Temporary border checks between Spain and Italy end from 23 October

On 22 October, the interior ministers of Italy and Spain agreed not to extend the additional border checks the two countries placed on each other in August, after the migrant crisis in Ceuta. Spain's current order expires at midnight tonight, so normal Schengen travel between the two countries resumes from Friday, 23 October.

The checks covered passengers on direct flights and ferries between Spain and Italy. Anyone travelling today may still be stopped under the order that is still in force.

Two work visas open exclusively to Indian citizens under the new trade agreement

The India and New Zealand Free Trade Agreement came into force on 20 October, and Immigration New Zealand opened two work visa categories reserved for Indian citizens: the India Skilled Work Visa and the India Iconic Work Visa.

Applicants need a full time job offer from an accredited employer in a listed occupation, matching qualifications and experience, an accepted English test result, and they must apply from outside New Zealand. Neither visa leads to residence. From 16 November, Indian PhD graduates of New Zealand institutions also receive extended post study work rights.

Ordered departure from Saudi Arabia is likely to slow US visa services

On 21 October, the US State Department ordered staff not needed for emergency operations, together with their families, to leave the embassy in Riyadh and the consulates in Saudi Arabia. This follows Houthi attacks on Saudi airports and infrastructure. AP reports that King Khalid airport in Riyadh has been closed since 10 October.

The order itself sets out no new rules on visa appointments. The practical effect comes from staffing, because fewer officers on the ground usually means fewer interview slots.

Ministerial Direction 123 tightens the character test from 31 October

From 31 October 2026, Ministerial Direction 123 replaces Direction 110 as the framework for refusing or cancelling visas on character grounds. It was signed on 18 September. Decision makers will give more weight to protecting the community and less weight to a person's ties to Australia, including the impact on Australian businesses. A wider range of family violence behaviour also comes into consideration.

Tuberculosis screening extends to Indonesian applicants from 2 November

Japan's Ministry of Health says designated panel clinics in Indonesia will start tuberculosis screening on 2 November 2026. From 4 January 2027, Indonesian nationals applying for a Certificate of Eligibility or a long stay visa must submit a TB Clearance Certificate. The rule already applies to the Philippines, Nepal and Vietnam. Dates for Myanmar and China are not fixed yet.

Express Entry draws pause ahead of the 3 November scoring changes

IRCC announced on 16 October that new Comprehensive Ranking System rules start on 3 November 2026. Candidates with eligible Canadian work experience, or a qualifying job offer in a high wage occupation, will get extra points, and those job offers will no longer need an LMIA. IRCC will recalculate scores and pause invitation rounds for up to two weeks.

Health insurance becomes mandatory for residents from 31 October

Bahrain's Supreme Council of Health has confirmed that the National Health Insurance Programme for Residents starts on 31 October 2026. Insurance cover will be linked to the issue and renewal of work and residence permits. This comes on top of the rule in force since September, under which dependants applying for new residence permits must hold valid health insurance.

Mark your calendar

No further major announcements found today

Official sources were also checked for the United Kingdom, Germany and the wider European Union, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, China, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Africa and 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.

Verify the employer before any fee changes hands

Before a client pays anything towards New Zealand's India Skilled or India Iconic Work Visa, check the employer directly on Immigration New Zealand's own list of accredited employers. A job offer from an employer that is not accredited cannot support either visa, so the fee buys an application that cannot succeed.

Fake job offers follow every new visa launch, usually within days, because the category is new enough that applicants have nothing to compare it against. The accredited employer list is public and takes a minute to search, and it is the single check that separates a real offer from a manufactured one.

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