ICYMI: Feb 19 - March 4

In this bi-weekly post series, we review numerous changes that have taken place around the world so you can consider the impact to your mobility program.

Middle East

• The biggest development over the weekend was that the US entered a war with Iran. This has triggered an unprecedented wave of air-space closures stretching from the Mediterranean to the Gulf, paralyzing regional aviation and sending shock-waves through global schedules. Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Syria and the United Arab Emirates all partially shut their skies, while carriers from Europe, Asia and North America rushed to cancel or reroute services. Per Bloomberg, “Carriers including Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad suspended flights as major air hubs shut down traffic, including Dubai and Doha. With airspace closed, thousands of visitors are trapped in Dubai, a city that’s built its reputation on being a reliable, omni-directional 24/7 global gateway.” Plus is reaching out to all relocating employees that have move in or out of the region and is sharing specific details with our clients. Our partners are updating us as this volatile situation unfolds across the region. As of March 3, 2026, the U.S. State Department is urging all American citizens to immediately depart using available commercial transportation from 16 different countries. They also request that U.S, citizen travelers enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive alerts and be located in an emergency.

Global

• Overall, 31% of the world’s most experienced travelers say that having an illness or injury abroad is their biggest concern in 2026 – the top worry by a wide margin according to the Global Rescue Winter 2026 Traveller Sentiment and Safety Survey. Civil unrest or terrorism ranks second at 21%, followed by losing a passport, credit cards or wallet at 12% and war, kidnapping and natural disasters at 6%.

Singapore

• Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has strengthened border security measures across all entry points, resulting in a 38.3% increase in foreign visitor refusals in 2025, according to ICA’s latest annual report. Businesses should expect stricter pre‑arrival vetting, particularly for business visitors, short‑term assignees, and candidates entering Singapore for interviews or work‑authorization processing.
• In his budget speech to Parliament, the Prime Minister of Singapore announced new minimum qualifying salaries for Employment Pass (EP) and S-Pass holders, taking effect January 2027. Check out BAL's table that outlines the current and new minimum monthly salaries across different categories.
• Update on Anti-Discrimination Legislation February 20, 2026: On November 4, 2025, Singapore’s Parliament passed the Workplace Fairness (Dispute Resolution) Bill, completing the Workplace Fairness Act. This new law requires employers to implement internal grievance handling processes and mandates mediation before claims can proceed to the Employment Claims Tribunals (ECT) or the High Court. The ECT will hear claims of up to SGD 250,000 under a simplified, judge-led process without legal representation.

New Zealand

• New Zealand added new occupations to the National Occupation List and confirmed an increase to the annual median wage used across multiple visa programs. New Zealand announced updates to the National Occupation List (NOL) and an upcoming increase to the annual median wage, which serves as a key benchmark across several immigration pathways. 

Sri Lanka

• The Department of Immigration and Emigration has officially implemented the Digital Nomad Visa allowing foreign nationals to live and work remotely in Sri Lanka.

China

• The average salary thresholds for category A and B work permits in Beijing and Shanghai have significantly increased and have been strictly enforced effective Feb. 5, 2026. Beijing: The new monthly salary threshold is CNY11, 937 (about US$1,728). Shanghai: The new monthly salary threshold is CNY12,434 (about US$1,800).

Europe

• As already foreseen in the regulation implementing the progressive rollout, even after the April 2026 full commencement, the EU may allow countries to partially suspend operation of the EES if necessary, in exceptional circumstances during peak travel times, until later in 2026.  

Poland

• The transition to electronic submission of residence permits in Poland is one of the most significant regulatory shifts affecting foreign nationals and their employers in Poland in 2026. While some elements of the new system are already clearly defined, many technical and procedural aspects remain uncertain. Sign up for Fragomen webinar here.

France

• Effective May 1, 2026, France will both introduce new fees, and increase existing fees, for a range of immigration-related fee increases. As part of this, the fees for first-time issuance of a residence permit and citizenship applications will both increase.  As a result of these changes, foreign nationals as well as employers sponsoring foreign workers will experience increased immigration-related costs – particularly in cases involving status changes or first-time residence permit applications, including provisional ones. 

United Kingdom

• The requirement for eligible nationals to possess an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) will be strictly enforced (without discretion) from February 25, 2026. As a result of the enforcement of this rule, starting February 25, 2026. Those requiring an ETA to travel to the United Kingdom will not be allowed to travel to the United Kingdom unless they have one from this date.  

Costa Rica

• Delays in the issuance of DIMEX residence cards continue, and Costa Rica’s General Immigration Directorate (DGME) has indicated that processing disruptions are likely to persist. In response, the DGME has introduced several temporary, limited concessions to mitigate the impact on foreign nationals. 

United States

• The bad news: New NAHB analysis shows how widespread the housing affordability challenge remains across the United States. In 39 states and the District of Columbia, more than 65% of households are unable to afford the median-priced new home, indicating a significant disconnect between higher new home prices, elevated mortgage rates, and stagnant household incomes. 

• The good news: Mortgage rates have fallen below 6 percent for the first time in more than three years, offering a glimmer of hope that a frozen housing market may be set to thaw. Per the NYT, “The average 30-year mortgage rate in the United States fell to 5.98 percent, the mortgage-financing giant Freddie Mac said Thursday, down from nearly 7 percent around the same time last year.”

• Rents: The impact of rent increases has not been felt evenly across the U.S., as renters in some locations face much higher costs than in others. California leads the list with a median rent of $2,895, followed by Hawaii at $2,869, Massachusetts at $2,595, and New York at $2,592. Check out the most and least expensive cities for renters. 

• A Department of Labor proposed rule that would revise wage rules for the H-1B nonimmigrant and the PERM labor certification programs has been cleared by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The next step for the proposal is publication in the Federal Register for public feedback. Also, the final rule on “Weighted Selection Process for Registrants and Petitioners Seeking to File Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions” takes effect on Feb. 27, 2026.

• The new wage‑weighted H‑1B lottery changes how registrations are evaluated, making wage‑level accuracy central to selection odds. For HR and mobility teams, understanding how wage levels work is now essential to workforce planning. This overview from Envoy Global offers the practical steps and insights employers need to prepare confidently for the FY 2027 cap season. 

Canada

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced the 2026 Express Entry categories, which enable Canada to invite skilled, experienced candidates to fill critical labor gaps. The new categories for 2026 include:

1. Medical doctors, researchers and senior managers with Canadian work experience
2. Experienced transport professionals, including pilots, aircraft mechanics and inspectors
3. Skilled military recruits with a job offer from the Canadian Armed Forces, including military doctors, nurses and pilots

• Quebec authorities introduced an updated list of occupations eligible for the province’s labor market impact assessment (LMIA). The list determines which roles can be supported without mandatory advertising requirements under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.