Japan Announces Major Visa Fee Increase from July 2026
At a press conference on June 19, 2026, the Minister for Foreign Affairs announced a decision to increase entry visa fees by 400%, effective July 1, 2026. The fee for a
Read More »New Zealand Confirms Skilled Migrant and Work to Residence Visa Changes
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has announced final details on changes to the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) ahead of these changes taking effect on August 24, 2026. In
Read More »Iceland Transfers Work Permit Processing to Immigration Directorate
On June 18, 2026, the Icelandic Parliament (Alþingi) passed amendments to the Foreign Nationals Act and the Act on the Employment Rights of Foreign Nationals, transferring
Read More »France Raises Minimum Wage and Immigration Salary Thresholds
The French minimum wage (SMIC) increased by 2.41% on June 1, 2026, as announced earlier by the Ministry of Labor and Solidarity. On that date, the hourly minimum wage
Read More »DHS Proposes Significant Increases to Naturalization Fees
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a proposed rule (RIN 1615-AD08) that would substantially increase the cost of applying for U.S. citizenship and related
Read More »Gibraltar Announces New Residence Criteria Framework
On June 17, 2026, the government of Gibraltar announced a new Residence Criteria framework designed to ensure that residency in Gibraltar is based on genuine economic
Read More »Egypt Expedites Work Permits for Tourism Sector Workers
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Ministry of Labor have announced a temporary initiative to expedite work permit services for foreign nationals seeking to work
Read More »Denmark Updates Income Statistics for Work Permit Applications
The Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) uses income statistics produced by the Confederation of Danish Employers (DA) when processing
Read More »Canada Updates Police Certificate Rules for IEC Applicants
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has updated its participation eligibility requirements for the International Experience Canada (IEC) program to clarify the
Read More »USCIS Issues New Guidance on H-2A Petitions for Dairy Workers
On June 17, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a policy memorandum clarifying how temporary or seasonal need is evaluated for H-2A petitions
Read More »Finland to Introduce Citizenship Test from 2027
The Finnish Parliament has approved changes to the Citizenship Act, introducing stricter requirements for acquiring Finnish citizenship. The new rules enter into force on
Read More »Quebec Experience Program to Reopen Temporarily for Two Years
The QEP will be reinstated from July 2, 2026, to July 2, 2028. To respect Quebec’s capacity and immigration targets, applications will be received in stages. The first
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