Armenia
Visa exemption extended until 1 July 2027
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia has announced the extension until 1 July 2027 of its temporary visa exemption for certain nationals who hold a residence permit valid for at least six months issued by the United States, EU member states, Schengen states, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait or Oman.
The exemption was originally effective from 1 January to 1 July 2026 for 113 countries.
The list of eligible nationalities has been reduced to 111, with the removal of Sudan and Yemen. They can stay in Armenia without a visa for up to 180 days within a one-year period.
The residence permit, valid for at least six months from the date of entry in Armenia, must be presented either as a physical card or as a sticker placed in the passport.
Australia
Annual indexation of skilled visa income thresholds from 1 July 2026
The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has confirmed that, from 1 July 2026, skilled visa income thresholds have increased by 3.8%. This is in line with changes to the annual Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE).
Income thresholds are indexed annually so wages for skilled migrants increase at the same rate as Australian workers. This ensures that people cannot use skilled migration to undercut Australian workers.
From 1 July 2026, indexation changes will be as follows:
- The Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT) has increased from AUD76,515 to AUD79,423. This impacts nomination applications for the Core Skills stream of the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) and the Employer Nomination Scheme visa (subclass 186).
- The Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT) has increased from AUD141,210 to AUD146,576. This impacts nomination applications for the Specialist Skills stream of the Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482).
- The Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) has increased from AUD76,515 to AUD79,423. This impacts nomination applications for the Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional visa (subclass 494) and the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) (subclass 187).
From 1 July 2026, new nomination applications must meet the new relevant income threshold.
This change does not apply to existing visa holders and nominations lodged before 1 July 2026.
Canada
First phase of Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program redesign takes effect
The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development has announced that changes to Ontario Regulation 422/17 under the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015 (OIA) came into force on 26 June 2026.
The changes include removing the existing eight streams and introducing the new Ontario Workforce Priority stream. The Ontario Workforce Priority stream Expression of Interest (EOI) system is anticipated to open later in the summer.
This represents the first of a two-phase program redesign which reflect feedback gathered through the Ontario Regulatory Registry and additional consultations.
The Ontario Workforce Priority stream will have pathways for individuals with job offers in all National Occupational Classification (NOC) Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEERs), as well as for self-employed physicians.
Regulatory amendments also introduce changes to how notices for contraventions are issued.
Candidates who have registered an Expression of Interest (EOI) or submitted an application
The Expression of Interest (EOI) system is now closed to new EOIs. No further invitations will be issued under the former program streams. EOIs and job offers registered under the former streams that have not resulted in an invitation to apply will be automatically withdrawn over the coming weeks while the EOI and application platforms are updated. Affected registrants, employers and representatives will receive a notice directly.
Candidates and employers are invited to familiarize themselves with the new Ontario Workforce Priority stream and its requirements. Eligible candidates may register a new EOI under the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream once the EOI system reopens. Employers who have previously registered in the employer portal will not need to register again when the EOI system reopens. Once the Employer Portal reopens they will need to submit a new job offer and a new application for an approval of an employment position (re-register a new job offer) to initiate a new EOI for the applicant under the new program stream.
Applications submitted following an invitation under a former stream will continue to be assessed against the eligibility requirements that were in effect when the application was submitted.
Ontario Workforce Priority Stream Overview
TEER 0-3 pathway
This pathway targets skilled internationally trained workers in allTEER0, 1, 2, or 3 occupations with a full-time and permanent job offer in Ontario. Minimum eligibility requirements include:
- work experience: applicants must demonstrate one of the following:
- 6 months consecutive in the last 12 months in the job offer position with the job offer employer
- for recent Ontario graduates, 3 months consecutive in the last 12 months in the job offer position with the job offer employer
- 2 years cumulative in the last 5 years in the NOC occupation
- licenced applicants are exempt from this requirement.
- language requirement: Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 6, CLB 5 for certain occupations
- minimum education: post-secondary degree or diploma
Some occupations may have alternate criteria, consult the regulations for detailed requirements.
