ICYMI: Oct 16 - 29

As we watch things change so quickly, how fast is your mobility program running to keep up? Or maybe your program has been tamped back because talent mobility has gotten placed on hold until the business environment slows down?

As we consider some of the rapid change that impacts mobility, here are a couple of interesting thoughts. "The pace of change has never been this fast, yet it will never be this slow again," a quote attributed to Justin Trudeau, highlights the accelerating speed of the business environment, says Marketoonist. Another perspective is that of Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, who stated, “Speed is the new currency of business,” emphasizing that the ability to execute quickly is more important than having the best systems, notes Bertrand Duperrin.

In an effort to support your program's ability to keep pace with whatever is needed and respond effectively, here is our latest ICYMI bi-weekly update:

Singapore

• A major policy shift is coming for Singapore Permanent Residents. Starting December 1, 2025, anyone overseas without a valid re-entry permit will have 180 days to apply before their PR status is revoked. This change, announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs, affects thousands who live, work, or study abroad while maintaining a Singapore PR. Therefore, permanent residents (especially those who frequently travel outside Singapore) should obtain a new re-entry permit or renew their expiring re-entry permit in a timely manner before leaving Singapore to minimize the risk of losing their permanent residence status.
• Rents for one- to three-bedroom private apartments have generally softened in the last 3 to 6 months. Per Relocity, this shift has been driven by a combo of increased inventory entering the leasing market and more cautious expatriate tenants reassessing housing budgets amid economic headwinds.

New Zealand

• Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is updating how 91 new occupations at skill levels 1 to 3 are assessed under the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) program from November 3rd, 2025, to ensure higher skilled occupations in the National Occupation List (NOL) are recognized.

Japan

• Japan implemented revised standards for the “Business Manager” residence status, introducing new requirements for capital, staffing, language proficiency and business plan evaluation, effective Oct. 16, 2025. See the key points here.
• Rents have also seen increases in Tokyo with the fastest growth in 30 years. Landlords have raised rents to offset costs related to higher mortgage rates, maintenance, and labor. Rents for singles in Tokyo's 23 wards increased by 7.7% year-on-year, and family-oriented apartments saw a 16.6% increase in 2023.

China

• Shanghai has launched a new overseas Talent Residence Permit. It is a comprehensive framework designed to attract and retain highly qualified foreign and overseas Chinese professionals, as well as residents of Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan, to work, live, and start businesses in Shanghai. The program provides a broad range of benefits, including streamlined residence and work authorization, access to social insurance, education, housing and other privileges.
• The Chinese Embassy in the United States has rolled out an upgraded version of its China Online Visa Application (COVA) System. The new platform centralizes form completion, document uploads, and application tracking, aiming to simplify the user experience. Alongside the launch, the embassy revised its visa requirements and submission procedures, with detailed guidance now available online. 

Denmark

• Effective January 1, 2026, in Denmark foreign employers must upload the following additional documentation (additional to existing requirements) when registering foreign nationals (who are not also EU-nationals) on the Register for Foreign Service Providers: A copy of the service contract; copies of employment contracts of the individuals providing the service; and the residence, and work permits for the posting of third-country nationals (if a third-country national is posted by a company established within the European Union, a copy of the valid residence and work permit in the country of establishment must be uploaded instead).  Currently, these documents are not required when registering foreign nationals on the Register for Foreign Service Providers.  

Sweden

• Effective January 1, 2025, Sweden will introduce more relaxed EU Blue Card rules. Key changes include, among others: Lower minimum salary thresholds; Reduced job-offer duration requirements; Expanded eligibility; Relaxed long-term mobility pathways; and Relaxed change-of-job rules. These reforms are part of Sweden’s adherence to the requirements of the 2021 EU Blue Card Directive. 

United Kingdom

• Effective October 21, 2025, the immigration fees for the following in-country expedited processing services have increased as follows:  

- Expedited processing of a sponsorship management request made by a Worker sponsor, a Temporary worker sponsor or a student sponsor: GBP 350 (up 75% from the previous fee of GBP 200); and  

- Priority service for expedited processing of sponsor license applications fee: GBP 750 (up 50% from the previous fee of GBP 500).    

Canada

• Canada has issued a major Autumn 2025 Global Travel Advisory, warning citizens to exercise heightened caution when visiting several popular international destinations amid escalating security risks. The advisory covers France, Ecuador, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Italy, the Dominican Republic, and other nations, citing threats of terrorism, violent crime, social unrest, and regional instability.

Costa Rica

• Foreign nationals in Costa Rica are experiencing delays in receiving initial and renewed Resident Identity Cards (DIMEX), likely due to backlogs and high demand. Current processing times are now two months or longer for Short-Term Visa and Temporary Residence holders, and up to three months or longer for Permanent Residence and Special Category Visa holders, counted from the date of the DIMEX application appointment. 

United States

• The U.S. State Department issues travel advisories with different risk levels that warn U.S. travelers of the dangers of journeying abroad.
• More than 8,000 flights (affecting 20% to almost 50% of flights at top carriers) were delayed across the US this past Sunday as air traffic controller absences continued to disrupt travel and a federal government shutdown reached its 29th day.
• Last week, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provided updated guidance on the $100,000 H-1B petition fee required under the Presidential Proclamation. The fee will apply only to new visa applicants outside the country, the government confirmed in new guidance. Employers will need to pay the fee after their prospective employee’s visa is approved, allowing them to move to the U.S.
• Right now, US border enforcement has never been tougher. 1.25 million people were refused entry to the US last year - nine times more than 2019. In this compliance climate, business travel is coming under heavy scrutiny. Holding a B-1 or ESTA is no guarantee of entry…get briefed.
• The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) reported that existing home closings rose 1.5% from August to September, slightly below expectations but still 4.1% higher than a year ago. Inventory increased to 1.55 million units, matching a five-year high, though remaining below pre-COVID levels. What’s the bottom line? Since this data reflects September closings, most buyers were shopping in July and August – before mortgage rates began easing more notably. This suggests upcoming reports could show stronger sales activity. As NAR Chief
  Economist Lawrence Yun noted, lower mortgage rates and improving affordability are helping to boost demand.
• On October 14, 2025, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 692 (AB 692) into law, fundamentally changing how employers can use repayment agreements in California. Under AB 692, repayment agreements to relocation benefits and immigration costs can only be enforced if they meet all of the six conditions. This will go into effect on January 1, 2026 and the law is not retroactive.
• A new regulation will allow US border authorities to require non-citizens to be photographed at airports, seaports, land crossings and any other point of departure, expanding on an earlier pilot program. Under the regulation, set to take effect on 26 December, US authorities could require the submission of other biometrics, such as fingerprints or DNA