📅 Immigration Policy Changes Timeline 2025–2026

Earned Settlement confirmed: 10-year ILR baseline

The Home Office published its consultation response. Standard qualifying period for ILR rises from 5 to 10 years; 5 years for earnings above £50,270 (three of the last five years), public service workers and partners of British citizens; 3 years above £125,140; 20 years after immigration breaches. The 15-year proposal was dropped. Rules start to be laid from December 2026, with implementation during 2027.

Express Entry rescoring: high-wage bonus and job offer points return, no LMIA needed

A new Labour Market Integration factor (up to 150 points) gives Canadian work experience points plus a 20, 40 or 70-point bonus for 12+ months in a high-wage occupation, or 50, 70 or 100 points for a job offer in a high-wage occupation, whichever is higher. An LMIA is no longer required for a job offer to count. IRCC paused invitations for up to two weeks while it recalculates every profile. Announced 16 October 2026.

Express Entry: French round #452 (CRS 407) and Transport round #453 (CRS 477)

IRCC invited 5,000 French-proficient candidates at CRS 407 on 27 October and 150 transport-occupation candidates at CRS 477 on 28 October. In 2026 to date there have been no all-program or STEM rounds. CEC rounds cut off at 507–523 and PNP rounds at 697–805.

Second court vacates the $100,000 H-1B payment

A federal judge in the Northern District of California (Global Nurse Force v. Trump) vacated the $100,000 H-1B payment and the renewed September 2026 proclamation, barring enforcement until notice-and-comment rulemaking. This follows the 8 June 2026 Massachusetts ruling, which the First Circuit refused to pause on 24 July. Appeals are pending.

Skilled Migrant Category changes take effect

Overseas bachelor's degrees rose from 3 to 4 points, and NZ qualifications now score 1 point more. Two years of NZ skilled work now earns the full 3 bonus points. Two new non-points pathways opened: Skilled Work Experience and Trades and Technician.

PNP allocation top-ups for Alberta and BC

Alberta's 2026 nominations rose to 6,603 and BC's to 6,254. Ontario has the largest 2026 allocation at 14,119.

FY2027 H-1B cap reached, with no second lottery

USCIS received enough petitions for the 65,000 regular cap and 20,000 master's cap. FY2027 was the first wage-weighted lottery, with 211,600 registrations (down 38.5%).

Express Entry Draw #421 — Canadian Experience Class (CRS 516)

IRCC held a Canadian Experience Class draw inviting 4,000 candidates with a minimum CRS of 516. CEC cutoffs have stayed in the 507–523 range throughout 2026; there have been no all-program draws.

Earned Settlement Consultation Results Awaited

The Home Office consultation on extending the standard ILR qualifying period from 5 to 10 years closed February 12, 2026. As of late June 2026, no draft Immigration Rules implementing the change have been laid before Parliament. The existing 5-year route remains in force.

Express Entry Draw #416 — General All Programs (CRS 524)

First general "all programs" draw of 2026 since IRCC shifted toward category-based draws. Cutoff of 524 was among the highest in recent months, reflecting a competitive pool.

New Express Entry Category: Physicians (CRS as low as 169)

IRCC launched a dedicated Express Entry category for Physicians with Canadian Work Experience. First draw invited candidates at CRS scores as low as 169 — far below any other category. Separate from 5,000 extra PNP spaces also reserved for doctors.

English Requirement for ILR Raised: B1 → B2 (effective March 2027)

Statement of Changes HC 1691 laid before Parliament confirms English language requirement for settlement on many routes will rise from B1 to B2 CEFR level, taking effect March 26, 2027. Affects applicants already on settlement pathways — not just new applicants.

Graduate Visa Shortened to 18 Months (from 24 months)

HC 1691 also confirmed the Graduate visa post-study work period is reduced from 24 months to 18 months for new applicants from January 1, 2027. PhD holders retain 36 months.

PhD Students: No PAL/TAL Required + 14-Day Processing

Doctoral and master's students at public Designated Learning Institutions are now fully exempt from the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) and Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL) requirement. PhD study permit applications are now processed within 14 days.

2026 Immigration Levels Plan: 380,000 PR Target, PNP Up 65%

Canada's 2026–2028 Levels Plan sets 380,000 new permanent residents annually. The Provincial Nominee Program allocation jumped from 55,000 to 91,500 (+65%). Express Entry (now Federal High Skilled) receives 109,000 spots — slightly down from 2025. Three new categories added: Physicians, Researchers, Senior Managers. Agriculture category removed.

Accelerated PR Pathway for 33,000 Work Permit Holders

Budget 2025 introduced a one-time measure to accelerate PR for up to 33,000 work permit holders in Canada during 2026–2027, prioritising rural workers and high-demand sectors. Program details and application process still being finalised as of mid-2026.

UK Shortage Occupation List Reduced

The UK shortage occupation list was significantly reduced, removing several roles that previously qualified for lower salary thresholds. Remaining shortage occupations still benefit from reduced thresholds but fewer roles now qualify.