Self-employed physicians
Self-employed physicians may qualify for the Ontario Workforce Priority stream without a job offer. To qualify, candidates must demonstrate all of the following requirements:
- be a member in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
- hold a valid certificate of registration in an eligible class: independent, academic or provisional
- be eligible to bill through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP).
TEER 4-5 pathway
This pathway is open to workers in allTEER4-5 occupations with a full-time and permanent job offer in Ontario. Minimum eligibility requirements include:
- work experience: 9 months cumulative experience in the last 2 years in the job offer position with the job offer employer
- language: CLB 4
- minimum education: Canadian secondary school diploma or equivalent
For all Ontario Workforce Priority Stream pathways, lower gross annual revenue requirements will apply to employers located in rural communities. For the purposes of the program, a rural community is a community located in a census division with a population of less than 150,000.
Program integrity changes
The OINP has reduced the response time for individuals who have been issued a Notice of Intent to Issue an Administrative Monetary Penalty (AMP) or Ban order from 60 to 30 days. Regulatory amendments also allow notices of contravention to be sent by email, mail, or in person, and to deem them delivered rather than requiring proof of receipt.
These changes align the response time and approach for AMP and Ban notices with those of other OINP processes, such as Notices of Intent to Refuse and Notices of Intent to Cancel a Nomination and enable faster compliance actions.
Closed streams
As part of the redesign of the OINP, the following streams have been closed:
- Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker
- Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills
- Employer Job Offer: International Student
- Master’s Graduate
- PhD Graduate
- Express Entry Human Capital Priorities
- Express Entry French-speaking Skilled Worker
- Express Entry Skilled Trades
Cyprus
New medical certificate requirements for Immigration permits
The Migration Department of Cyprus has announced that, effective 1 September 2026, applications for an Immigration Permit must be supported by the following additional medical certificates:
- Original blood test results conducted outside Cyprus, certifying that the third-country national applicant (as well as any dependents) does not suffer from hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV or syphilis;
- An original chest x-ray for tuberculosis screening, issued in the applicant’s country of origin and/or their last country of residence.
The above documents must be duly certified/legalised, unless a relevant bilateral intergovernmental agreement provides for an exemption from such certification/legalisation requirements.
The submission of the above medical documents will not be required where the applicant is already a holder of a temporary residence permit in Cyprus, under which the required medical certificates have already been submitted and their results are still retained in the relevant administrative file.
Denmark
Positive Lists updated
The Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) has updated the Positive Lists for, respectively, people with a higher education and skilled work, effective 1 July 2026.
The new Positive List for People with a Higher Education includes 164 job titles, while the Positive List for Skilled Work includes 63.
The current update shows a slight decrease in the number of positions on the Positive List for people with a Higher Education and a rise in the number of positions on the Positive list for Skilled Work.
Foreign nationals who have been offered a job included in one of the Positive Lists can apply for a residence and work permit in Denmark based on the scheme.
Those who have been offered a job requiring university level qualifications in a profession with a shortage of qualified professionals can use the Positive List for people with a higher education.
Iceland
Student permit holders no longer need work permits
The Directorate of Immigration has announced that, following recently adopted amendments to the Foreign Nationals Act and the Act on the Employment Rights of Foreign Nationals, holders of student residence permits are no longer required to obtain a separate work permit.
For students who hold a valid student residence permit, this mean that:
- They no longer need to apply for a separate work permit in order to work in Iceland.
- They may work as employees for up to 60% of full-time employment.
- Self-employment remains prohibited.
- Between academic terms, including during the summer and Christmas holidays, students may continue to work full-time.
- When renewing their residence permit, students must provide information about their employment to confirm that they have not exceeded the permitted working hours. Working beyond the permitted limit may result in the loss of the right to work.
The same rules apply to students who applied to renew their residence permit before their previous permit expired and are awaiting a decision on their application. Applicants for their first student residence permit may however not begin working until their residence permit has been issued.
Ireland
Employers advised to submit residence registration renewal requests early
The Immigration Services Registration Office Burgh Quay Dublin is currently experiencing a very large volume of applications, with a current processing time to renew an Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card of approximately 10 weeks.
