News
Latest from The Visa Wire
Australia limits onshore Student visa applications and family members
From October 2, 2026, most temporary visa holders must apply for a Student visa offshore, and most students can no longer include partners or children.
25 October 2026
CDC orders US-bound air passengers to attest no DRC presence from November 3
From November 3, 2026, every passenger on a flight to the United States must sign a declaration that they have not been in the DRC in the previous 21 days.
25 October 2026
IRCC adds high-wage CRS points and drops LMIA job-offer rule from November 3
From November 3, 2026, Express Entry awards extra CRS points for high-wage work experience or job offers; qualifying job offers no longer need an LMIA.
22 October 2026
DHS finalizes end of automatic EAD extensions for renewal applicants
Effective October 14, 2026, a DHS final rule makes permanent, unchanged, the end of automatic EAD extensions for renewals filed from October 30, 2025.
22 October 2026
IRCC issues 4,000 ITAs in June 25 healthcare Express Entry draw at CRS 475
IRCC invited 4,000 Healthcare and Social Services candidates on June 25, 2026 at a CRS cut-off of 475 — its second healthcare draw of the year.
26 June 2026
Quebec reopens family sponsorship under a 15,700-application intake cap
Quebec's MIFI will accept up to 15,700 family-sponsorship applications from July 2, 2026 to June 30, 2028 — 13,300 for partners, 2,400 for relatives.
26 June 2026
Italy sets 497,550 work-entry quotas for 2026-2028 under new Flows Decree
A decree published October 15, 2025 authorises 497,550 non-EU work entries for 2026-2028 — 267,000 seasonal and 230,550 non-seasonal — rising each year.
26 June 2026
IRCC issues 4,000 ITAs in Express Entry round 420 CEC draw at CRS 516
Canadian Experience Class draw conducted June 23, 2026 issues 4,000 ITAs at a CRS cut-off of 516 — the largest CEC round since March, two points below May's 518.
25 June 2026
Australia issues 10,000 Skilled Independent visa invitations in June 2026 round
The Department of Home Affairs invited 10,000 Skilled Independent (subclass 189) applicants on June 4, 2026, with a date of effect of April 24, 2026.
24 June 2026
Japan raises visa issuance fees fivefold from July 2026
Japan's cabinet approved a fivefold visa-fee increase on June 19, 2026; single-entry visas rise from ¥3,000 to ¥15,000 effective July 1.
24 June 2026
UAE grants 30-day grace period for visa holders hit by flight disruptions
The UAE's ICP granted a 30-day grace period, June 10 to July 9, 2026, for visa holders who could not depart after the February airspace closures.
24 June 2026
Ireland raises the family-reunification income threshold to €75,000 from June 12, 2026
Non-EEA sponsors must now show €75,000 gross over three years, up from €40,000; combined household income no longer counts.
17 June 2026
DOS makes EB-2 India unavailable in the July 2026 Visa Bulletin
EB-2 India is unavailable for the rest of FY2026 after reaching its limit; EB-1 India retrogresses and EB-3 India advances.
17 June 2026
Quebec reopens the PEQ for two years from July 2, 2026
Quebec reactivates the PEQ from July 2, 2026 to July 2, 2028; the first uncapped intake serves candidates who met its criteria at the November 2025 closure.
12 June 2026
Federal court vacates the $100,000 H-1B fee imposed under Proclamation 10973
A Massachusetts court declared the $100,000 H-1B payment unlawful on June 8, 2026; after the First Circuit declined to stay that ruling on July 24, DHS stated it is complying with the order while the appeal continues.
12 June 2026
Germany lifts airport transit visa requirement for Indians from June 3, 2026
The German Embassy in India confirmed the airport transit visa requirement for Indian nationals was lifted via the Federal Law Gazette on June 2, 2026, effective June 3 for air-side transit.
3 June 2026
UKVI tightens student sponsor compliance thresholds from June 1, 2026
New UK Student Sponsor Guidance cuts the maximum visa refusal rate below 5% and raises enrolment and course-completion floors under a Red-Amber-Green rating system from June 1, 2026.
2 June 2026
UAE and Eswatini sign mutual visa-waiver agreement on May 30, 2026
An MOU signed by UAE Minister of State Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan and Eswatini Minister of Home Affairs Princess Lindiwe waives entry visas for holders of ordinary, diplomatic, and service passports.
31 May 2026
Ontario revokes all nine OINP streams from May 30, 2026 ahead of phased redesign
An Ontario Regulation 421/17 amendment under the Ontario Immigration Act revokes every existing OINP stream and grants the immigration minister authority to redesign provincial nomination selection categories.
30 May 2026
France relaxes EU Blue Card eligibility and intra-EU mobility rules from April 25, 2026
Décret n° 2026-308 closes France's short-term mobility transposition gap, allowing Blue Card holders from other EU Member States to work in France for 90 days within any 180-day period without a work permit.
30 May 2026
Ireland ends appeals for short-stay visa refusals from June 1, 2026
The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration announced that Type C short-stay visa refusals issued from June 1, 2026 will no longer be appealable, except under the EU Free Movement Directive.
