Ottawa tightens oversight of immigration and citizenship consultants
Interior Minister Plans Fast-Track Deportation Law and Third-Country ‘Return Hubs’
Belgium braces for 12 May national strike that will ground most flights
Latest News
Switzerland Aligns With Revised Schengen Border Code, Updates Visa and Migration Ordinances
The Federal Council has adopted four ordinance amendments to transpose the EU’s revised Schengen Borders Code into Swiss law. Effective 12 June 2026, the rules clarify how and when Switzerland may re-introduce internal border checks, impose new health-document duties on airlines and require detailed statistics on transfers of irregular migrants. Companies should update traveller guidance and ensure air carriers can meet the new compliance obligations.
Czechia lifts EU Blue Card salary floor to CZK 73,823 and unveils online “Foreigner Account”
• From 1 May 2026 the minimum salary for a Czech EU Blue Card rises 6.6 % to CZK 73,823 per month. • Applications already filed but undecided must be updated; future filings must meet the new level from day one. • The Interior Ministry has simultaneously launched an online “Foreigner Account” that promises to cut processing times below 30 days and eventually cover all residence permits. • Mobility managers should reassess cost projections and decide whether to keep using the Blue Card or switch to the faster but less flexible Employee Card.
Germany’s Border Controls Now Tie Up 14,000 Federal Police Officers
Leaked figures reveal that up to 14,000 Bundespolizei officers—over 25 % of the force—are tied up enforcing Germany’s re-introduced internal Schengen border checks. Police unions warn of personnel shortages elsewhere, while businesses decry delivery delays. The manpower burden raises questions about the long-term viability of the controls as the EU’s new asylum pact approaches.
Italy Allocates 8,865 Extra Seasonal Work Permits for 2026 Agriculture and Tourism
Rome has released 8,865 extra seasonal work permits—5,389 for farms and 3,476 for tourism—to plug urgent labour gaps ahead of the summer rush. Companies that already filed requests will be processed automatically, while new petitions can still be lodged until the quota is filled. The move gives agribusinesses and hotels a brief window to secure staff but will likely see competition for slots intensify.
Visa-waiver backlog could force hundreds of foreign doctors to leave underserved U.S. communities
Hundreds of J-1 waiver applications for foreign physicians have been stuck at HHS since late 2025. Unless processed by 30 July, doctors finishing U.S. training will have to leave or trigger the new US$100,000 H-1B fee, threatening care in shortage areas. Employers should activate contingency staffing plans and escalate cases.
Opposition Blueprint Seeks to Halve Australia’s Net Overseas Migration
Leaked documents show the federal Coalition is weighing a cut in net overseas migration to 150,000-200,000 a year—almost half the current level of 306,000. The proposal would reshape skilled-worker, family and student visa quotas and could tighten the already-competitive permanent-residency pipeline. Businesses dependent on foreign talent should brace for possible quota-driven delays and higher competition for visas if the plan is adopted.
11 May Air-Traffic Strikes to Hit Rome and Naples Control Centres and EasyJet Crews
Local strikes by air-traffic controllers in Rome and Naples, together with nationwide EasyJet crew stoppages, are scheduled for 11 May and could cause cascading delays across Italy’s flight network. Airlines are already issuing waivers; travel managers should rearrange time-sensitive trips or shift them to early-morning slots before the 10:00 start.
Zhejiang opens all six ports to 240-hour visa-free transit and upgrades services for foreign business travelers
Zhejiang has added Wenzhou, Zhoushan and Yiwu to China’s 240-hour visa-free transit scheme, meaning all six provincial ports now grant 10-day, visa-free stays to travellers from 55 countries. The province is backing the policy with 25 local visa offices, 43 immigration service centres and airport one-stop shops that help foreigners arrange mobile payments, banking and SIM cards. The changes aim to boost trade and tourism and make it easier for multinationals to route executives through the Yangtze River Delta.
Bern Re-introduces Internal Border Checks With France Ahead of June G7 Summit in Évian
Switzerland will temporarily reinstate border checks with France from 10–19 June 2026 to secure the nearby G7 summit in Évian. The move allows authorities to conduct ID checks and shut crossings, affecting commuters, freight and business visitors in the Lake Geneva region.
Visa-free arrivals hit 436,000 during China’s May Day break, up 14.7 % year-on-year
New NIA statistics show 436,000 foreigners—up 14.7 % on 2025—entered China visa-free over the May Day holiday, helping push total foreign arrivals to 1.255 million. The numbers highlight how China’s expanded visa-waiver roster is shortening lead times for business trips and reigniting inbound spending.
Hong Kong Processes 1.19 Million Golden Week Arrivals with Minimal Disruption
Hong Kong handled about 1.19 million arrivals over the 1–5 May mainland Golden Week, up 8 per cent on last year. Extra staff, e-Channels and round-the-clock command centres kept queues short, while the surge lifted retail, catering and hotel revenues. The operation demonstrates that the city’s border infrastructure can cope with peak flows, though capacity at key land crossings remains tight.
Spain’s extraordinary regularisation hits a bottleneck in Murcia as migrants scramble for the key “vulnerability” certificate
Twenty days into Spain’s one-off regularisation programme, municipal social-services offices in Murcia cannot keep pace with demand for the compulsory “certificate of vulnerability.” Migrants risk seeing other documents expire while they wait, and NGOs are working around the clock to navigate the patchwork of local procedures. Unless the bottleneck is resolved, thousands may miss the 30 June deadline, limiting the programme’s economic upside.