Biometric collection widens for visa applicants in India

From 26 October, the Australian Department of Home Affairs has widened biometric collection for people applying from India. Many new applications lodged on or after that date now need fingerprints and a facial photo before a decision is made. Applicants receive a formal biometric request from Home Affairs, usually by email, and can then give biometrics at one of the Australian Biometrics Collection Centres across India run by VFS Global. Some applicants may be allowed to use the Australian Immi App instead of visiting a centre.

Visas already granted, and applications lodged before 26 October, are not affected. India is simply being brought into line with the wider system Australia already operates.

Decreto Flussi 2027 opens with 165,850 work visa places

Italy's Interior Ministry opened the prefilling stage for the 2027 Decreto Flussi on 23 October. This is the yearly quota system that lets Italian employers hire workers from outside the EU. A total of 165,850 entries are planned for 2027.

Prefilling runs until 7 December on the ministry portal, with a short window from 9 to 13 December to finalise forms. Prefilling is not the actual submission. The real applications go in on click days.

Court win has not released most visas stuck in the 75 country pause

A federal court ruled in August, in CLINIC v. Rubio, that the State Department's immigrant visa pause for nationals of 75 countries was unlawful, and ordered refused cases to be looked at again. New reporting this week shows how slow the recovery is.

The other 388 were refused on different legal grounds. The court set no deadline, and the government says each case must be reviewed one by one with no fixed timeline.

Draw 451 lands days before the Express Entry scoring reset

IRCC held Express Entry Draw 451 on 26 October, inviting 792 Provincial Nominee Program candidates with a minimum CRS score of 761. It comes just days before 3 November, when points for high wage occupations begin, an LMIA is no longer needed for job offer points, and every profile in the pool is rescored.

Prime Minister backs earned settlement, but the rules are still not final

On 26 October, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he agrees with the principle that settlement in the UK should be earned through contribution. He did not commit to every part of Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's plan, which proposes moving the default wait for Indefinite Leave to Remain from five years to ten, with longer periods for some groups, including 15 years for lower skilled roles such as care work. More than 100 Labour MPs and major unions oppose the care worker change, and concessions for health and care staff are being discussed.

No Immigration Rules have changed yet. The government says the final policy will come through a Statement of Changes before February 2027. The only confirmed change is that the English requirement for settlement rises from B1 to B2 on 26 March 2027.

Congress passes a tougher expulsion law

Chile's Congress gave final approval on 20 October to a law that speeds up expulsions of migrants without legal status. Police can ask a judge for permission to enter a home to detain someone who has a final expulsion order. President José Antonio Kast still needs to sign it, and it must be published before it takes effect.

A softer first step for sponsor mistakes from 1 November

From 1 November, the Dutch immigration service IND will run a one year pilot for recognised sponsors. For certain reporting and record keeping slips, such as late notice of an expiring residence permit, the IND may first contact the employer, hold an information session or call a compliance meeting before giving a warning or a fine. Fraud, abuse and serious misconduct are not covered.

Lottery instructions, two comment deadlines and a fee still blocked

The State Department must publish DV 2027 lottery instructions by 29 October, with registration opening on 1 November under a court order. Public comments close on 10 November for the proposal to remove the 60 day grace period for laid off visa workers, and on 13 November for the proposal to end USCIS deference to earlier H-1B, L-1, O and TN approvals. The 100,000 dollar H-1B fee remains blocked by the courts.

Mark your calendar

No further major announcements found today

Sources were also monitored across Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the rest of Latin America. No major new policy change or announcement carrying today's date was identified in those regions.

This reflects the sources identified for this edition and is not a statement that nothing was published anywhere.

Put the new step on the timeline the day it appears

When a process gains a step, such as a biometric request or a click day, it belongs on the client's written timeline immediately rather than at the point it becomes urgent. Most complaints this week will not come from refusals. They will come from clients who did not know a step existed until it delayed them.

One line in the client checklist does the work: what the step is, who triggers it, and how much time it adds. That line saves hours of explaining later, and it is also the clearest record that the file was handled properly if anyone asks afterwards.

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