30 May 2026
Japan parliament passes law authorizing JESTA electronic travel system by 2029
The House of Councillors passed the Immigration Control Act amendment 186-58 on May 29, 2026, authorizing JESTA implementation by ordinance no later than March 31, 2029.
30 May 2026
IRCC issues 4,500 ITAs in Express Entry round 418 French draw at CRS 409
The May 28, 2026 category-based draw targeted French-language Version 2 candidates with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 409 and tie-break of April 29, 2026.
29 May 2026
Ireland adds 32 occupation changes to employment permit lists from May 28
Ministers Burke and Dillon announce 6 Critical Skills additions, 11 General Employment Permit additions, 15 quota renewals, plus 50:50 Rule healthcare amendment progress.
29 May 2026
INZ extends AEWV English requirement to Skill Level 3 from 1 June 2026
Immigration New Zealand extends the AEWV English requirement (IELTS 4.0) to Skill Level 3 occupations from 1 June 2026, affecting half of AEWV applications.
29 May 2026
EU Commission reports 12 million Schengen visa applications for 2025
Annual Schengen short-stay applications climbed 1.8% to nearly 12 million in 2025, with over 10 million visas issued at a 14.8% global refusal rate.
29 May 2026
DHS auto-extends Lebanon TPS by six months through November 27, 2026
Six-month statutory auto-extension preserves status and Employment Authorization for an estimated 11,000 Lebanese beneficiaries through November 27, 2026; no further DHS notice had been published as of October 22.
29 May 2026
Australia sets 2026-27 Migration Program at 185,000 with skilled-stream tilt
Department of Home Affairs maintains the 185,000 ceiling for 2026-27; Skill stream rises to 132,240, Employer-Sponsored visas jump 32% to 58,040.
28 May 2026
IRCC issues 3,000 ITAs in Express Entry round 417 CEC draw at CRS 518
Canadian Experience Class draw conducted May 27, 2026 ends a 29-day CEC pause; ninth CEC round of the year and the highest CEC cut-off of 2026 to date.
28 May 2026
IRCC tightens digital nomad documentation for visitors from May 26 2026
Updated program-delivery instructions require digital nomads to document foreign-earned income, foreign employer ties, and independent visitor status for family members.
28 May 2026
Switzerland eases labour access for Protection S and Swiss-trained graduates
Federal Council adopts dispatch on May 27 2026 amending the Foreign Nationals and Integration Act — Protection S canton-change right plus six-month job-search permit for Swiss-vocational graduates.
28 May 2026
Canada invokes Bill C-12 to suspend visas from Uganda, DRC, South Sudan over Ebola
First use of Bill C-12 mass-suspension powers; the visa and eTA suspension for residents of the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan, extended twice, runs to November 27, 2026.
27 May 2026
Canada extends eTA to Indonesian and Malaysian travellers with US or prior visa
IRCC's Indo-Pacific Strategy measure cuts the C$100 visitor visa to a C$7 eTA for air travel; effective May 26, 2026 at 5:30 a.m. EDT.
26 May 2026
Ireland approves Stamp 4 transition scheme for 70,000 Ukrainian refugees
Applications for Ireland's Stamp 4 Temporary Protection Transition Scheme opened on September 30, 2026 and close on March 30, 2027; temporary protection now runs to March 4, 2028.
26 May 2026
DOL comment period on H-1B and PERM prevailing-wage hike closes May 26
Public comment window on the 17-67 to 34-88 OEWS percentile band shift closes May 26, 2026; DOL final-rule drafting follows.
26 May 2026
IRCC issues 334 ITAs in Express Entry round 416 PNP draw at CRS 805
Provincial Nominee Program draw conducted May 25, 2026; 28th Express Entry round of the year and the second consecutive PNP-only round after a two-week IRCC pause.
25 May 2026
New Zealand opens AIP Visa Growth category to philanthropic gifts from June 2026
Immigration Minister Stanford announced May 25; investors may now direct up to NZ$1 million of the NZ$5 million Growth investment toward registered charities.
25 May 2026
USCIS memo recasts Adjustment of Status as discretionary administrative grace
Policy Memorandum PM-602-0199 instructs officers to weigh discretionary factors on every Form I-485 and frames consular processing as the ordinary path.
21 May 2026
Thailand cuts visa-free stay to 30 days for 54 countries after Cabinet scraps 60-day scheme
Cabinet approved May 19 the rollback of the July 2024 60-day visa-free programme covering more than 90 countries, citing misuse by grey-market operators and scam networks.
19 May 2026
US halts visa services and bars entry from Uganda, DRC, South Sudan over Ebola
US paused visas at three embassies; the Title 42 bar runs to November 10, 2026, and US citizens recently in the DRC cannot board US-bound flights.
18 May 2026
Chile launches two-year multi-entry business visa for Indian nationals from May 2026
Foreign Minister Pérez Mackenna announced the expedited business visa during his New Delhi mission on May 13, 2026, alongside accelerated Chile-India CEPA negotiations.