Following the completion of the renewal of Registration it may take a further two weeks to deliver the new IRP card. Therefore, persons wishing to renew their registration should allow sufficient time to complete the process to ensure they remain in permission while in the State.
If an employee’s IRP card has expired, they have a valid in-date employment permit or hold a permission that does not require one to access employment, and they are unable to obtain a valid registration card by the expiry date of their current IRP card, they are still permitted to remain in Ireland on the existing conditions of their current IRP card for a maximum of 12 weeks.
This 12-week provision is subject to the employee providing proof that they have applied to renew their registration, including when changing stamp category, prior to their current IRP card expiring, and that all required documents, including a valid employment permit (where applicable), were uploaded with the application.
In addition to this post-expiry 12-week provision, customers may submit a renewal up to 12 weeks prior to a current IRP card expiring to allow sufficient time for a case to be reached and processed.
This provides for a 24-week window before and after expiry in which to apply for and obtain a new IRP card.
The Registration Office strongly encourages eligible customers to avail of the opportunity to submit their application 12 weeks before expiry to allow sufficient time for a case to be reached and processed in advance of a current permission expiring.
All permission renewals in Ireland are processed online and applicants are issued with a receipt of application detailing the date of application and a unique application number (OREG number). Once the online renewal application has been approved, an application completed e-mail is sent to the applicant. This email confirmation can be used as proof of registration while the applicant awaits the delivery of their new IRP card.
If, however, their current permission expired prior to submitting an application for renewal, they are considered out of permission and therefore not permitted to remain or work in the State.
Italy
Digital signing of contracts of stay now available
Effective 19 June 2026, it is possible for EU Blue Card applicants to sign their contract of stay digitally through a new portal. Handwritten signatures are still also accepted.
Once the worker has arrived in Italy, the employer or their representative must enter the worker’s entry details via the portal. Subsequently, the employer and employee must sign and return the documentation that the employer will be sent.
New Zealand
New English test rules clarified
From midnight on 12 July 2026 NZST, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will only accept in-person tests for applications where the Occupational English Test (OET) is used as the English language test. This change means that all parts of the English test must be completed in person at a supervised testing facility.
OET is an English language test commonly used by applicants working in the health sector.
Those who have already completed an at-home OET, or who will complete the test by Sunday 12 July 2026, can still use those results for their application.
Those who take the test on or after 13 July 2026 must go to a test centre.
Police certificates required upfront for student and temporary visas
Effective immediately, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) requires police certificates to be provided upfront for student and other temporary visa applications.
If applicants do not include a required police certificate, it may affect their visa decision. The application may be declined.
If a police certificate is required, applicants must upload it when they apply so their application can be assessed with complete information. Receipts or confirmation that they have applied will not be accepted.
Applicants need to ensure their application is complete when they apply.
- If a required police certificate is not included, the application may be declined or, in some cases, granted for a shorter period. INZ will not usually contact applicants to request a missing police certificate.
- Applicants should only apply once they have all required documents ready, including their police certificate. Police certificates can take time to obtain, and processing times vary by country.
- To avoid delays to visa decisions and study or travel plans, applicants should apply for their police certificate early and check timeframes in their home country.
Exceptions for some countries
For applicants from Fiji, Hong Kong and Israel, police certificates are sent directly to INZ by the issuing authority. In these cases, applicants can upload proof they have applied for one.
If a police certificate is missing, the application will be assessed based on the information provided and will not be held while waiting for a police certificate:
If applicants applied from outside New Zealand (offshore) intending to stay in New Zealand for more than 24 months and a required police certificate is missing:
- The application is likely to be declined.
- In some circumstances, applicants may be granted a visa for a shorter duration if eligibility cannot be fully assessed
- To stay longer, applicants will need to apply again with their police certificate and pay a new fee.
If applicants applied from within New Zealand (onshore):
- They may have a short timeframe (for example, five working days) to provide a police certificate if they have not yet spent 24 months in New Zealand.
