ICYMI: June 11 - 24

Inflation has cooled in many major economies, but several countries are still facing severe price instability in 2026. This graphic ranks the countries with the highest and lowest projected annual average inflation rates, based on the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook (April 2026).

Inflation data tells one part of the cost story for global mobility programs, but purchasing power erosion and soaring housing costs tell the other. Right now, both are moving against program budgets simultaneously. According to Mercer's most recent Cost of Living City Ranking, the validated top-tier watch list for mobility professionals starts with Hong Kong (#1), Singapore (#2), and Switzerland's four major cities (Zurich, Geneva, Basel, and Bern), all clustering in the global top 10 for expatriate cost of living, driven by expensive housing markets, high transportation costs, and strong local currencies. London has also climbed into the top 10 at #8, while Dubai, though often overstated as a cost concern, has meaningfully moved up the rankings to become the most expensive city in the Middle East at #15 globally, with international school fees, utilities, and high-end residential rents all rising on the back of massive expat inflows. The most compelling mobility story in the data may be Mexico City, which jumped 46 places in a single year to reach #33 globally, a direct consequence of digital nomad and corporate relocation influxes driving expatriate rental costs well beyond what static policy allowances were built to absorb. For program managers, cost-of-living risk in 2026 extends well beyond geopolitically unstable markets. It's accelerating in your most common assignment corridors, which makes real-time benchmarking and mid-cycle COLA reviews operationally important. 

Now, on to the location specific updates:

United States

• 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act passed on June 22. The bill now heads to President Trump for signature, who has previously indicated he will sign it. For the relocation industry, this is a bittersweet milestone. The bill is broadly positive for housing supply and affordability, but the institutional investor provisions in Section 1001 still contain no explicit carve-out for corporate relocation home sale programs like BVO and AVO. Nothing changes for your program immediately. The provisions don't take effect until 180 days after the bill is signed, and during that window the Department of Treasury is required to conduct a formal rulemaking process to implement the law. That rulemaking is now the primary battleground for securing protection for relocation home sale programs. WERC has already been meeting with senior Treasury and White House officials to build the case, and will be mobilizing the industry to submit formal comments once the rulemaking process opens. Plus will keep you informed at every step.
• The Trump Administration is seeking to raise the price tag for immigrants applying to become naturalized U.S. citizens by hundreds of dollars. A proposed rule from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would increase the cost by 75%, from $760 to $1,330, and the cost of submitting the form online would increase by 80%, from $710 to $1,280. 
• The State Department announced that, as of June 5, 2026, all available immigrant visas in the Employment-Based Fifth Preference (EB-5) unreserved category for applicants chargeable to India have been issued for fiscal year (FY) 2026.
• On June 5, 2026, a federal district court in Rhode Island struck down the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) policies that had paused green card and work permit processing for nationals from 39 travel-ban countries. By June 12, USCIS agreed to comply with the court order and resume processing.
• After ruling on June 8, 2026, that implementation of the H-1B Proclamation was unlawful and effectively blocking its $100,000 petition fee requirement, a federal district court has temporarily paused the ruling pending an appellate court determination whether the pause should continue during the appellate process.
• NYC corporate housing update: Per Nomad Corporate Housing,  1 bedrooms are actually down 0.4% from this time last year and the current rate ranges from $282-405 (avg is $265) and two bedrooms ranging from $406-895 (avg is $421).
• Peak Season: Some of our partners are telling us that for the first time in a few years, they are booking up weeks in advance, with some already booked up for the rest of June and into July. Booking early is essential to lock in transferees’ ideal dates! Additionally, in the US and around the globe, fuel costs are having a dramatic impact on pricing, especially freight. 
  Ocean freight rates have been increasing steadily and, for some lanes, dramatically. For example, from Asia to South America, we are seeing rates at their highest in the past three years.