Genuine Student Requirement Replaces Genuine Temporary Entrant

Australia replaced the long-standing Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) test with a new Genuine Student (GS) requirement for student visa applications. The new test focuses more specifically on academic intentions rather than intent to return home after study.

H-1B Petition Fee Raised to $100,000 for Outsourcing-Heavy Employers

A new $100,000 per H-1B petition fee was introduced targeting employers placing workers at third-party client sites (primarily IT staffing and outsourcing firms). Standard employer H-1B fees remain lower. Major impact on Indian IT workers employed via outsourcing firms.

UK Spouse Visa Income Threshold Rose — Confirm Current Figure on GOV.UK

The minimum income requirement for the UK spouse/family visa rose in April 2024 and has continued to change since. Because this figure is reviewed periodically, always confirm the exact current threshold directly on GOV.UK before relying on any estimate.

International Student Work Hours Increased: 20 hrs → 24 hrs/week

IRCC increased the maximum off-campus work hours for international students during academic terms from 20 to 24 hours per week. Work during scheduled breaks (summer, winter) remains unlimited.

NZ Biosecurity — NZD $400–800 Instant Fines for Undeclared Items

New Zealand's biosecurity enforcement remains the world's strictest. Undeclared food (including airline snacks), mud on shoes or outdoor gear, honey, bee products, wood, and plants trigger an instant NZD $400 fine (a 2026 bill would raise it to $800 for high-risk items, but it is not yet in force). Serious or knowing breaches can result in prosecution up to NZD $500,000. Amnesty bins are placed before customs — use them freely with no penalty.

NZ Skilled Migrant Category — EOI System Continues

New Zealand's Skilled Migrant Category continues to use an Expression of Interest (EOI) pool system. Since October 2023 it has used a simple 6-point test (qualifications, registration or income, plus up to 3 points for NZ work). The old 160-point system no longer applies, and the points were updated again on 24 August 2026. The pathway also qualifies graduates of NZ universities working in skilled roles.

Germany Skilled Immigration Act — Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) Active

Germany's reformed Skilled Immigration Act introduced the Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) for qualified workers to enter Germany for up to 1 year to search for a job, without needing a job offer first. Eligibility requires a recognised foreign qualification and sufficient financial resources. This is a significant new pathway that was not available before 2024.

EU Blue Card Threshold Lowered — PR in 27 Months

The EU Blue Card for Germany now requires a minimum salary of €50,700/year for most professions (€45,934.20/year for shortage occupations like IT and healthcare). Blue Card holders can apply for permanent residence after 27 months (or 21 months with B1 German language) — making Germany one of the fastest PR routes in Europe for qualifying professionals.

Australia Biosecurity — AUD $630 On-the-Spot Fines for Undeclared Items

Australia enforces strict biosecurity rules at all ports of entry. Undeclared food (including packaged goods, airline snacks), plant material, wooden items, and animal products trigger an immediate AUD $630 infringement notice. Higher penalties apply for repeat offences or deliberate smuggling. Amnesty bins are placed before customs — use them with no penalty.

US EB-2 Green Card — India Backlog Estimated 12-15+ Years

The 7% per-country annual cap on employment-based green cards means Indian EB-2 applicants face a wait of 12-15+ years under current Visa Bulletin movement rates. Many Indian professionals are now pursuing Canada PR (12–18 months typical) as a parallel or primary strategy. EB-1A (extraordinary ability) remains the fastest route with no per-country backlog.

Portugal D8 Digital Nomad Visa Active — Path to EU Citizenship in 5 Years

Portugal's D8 Digital Nomad Visa allows remote workers earning above the Portuguese minimum wage (currently around €3,040/month) from non-Portuguese employers to live in Portugal legally. Following a May 2026 Nationality Law reform, the residency-to-citizenship wait is now 10 years for most nationalities (7 for EU/CPLP nationals), up from the previously well-known 5 years — giving full EU freedom of movement across all 27 EU member states once granted. The D7 passive income visa is a parallel route for those with investment or pension income.

Critical Skills Employment Permit Thresholds Raised

As part of Ireland's phased 2025 MAR Roadmap, Critical Skills Employment Permit thresholds rose to €40,904/year for standard listed occupations (up from €38,000), €36,848/year for recent graduates, and €68,911/year for the high-earner route covering almost any occupation. Thresholds are scheduled to keep rising annually through 2030.

Golden Visa Now Accepts Mortgaged and Off-Plan Property

The UAE's real estate investor route for the 10-year Golden Visa previously required outright property ownership. As of February 2026, mortgaged and off-plan properties now qualify, provided the certified value reaches the AED 2,000,000 threshold and a bank or developer no-objection certificate (NOC) is provided — significantly widening access for buyers using financing.

Employment Pass Qualifying Salary Floors Raised

Singapore's Employment Pass qualifying salary floor rose to S$5,600/month for most sectors and S$6,200/month for financial services (age-23 baseline, rising with candidate age). Both floors are scheduled to increase again to S$6,000 and S$6,600 respectively from January 1, 2027. The COMPASS points framework and the S$22,500/month exemption threshold are unchanged.