ICYMI: Jan 22 - Feb 4

Relocating employees must navigate complex, rapidly changing global factors in 2026, including intense geopolitical instability, severe housing shortages in key business hubs, and shifting immigration laws. Key considerations include high inflation affecting costs of living, supply chain disruptions affecting relocation logistics, and essential visa/compliance support. Below we share some of the latest occurrences and upcoming impactors for global mobility professionals to consider. 

Lunar New Year Considerations

• Lunar New Year has many names, including Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Tet, and Seollal. It is a time when many travel home to spend time with families, creating the world’s largest annual human migration. Celebrations will not be confined to just one day, and across Asia, the holiday impacts normal business and school activities, often spanning the weekend prior through the following weekend. Expect service disruptions starting the weekend before and continuing through the weekend after New Year's Day. It is recommended to avoid planning relocation and assignment arrivals and service programs during these timeframes. 
  
  - China: February 15 – February 23
  - Hong Kong: February 17 – February 19 (Office closes at 1:00 PM February 16)
  - Korea (Seollal): February 16 – February 18
  - Malaysia: February 17 – February 18
  - Singapore: February 17 – February 18 (Office closes at 1:00 PM February 16)
  - Taiwan: February 14 – February 22
  - Vietnam (Tet): February 16 – February 18, (including weekends on either side)
   

Travel could be quite challenging. For example, China’s annual 40-day Spring Festival travel rush, known as chunyun, officially starts on Monday, and transport authorities predict an unprecedented 9.5 billion passenger journeys will take place before the period ends on March 13th. 

European Union

• The EU has adopted its first-ever EU Visa Strategy, which seeks to establish a strategic, coherent and long-term perspective on EU visa policy. This strategy suggests multiple-entry visas with a longer validity. Additionally, the EU issued a new “Recommendation on Attracting Talent for Innovation”, and announced a new “European Asylum and Migration Management Strategy”.  Fragomen's take: While some of these proposed reforms and strategies indicate the future potential for greater openness to skilled talent (especially researchers, innovators and workers in the information and communication sector as well as business travelers), there is also a clear push to boost compliance and monitoring outcomes.

Sweden

• Sweden will raise the minimum salary threshold for labor immigration to 90% of the national median wage, equivalent to SEK 33,390 per month, under a new agreement between the Government and the Sweden Democrats.

Italy and Winter Olympics

• The 2026 Winter Olympics (Feb 6–22) will heavily impact travel across Northern Italy, particularly in Milan and the Dolomites (Cortina d'Ampezzo, Bormio, Livigno, Anterselva, Predazzo, Tesero) along with Verona. Expect high demand, limited accommodation, and significant transit delays in these areas. 

Germany

• As of January 1, 2026, a new legal obligation applies to German employers (§ 45c AufenthG). If you recruit skilled workers from non-EU/EEA/Swiss countries, you are required to inform them about free advisory services – in particular, the nationwide advisory center "Fair Integration." All employers based in Germany who recruit third-country nationals from abroad must provide information about free advice on labor and social security law issues. 

Brazil and India

• On January 16, 2026, Brazil and India reached a reciprocal agreement to extend the maximum validity of visitor visas issued to each other’s nationals from five years to ten years. Under the new framework, Indian passport holders will now be eligible for Brazilian visitor visas valid for up to ten years, double the previously permitted duration.

Philippines

• Chinese nationals may enter the Philippines without the requirement of obtaining a visa for a stay of up to fourteen (14) days. This is in line with the President’s directive to facilitate trade, investments, and tourism, as well as strengthen people-to-people exchanges between the Philippines and China.

Malaysia

• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) has recently issued an official FAQ providing further clarification on the new expatriate employment policy that accompanies Malaysia’s revised Employment Pass (EP) salary thresholds — effective June 1, 2026. The FAQ expands on the purpose of the replacement plan requirement, confirms maximum EP durations, outlines expectations for employers, and describes how the Government intends to implement and enforce the policy. This includes revised minimum salary thresholds, maximum EP validity periods, and expanded Dependent Pass eligibility. 

Panama

• Panama's Supreme Court ruled that the port concession held by a CK Hutchison Holdings subsidiary (Hong Kong-based) is unconstitutional. This follows pressure from President Trump for a change in control of the canal. Panama's maritime authority will provide oversight, with Maersk's local subsidiary temporarily managing the facilities until a new concession process is completed. Based on the Parsifal news article, the immediate shipping impact appears minimal—but the situation is evolving. Shippers shouldn't expect delays directly attributable to this change in the short term.

Canada

• World Cup impact: The event, to be held between June 12 and July 7, 2026, is expected to create significant pressure on accommodation markets in both Vancouver and Toronto. Demand will peak around match dates and surrounding nights, driving higher rates, reduced availability, and stricter booking terms across hotels, short‑term rentals, and corporate housing. Vancouver dates: June 13, 18, 21, 24, 26, July 2, 7. Toronto dates: June 12, 17, 20, 23, 27, July 2. Expect higher costs across all sectors. Hotels and Corporate Housing/Serviced Apartments will be impacted not just by travelers but also by media/production crews, sponsors and vendor teams, etc.

United States

• H-2B's: U.S. employers that rely on seasonal labor are getting a mid-winter reprieve. In a temporary final rule published in the Federal Register on January 31, the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Labor (DOL) authorized 65,000 additional H-2B visas for the remainder of fiscal year 2026—essentially doubling the statutory cap of 66,000.

• H-1B's: In a notice published January 30, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services confirmed that the FY 2027 H-1B cap registration portal will open at noon Eastern on March 4 and close at noon on March 19. The agency also finalized a new "weighted" selection methodology that will favor higher-paid positions—a sharp break from the purely random lottery used since 2008.

• Expats abroad: Join Nathalie Goldstein, co-founder of MyExpatTaxes, and Tom Zachystal, President of IAM Advisors, at 5pm GMT/6pm CET on Thursday March 5th 2026 for an insightful webinar organised by Expat Focus focused on the financial realities and challenges facing Americans living abroad in 2026.

• Plus Locational Spotlight: We just wrapped up a great webcast, Life in the Bay Area, and I thought you might find it helpful! Our team sat down with Andrea McCutchin and Dana Hickey from Dwellworks to cover all the essentials—from navigating the different regions (East Bay, San Francisco, Silicon Valley) to understanding housing costs, transportation options, schools, and everything in between! Watch the video here →