The changes that matter most for expats in 2026 are closed routes, moved salary thresholds, and points-system overhauls. Below is each one in the routes Transita monitors, linked to the official source. Our catalogue was last re-verified on Oct 8, 2026.
Routes closed to new applications
These routes still exist in law but cannot be applied for today. A plan built on one of them will stall at the consulate.
- Business Innovation and Investment (subclass 188A) (Australia). Australia closed the Business Innovation and Investment Program to new applications on 31 July 2024. You cannot apply for a subclass 188 today. Applications lodged before that date are still being processed. Confirmed Aug 6, 2026 against the official notice.
- Job Seeker Visa (Portugal). Portuguese consulates are not currently accepting applications for this visa. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists it as "NOT YET AVAILABLE AT PORTUGUESE CONSULAR OFFICES", pending regulation of Article 57-A of the Foreigners' Law. Do not plan a move around this route until that regulation lands. Confirmed Jul 18, 2026 against the official notice.
Rule changes we reported
Each of these links to our write-up and to the government source it is based on.
- Spain Digital Nomad Visa: €2,849/month income threshold for 2026 (Sep 14, 2026). Spain's Digital Nomad Visa income floor increased to EUR 2,849/month for 2026 following the January SMI update. What that means for applicants and how family multipliers work. Official source.
- Canada Express Entry: July draws hold CEC at 517, PNP cutoff hits a 2026 low (Jul 8, 2026). Category and provincial routes are doing the heavy lifting. July 7's CEC draw closed at CRS 517; the July 6 PNP round's 708 is the year's lowest base score. Official source.
- New Zealand confirms Skilled Migrant Category overhaul, live from 24 August 2026 (Jun 19, 2026). Immigration NZ has locked in the final SMC changes: one wage threshold, a points bump for degree holders, and two new pathways. The maths changes on 24 August. Official source.
- US H-1B: the $100,000 fee was struck down, then reinstated within days (Jun 15, 2026). A federal court ruled the $100,000 H-1B fee unlawful on June 8, then stayed its own ruling on June 12. Here is exactly where it stands and who it applies to. Official source.
- Ireland reshuffles its work-permit occupation lists: 32 changes now in force (May 29, 2026). Ireland added six roles to the Critical Skills list and opened nine more to General Employment Permits with no quota. Your route in may have just got easier. Official source.
- Canada Express Entry: April 28 CEC round closed at CRS 547, 4,500 ITAs (May 4, 2026). The April 28 Canadian Experience Class round closed at CRS 547 with 4,500 ITAs. How to read it against your own CRS score. Official source.
- US H-1B FY2026: lottery closed, ~18% selection rate, four serious alternatives (May 4, 2026). FY2026 H-1B selections are done. If you missed out, the realistic alternatives are EB-3, J-1 research, F-1 OPT/STEM-OPT and O-1. Official source.
Salary thresholds, most recently checked first
Salary floors on many routes are revised over time. These are the current published figures we hold, with the date we last read each one from the official page.
| Route | Country | Current floor | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU Blue Card | Germany | EUR 50,700/yr (≈ $58,102/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| Highly Qualified Professional | Spain | EUR 41,356.36/yr (≈ $47,394/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| Highly Skilled Migrant | Netherlands | EUR 5,942/mo (≈ $81,714/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| EU Blue Card (Netherlands) | Netherlands | EUR 5,942/mo (≈ $81,714/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| D8 Digital Nomad Visa | Portugal | EUR 3,680/mo (≈ $50,607/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| Tech Visa | Portugal | EUR 1,342.83/mo (≈ $18,467/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| Health and Care Worker Visa | United Kingdom | GBP 25,000/yr (≈ $33,361/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| Straight to Residence | New Zealand | NZD 35/hr (≈ $41,573/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| Critical Skills Employment Permit | Ireland | EUR 40,904/yr (≈ $46,876/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| General Employment Permit | Ireland | EUR 36,605/yr (≈ $41,949/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| Green Visa (Skilled Worker) | United Arab Emirates | AED 15,000/mo (≈ $49,013/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| Virtual Work Residence Visa | United Arab Emirates | USD 3,500/mo (≈ $42,000/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| Talent