- If applicants cannot provide it, the visa may be granted for a shorter duration (up to 24 months total stay)
- To stay longer, applicants will need to apply again with the police certificate and pay a new fee.
Saudi Arabia
Government extends deadline for correcting work permit status until end of 2026
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) has announced the extension of the grace period granted to foreign workers whose work permits expired more than months ago, and those who have not been issued work permits within six months from the date of joining the establishment, until the end of 2026.
HRSD stated that the extension aims to increase levels of compliance in the labour market and to give companies and employees an additional opportunity to correct their situation.
HRSD called on employers and employees to take the initiative to renew or issue work permits before the expiration of the deadline, stressing that failure to correct the situation within the specified period will entail the application of the prescribed penalties.
Engineering Saudization Rate Raised to 30% in Private Sector
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD), in cooperation with the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, has announced the implementation of a decision raising the Saudization rate in engineering professions within the private sector to 30% effective 30 June 2026, applicable to establishments employing five or more workers in the applicable professions.
The decision targets 46 engineering professions, including architecture, power generation, industrial, electronics, automotive, marine, and aerospace engineering, with professional accreditation from the Saudi Council of Engineers required.
HRSD supervisory teams have begun monitoring compliance across establishments, with statutory penalties to be imposed on violators following the end of the grace period.
The decision reflects ongoing efforts by both ministries to support national talent and align job opportunities with labour market requirements in the engineering sector.
United Arab Emirates
UAE grants visa-on-arrival to residents of six countries residing outside their home countries
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced that, effective 25 June 2026, it has expanded its visa-on-arrival programme to include certain nationals of six countries and their accompanying family members.
Under the new decision, nationals of the Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Kenya and South Africa holding ordinary passports, along with their accompanying family members, are eligible to obtain a 14-day or 60-day visa on arrival, provided they hold a valid residence permit issued by the United States, a European Union member state, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand or Canada.
Eligible travellers have the following options in obtaining their visas:
- A 14 day stay for a fee of AED 100, which may be extended once for an additional 14 days for a fee of AED 25;
- A non-extendable 60-day stay with a fee of AED 250.
Upon the expiry of either visa, holders are required to depart the country. An overstay fine of AED 50 per day will apply to those who remain beyond the permitted period.
United States
DHS clarifies alien registration requirement
On 25 June 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule finalizing its interim final rule of 12 March 2025 which introduced a new alien registration procedure for otherwise unregistered foreign nationals.
The final rule, effective 29 June 2026, responds to public comments, amends DHS regulations to adjust the lists of forms and processes that may serve as registration forms and evidence of alien registration, and seeks comments on other potential changes to the regulations relating to alien registration and fingerprinting.
The final rule clarifies the following:
- Children subject to registration are required to re-register within 30 days of turning 14, including foreign national children who entered the United States on a visa and Canadian children who entered the United States without a visa. However, permanent resident children who turn 14 must re-register by submitting a Form I-90 to replace their green card, rather than via the online G-325R registration form.
- Foreign nationals who enter via the Trusted Traveller Program are considered registered and are therefore exempt from the online registration requirement.
- Canadian nationals can meet the registration requirement by requesting Form I-94 before travelling, rather than completing the online G-325R registration form. Canadian nationals who have not received an I-94 must register if they will remain in the United States for more than 30 days.
In the final rule, DHS also requests comments, by 28 August 2026, on proposed further amendments to online registration, including adding further exemptions from the registration requirement, removing some documents currently considered acceptable proof of registration and waiving the fingerprint requirement for nationals of Canada or of visa-waiver countries who have nonimmigrant status.
USCIS briefly extends TPS Employment Authorization for several countries
On 1 July 2026, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the extension until 10 July 2026 of Employment authorization documents for individuals granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Burma (Myanmar), Ethiopia, Haiti, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
The short-term extension follows the recent decision by the Supreme Court to allow the government to terminate TPS for Haiti and Syria, and is intended to allow lower courts to align with the Supreme Court decision in other TPS termination-related challenges.