13 May 2026
IRCC issues 380 ITAs in Express Entry round 415 PNP draw at CRS 798
Provincial Nominee Program draw conducted May 11, 2026; 27th Express Entry round of the year, bringing the 2026 invitation total to 72,007.
11 May 2026
DOS retrogresses EB-2 India by 10 months in June 2026 Visa Bulletin
Final Action Date moves from July 15, 2014 back to September 1, 2013; EB-1 India also retrogresses; DOS warns of FY2026-end unavailability.
11 May 2026
DHS allows USCIS to deny immigration filings on signature grounds from July 10
Interim final rule took effect July 10, 2026, amending 8 CFR 103.2(a)(7) to authorize denial-with-fee-retention on invalid signatures, including post-acceptance.
8 May 2026
USCIS narrows deferred action to extraordinary or compelling circumstances
Policy Manual update on May 8, 2026 reframes deferred action as administrative remedy of last resort; sets non-routine, persuasive, unique standard.
8 May 2026
Brazil exempts Chinese citizens from short-stay visas from May 11, 2026
Vice-President Alckmin announced May 7 the temporary visa-free entry for Chinese ordinary-passport holders, effective May 11 through December 31, 2026.
7 May 2026
IRCC issues 4,000 ITAs in Express Entry round 414 to French-speaking candidates at CRS 400
The April 29, 2026 category-based draw targeted French-language proficiency Version 2 candidates with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 400 and tie-break of April 7, 2026.
5 May 2026
India and New Zealand sign FTA opening 5,000 work visas for Indian professionals
The Free Trade Agreement, signed at Bharat Mandapam on April 27, 2026, creates a 5,000-visa Temporary Employment Entry pathway and 1,000 annual Working Holiday visas.
5 May 2026
IRCC accelerates permanent residence for 33,000 In-Canada workers
Minister Diab confirmed May 4, 2026 the one-time pathway will move up to 33,000 workers in smaller Canadian communities to PR through 2027.
4 May 2026
Canada opens consultation on merging Express Entry's three programs into one
IRCC's consultation on merging Express Entry's three programs closed May 24, 2026; its final report published October 15, and high-wage CRS points take effect November 3.
4 May 2026
Greece exempts UK passport holders from EES biometric registration
The Embassy of Greece in London confirmed UK passport holders are excluded from biometric registration at Greek border crossing points from April 10, 2026.
4 May 2026
Dubai removes property-value minimum for two-year investor residency visa
Dubai Land Department removed the AED 750,000 minimum for sole-owner property investors and set a AED 400,000 share floor for joint owners.
4 May 2026
Australia legislates public register of approved work sponsors from October 2026
The Migration Amendment (Combatting Migrant Exploitation) Act 2026 received Royal Assent on 8 April 2026 and commenced on 8 October 2026; the register's contents depend on regulations.
3 May 2026
IRCC waives biometrics for FIFA-invited visitors ahead of 2026 World Cup
The temporary public policy ran from 25 November 2025 to 20 July 2026, paired with a separate work-permit exemption for FIFA-invited workers.
3 May 2026
Hong Kong opens three-month early extension filing for talent-scheme holders
From 1 March 2026, talent-scheme holders and their dependants may file extension-of-stay applications up to three months before their current stay expires.
3 May 2026
India digitises OCI services and bars dual passports for minors under 2026 rules
The Ministry of Home Affairs notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules on 30 April 2026, introducing electronic OCI registration and a single-passport rule for minors.
3 May 2026
EU Commission clarifies key differences between EES and ETIAS for travellers
Published 28 April 2026, the explainer separates the live border-control EES from ETIAS, the pre-travel authorisation scheduled for the last quarter of 2026.
3 May 2026
Singapore updates Employment Pass COMPASS criteria from January 2026
The Ministry of Manpower refreshed C2 qualification lists and the C1 sector salary benchmarks; new criteria apply to renewals from 1 July 2026.
3 May 2026
Dubai tightens Scientists and Specialists Golden Visa pathway with equivalency and job-title rules
Three layered cumulative requirements now apply to non-government-nominated Scientists and Specialists Golden Visa applicants in Dubai.
3 May 2026
Home Office adds Nicaragua and St Lucia to UK visa-required list under HC 1691
The new visit visa requirement took effect at 15:00 GMT on 5 March 2026. Statement of Changes HC 1691 also revises Skilled Worker, refugee, and deportation provisions.
3 May 2026
Federal court postpones DHS termination of Yemen Temporary Protected Status
Judge Dale Ho's May 1 order postponed the termination of TPS for around 2,800 Yemeni nationals; after the Supreme Court's June 25 ruling in Mullin v. Doe, the designation ended effective July 20, 2026.
3 May 2026
USCIS reverts to Final Action Dates for May 2026 employment-based filings
India EB-2 holds at July 15, 2014, and EB-3 at November 15, 2013, as USCIS narrows the chart for adjustment-of-status filings.
1 May 2026