updated corporate travel policies and real-time data sharing with immigration.
Ryanair urges Italy to halt new biometric passport system; EU rejects call
Ryanair asked Italy to suspend the new EU Entry/Exit System until September, claiming two-hour passport-control queues at major airports. The European Commission rejected the plea, stating that EES is running smoothly and that delays are Italy’s responsibility. The spat raises the risk of summer travel disruption and forces companies to add extra buffer time for flights in and out of Italy.