Passport (Qualified Employee) | France | EUR 39,582/yr (≈ $45,361/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| Talent Passport (EU Blue Card) | France | EUR 59,373/yr (≈ $68,041/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| Digital Nomad Visa | Italy | EUR 24,789/yr (≈ $28,408/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| EU Blue Card | Italy | EUR 36,278.51/yr (≈ $41,575/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| Elective Residence Visa | Italy | EUR 31,000/yr (≈ $35,526/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| Employment Pass | Singapore | SGD 5,600/mo (≈ $52,564/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| S Pass | Singapore | SGD 3,300/mo (≈ $30,975/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| Personalised Employment Pass | Singapore | SGD 22,500/mo (≈ $211,194/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass | Singapore | SGD 30,000/mo (≈ $281,592/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| Long-Term Resident Visa (Work-from-Thailand Professional) | Thailand | USD 80,000/yr (≈ $80,000/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| Long-Term Resident Visa (Highly-Skilled Professional) | Thailand | USD 80,000/yr (≈ $80,000/yr) | Sep 18, 2026 |
| Digital Nomad Visa | Spain | EUR 34,188/yr (≈ $37,504/yr) | Sep 14, 2026 |
| Skilled Worker Visa | United Kingdom | GBP 41,700/yr (≈ $56,462/yr) | Sep 4, 2026 |
Check the rule in the month you apply
Related guides
For how exchange rates move these thresholds without any rule change, see visa thresholds and currency risk. For tax regimes that changed, see expat tax by country. All news is collected on the news page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the biggest visa changes for expats in 2026?
Closed routes are the change most likely to derail a plan. Business Innovation and Investment (subclass 188A) (Australia): Australia closed the Business Innovation and Investment Program to new applications on 31 July 2024. You cannot apply for a subclass 188 today. Applications lodged before that date are still being processed. Job Seeker Visa (Portugal): Portuguese consulates are not currently accepting applications for this visa. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists it as "NOT YET AVAILABLE AT PORTUGUESE CONSULAR OFFICES", pending regulation of Article 57-A of the Foreigners' Law. Do not plan a move around this route until that regulation lands. Salary thresholds also moved on several work routes, and New Zealand overhauled its Skilled Migrant Category.
Which visas are closed to new applications right now?
Of the routes Transita tracks, the Business Innovation and Investment (subclass 188A) (Australia) and the Job Seeker Visa (Portugal) cannot be applied for today. We keep them in our data so you can see why, but never recommend them.
How do I know if a visa rule has changed since I started planning?
Check the official page for your route shortly before you apply, and compare the date it was last updated with the date you read it. Transita shows the date it last verified each route on that route's page, and a workspace alerts you when a tracked route changes.
Do visa changes apply to people already in the process?
It depends on the rule, and Transita does not hold a general answer. Read the official announcement for the change you care about, including any transitional provisions, rather than the headline alone.
How often do salary thresholds change?
It varies by country, so the useful habit is checking the date. The table on this page shows when we last read each of the 25 thresholds we hold. Thresholds set in a local currency also move in dollar terms with the exchange rate even when the rule does not change.
Get told when a route you are tracking changes
Transita watches the official pages behind every route in your workspace and flags changes to fees, thresholds and status. Answer 8 questions and your routes, documents and dates are set up for you. Free.
Build my workspaceofficial sources: SC 188A · immi.homeaffairs.gov.au·Visto de Procura de Trabalho · vistos.mne.gov.pt·§18g AufenthG · bamf.de·HQP · inclusion.gob.es·Kennismigrant · ind.nl·EU Blue Card NL · ind.nl·Tech Visa · iapmei.pt·Health and Care Worker · gov.uk·STR · immigration.govt.nz·CSEP · enterprise.gov.ie·GEP · enterprise.gov.ie·Green Residence · u.ae·Remote Work Residence · gdrfad.gov.ae·Passeport Talent - salarié qualifié · france-visas.gouv.fr·DM 29.02.2024 · consnewyork.esteri.it·Carta Blu UE · home-affairs.ec.europa.eu·Residenza Elettiva · consboston.esteri.it·EP · mom.gov.sg·S Pass · mom.gov.sg·PEP · mom.gov.sg·ONE Pass · mom.gov.sg·LTR (WFTP) · ltr.boi.go.th·Ley de Startups (Art. 74-78) · exteriores.gob.es·Skilled Worker · gov.uk·Skilled Worker success-rate data · gov.uk