European Union

• The bloc fully implemented the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum on June 12, 2026, imposing mandatory registration biometrics, faster border asylum screenings, and €20,000 penalties for countries refusing to take in asylum seekers. Furthermore, on June 18, the European Parliament approved new legislation to establish fast-track deportations and "return hubs" outside the bloc. Frontline entry countries like Greece, Italy, Spain, and Cyprus are now utilizing these fast-track 12-week detention and screening procedures for irregular arrivals. For deep dives into Updates to the Travel Ban, consult the European Commission Home Affairs portal.

United Kingdom

• London corporate housing update: Per Nomad Corporate Housing, We are in the peak season where 1 bedrooms are up 7% from this time last year and the current rate ranges from GBP 136 to 371 (avg is GBP 181) and two bedrooms ranging from GBP 181 to 627 (avg is GBP 278).

Ireland

• Effective June 12, 2026, Ireland increased the financial thresholds for individuals seeking to sponsor non-EEA/Swiss/UK family members for family reunification purposes and introduced new accommodation requirements for certain sponsors.
• The first quarter of 2026 has seen one of the most significant shifts in the Irish rental market in recent years. Following the introduction of new rental legislation in March, open-market rents increased by 4.4% nationally in just three months – the largest quarterly increase recorded since the Daft.ie Rental Report began tracking market rents in 2002. Annual rental inflation now stands at 7.8%, up significantly from 4.1% a year ago.

Finland

• The Finnish Parliament has approved changes to the Citizenship Act, introducing stricter requirements for acquiring Finnish citizenship. The new rules enter into force on January 1, 2027, and will apply to applications submitted on or after March 1, 2027. Per EIG, in the future, acquiring citizenship will require sufficient knowledge of and integration into Finnish society. Applicants can meet the requirement for sufficient knowledge of Finnish society by passing the new citizenship test. 

Singapore

• Singapore corporate housing update: Per Nomad Corporate Housing, 1 bedrooms are down 4% from this time last year and the current rate ranges from SGD 227 to 338 (avg is SGD 285) and two bedrooms ranging from SGD 289 to 585 (avg is SGD 411).

Japan

• On June 23, 2026, the Japanese government announced upcoming, steep spikes to its visa issuance fees, slated to take effect on July 1, 2026. The fee for a single-entry visa will increase from JPY 3,000 to JPY 15,000, while the fee for a multiple-entry visa will increase from JPY 6,000 to JPY 30,000. The revised fees will be payable at the Japanese embassy or consulate when the visa is issued. 

Philippines

• The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has ordered the full centralization of the processing, evaluation, and issuance of Alien Employment Permits (AEPs) at the DOLE Central Office, effective June 9, 2026. Under Administrative Order No. 199 of 2026, all DOLE Regional Offices will immediately stop accepting, processing, evaluating, and issuing both new and renewal AEP applications, with all transactions to be handled exclusively by the Central Office.

Saudi Arabia

• Riyadh’s rental market has experienced significant price escalation in recent years, driven by Vision 2030-related corporate relocations and expat demand. In response, the Saudi government imposed a five-year rent freeze effective September 2025. Landlords remain cautious about reducing rates, so negotiating significant discounts is unlikely. Early housing search is strongly recommended, particularly for expat compound units, which are in high demand.
• Effective June 2026, Premium Residency holders in Saudi Arabia are required to obtain a dedicated work permit through the Qiwa digital labor platform, operated by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. This new requirement introduces an additional compliance step for globally mobile employees holding Premium Residency in Saudi Arabia. The fee structure and permit process are managed via Qiwa, meaning organizations with larger employee numbers may face variable subscription costs. Additionally, clarity on training contract documentation and Saudization targets could impact workforce planning and talent mobility strategies.

Kuwait

• On June 15, 2026, the Ministry of Interior announced that the Council of Ministers, in coordination with the General Department of Residency Affairs and Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA), issued Resolution No. (651) of 2026, introducing a new regulatory framework that allows eligible foreign investors and their immediate family members to obtain residency permits for up to fifteen years.

Go here to get a list of details for the following 50+ countries that have announced changes in salary requirements. Lastly, several countries are starting to impose travel restrictions to prevent the spread of Ebola. Check the full list here.