Positive trend: Visa-free access continues to increase globally

In a recent post (How Strong Is Your Passport?), I reviewed some of the findings from the Henley Passport Index. In that post, we looked at which passports provided the greatest access to other countries, which were the weakest, and which had climbed the most over the last year.

While there have been a few countries that seemed to take a more isolative stance in immigration, there is continuing movement towards greater visa-free access overall. This highlights a global desire of governments to increase global mobility and their access to foreign migration.

Dr. Christian H. Kälin, group chairman of Henley & Partners, said, “These findings reflect the fact that, while certain countries are tightening their borders, most are in fact becoming more open, as they seek to tap into the immense economic value that tourism, international commerce and migration can bring.”

From a global talent accessibility standpoint and a global mobility function perspective, this is a positive trend.