Immigration rule changes in 2026

Luxembourg Salaried Worker Permit: Guichet.lu's page for the 'salaried worker' residence permit (last update 01.10.2026) describes a two-stage procedure: a long-stay (D) visa application at the Luxembourg diplomatic or consular representation (long-stay visas are issued only by Luxembourg or Belgian embassies), then a residence permit application after arrival. It no longer lists a separate temporary authorisation to stay before the D visa, which the earlier version of the page (archived July 2026) required, and it gives a first permit of at most 2 years and a response time of, in principle, 4 months at most; the renewal page gives renewals of at most 4 years.

Luxembourg rule changes

Australia Visa 858: National Innovation Visa: A lower visa cost applies to eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens who lodge a valid subclass 858 application.

Australia rule changes

Australia Skills in Demand (SID) Visa (Subclass 482): Visa application charges for subclass 482 increased across all three streams; the base applicant charge rose from AUD $3,210 to AUD $4,015 (the same charge applies to an accompanying partner/adult dependant; AUD $1,005 for a child).

Australia rule changes

Sweden EU Blue Card: Citizenship Act overhaul: ordinary naturalisation residence rose from five to eight years, with a new civic-knowledge requirement, a self-sufficiency (income) test, and a Swedish language requirement whose test is not expected before autumn 2027.

Sweden rule changes

French Citizenship by Descent (Jus Sanguinis via a French Parent): The fiscal stamp (timbre fiscal) fee for French nationality DECLARATIONS — a separate acquisition track from descent, e.g. birth-and-residence-in-France or marriage-based declarations — rose from EUR 55 to EUR 255. This fee applies to declaration-based nationality tracks, not to a Certificat de Nationalite Francaise request confirming pre-existing descent-based nationality under Article 18, which remains free.

France rule changes

Canada Express Entry Category-Based Selection: IRCC's scheduled biennial fee adjustment raised the Right of Permanent Residence Fee from CAD $575 to CAD $600, and the Express Entry principal-applicant processing fee (Federal High Skilled categories) from CAD $950 to CAD $990.

Canada rule changes

Georgia Remotely from Georgia Programme: Law No 1509 (published 15 April 2026) added exemptions to Article 1(4) of the Law on Labour Migration, including (j) labour activities performed completely remotely for a local employer that do not require entry into Georgia and (k) labour activities or services for a non-resident person related to that person's activities outside Georgia, and a new Article 13⁹ under which an alien may perform a short-term professional activity (a temporary visit linked to a specific short-term project, event or service, not long-term employment in the local labour market) without a right to work or residence permit. Law No 1815 of 25 June 2026 amended Article 1(4) again (adding (n), persons holding the right to temporary stay under Article 60 of the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons) and some definitions.

Georgia rule changes

Georgia Remotely from Georgia Programme: From 1 March 2026, under amendments to the Law of Georgia on Labour Migration, employment of a foreigner without a permanent residence permit by a local employer (including paid work done remotely), and entrepreneurial or labour activity in Georgia aimed at economic benefit, are allowed only after the foreigner obtains a right to work from the State Employment Support Agency.

Georgia rule changes

United States EB-1A Visa for Individuals with Extraordinary Ability: USCIS increased the Form I-907 premium processing fee for Form I-140 petitions (including EB-1A) from $2,805 to $2,965, citing CPI-U inflation adjustment.

United States rule changes

United States EB-2 National Interest Waiver: USCIS increased the Form I-907 premium processing fee for Form I-140 petitions (including EB-2 NIW, 45-calendar-day service) from $2,805 to $2,965, citing CPI-U inflation adjustment.

United States rule changes

Canada Express Entry Category-Based Selection: IRCC held its first category-based Express Entry round under new 2026 occupational categories, headlined by a new 'Medical Doctors with Canadian work experience' category; new categories for researchers, senior managers, and transport occupations were also introduced (all requiring at least 1 year of Canadian work experience), while the agriculture and agri-food category was retired.

Canada rule changes

Italy Flat Tax Regime for High-Net-Worth New Residents: Budget Law 2026 (Legge di Bilancio 2026, published in the Gazzetta Ufficiale on 30 December 2025) raised the Art. 24-bis annual flat substitute tax from €200,000 to €300,000, and the per-family-member surcharge from €25,000 to €50,000, for individuals who transfer their tax residence to Italy from 1 January 2026. Those who transferred residence by 31 December 2025 keep their €200,000 (or grandfathered €100,000) rate, and the €25,000 family surcharge, for the life of the election.

Italy rule changes

Italy Investor Visa (Visto per Investitori): Budget Law 2026 (Legge di Bilancio 2026, published in the Gazzetta Ufficiale on 30 December 2025) raised the Art. 24-bis annual flat substitute tax from €200,000 to €300,000, and the per-family-member surcharge from €25,000 to €50,000, for individuals who transfer their tax residence to Italy from 1 January 2026. Those who transferred residence by 31 December 2025 keep their €200,000 (or grandfathered €100,000) rate, and the €25,000 family surcharge, for the life of the election.

Italy rule changes

Netherlands Highly Skilled Migrant (Kennismigrant): IND raised the highly skilled migrant gross monthly salary thresholds for 2026 to €5,942 (age 30+), €4,357 (under 30), and €3,122 for recent graduates / orientation-year permit holders (all excluding the 8% holiday allowance).

Netherlands rule changes