Ireland
Right to work for Minor Children of Employment Permit Holders
Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) has announced that dependant minor children of Critical Skills Employment Permit, General Employment Permit and Intra-Corporate Transferee Irish Employment Permit holders, and Researchers on Hosting Agreements, who have applied for and been granted family reunification in accordance with the Non-EEA Family Reunification Policy, will now be registered on a Stamp 1G permission upon reaching 16 years of age, rather than a Stamp 3. This will allow the holder to take up employment without the need to obtain a separate Employment Permit of their own.
This is as an outcome of the Non-EEA Family Reunification Policy review.
The application process to be joined by minor children in Ireland remains in place and has been revised.
Arrangements for eligible dependant minor children in Ireland who already hold a ‘Stamp 3’ permission
As an exceptional measure, eligible dependant minor children with a Stamp 3 endorsed on their current in-date Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card have had their permission to remain in the country varied to the same conditions as Stamp 1G.
- Eligible dependant minor children do not need to make a new application to the Registration Office to change their current permission from Stamp 3 to Stamp 1G, or acquire a new IRP card.
- The amended Stamp 3 permission came into effect from 26 November 2025.
- A new Irish Residence Permit on Stamp 1G conditions will be issued to eligible persons when they seek to renew their current Stamp 3 permission upon its expiry.
- Eligible dependant minor children do not need to acquire a new IRP card to engage in employment. During the transition period until 26 November 2026, they can provide this explanatory letter to prospective employers in conjunction with their current IRP card endorsed with a Stamp 3.
Who is eligible?
This varying of permission applies to those who met the following criteria on 26 November 2024:
- They are the child of:
- A General Employment Permit (GEP) holder;
- A Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP) holder;
- An Intra-Corporate Transferee (ICT) permit holder;
- A Researcher on a Hosting Agreement; or
- A person who previously held one of the above and is now on Stamp 4 permission.
- They hold a current, valid permission to reside in Ireland under the Non-EEA Family Reunification Policy;
- That permission was originally granted while they were an unmarried, dependant minor child aged under 18 of their sponsor (this includes those aged 18 – 23 in full-time education);
- They are legally resident in Ireland on a valid Stamp 3;
- They wish to engage in employment in Ireland;
- They are not a citizen of the EU/EEA/UK/Switzerland.
Who is not eligible?
- Adult children of any sponsor who have been granted permission under the Non-EEA Family Reunification Policy based on exceptional circumstances;
- All other family members of Employment Permit, Hosting Agreement or Intra-Corporate Transferee Permit holders;
- A dependant minor child of an Employment Permit, Hosting Agreement or Intra-Corporate Transferee Permit holder, who is present in Ireland on a different type of permission, such as visitor conditions or Stamp 2 (study);
- A minor child of an Employment Permit, Hosting Agreement or Intra-Corporate Transferee Permit holder who does not have permission be in Ireland;
- Stamp 3 holders, who have been issued Stamp 3 permission for other reasons and are not dependant minor children of an Employment Permit, Hosting Agreement or Intra-Corporate Transferee Permit holder.
Immigration conditions attached to a Stamp 1G permission
- Permitted to work in the State without the requirement to obtain an employment permit;
- Permitted to undertake courses of study in the State;
- Not permitted to establish or operate a business;
- Not permitted to be self-employed;
- Renewal of the Stamp 1G registration is required annually.
Italy
Decree permits work permits for certain descendants of Italian citizens
On 24 November 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a decree identifying the nationalities of descendants of Italian citizens who qualify for a quota-free work permit.
Descendants of Italian citizens who are nationals of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela are eligible to apply if they have received a job offer from an employer in Italy.
Poland
Digitization of procedures for legalization of stay of foreigners
The government of Poland is planning to require residence permit applications to be submitted electronically from sometime in 2026.
The law allowing for these changes has been passed by the parliament and is awaiting the President’s signature. A date has not yet been set for the launch of the dedicated residence permit application portal, called Moduł Obsługi Case (MOS).
Applicants will not have to book a date to submit an application or stand in queues and they will be able to save and return to partially completed applications. Access to the MOS portal will be free. Users will be able to submit an application themselves, without having to use the services of paid intermediaries. The only costs incurred are the stamp duty when submitting the application (in the amount depending on the type of permit) and the fee for issuing a residence card (100 PLN).
After the application is verified and approved by an employee of the provincial office, applicants will be able to download and print from the system a certificate of application for a residence permit in Poland, which will replace the current stamp in the passport.
Applicants will be called to the provincial office to submit fingerprints and a signature template and, if necessary, to complete the information contained in the application or attach additional documents to the application.
Those who are issued a positive decision granting a residence permit will receive information from the voivodeship office about collecting a residence card.
Switzerland
Federal Council maintains the same work permit quotas for 2026
On 19 November 2025, the Federal Council decided to keep unchanged the quotas for workers from third (non-EU) countries and for service providers from the member countries of the European Union (EU) or the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and for nationals of the United Kingdom.
The partial revision to this effect of the Ordinance on the Admission, Stay and Exercise of a Gainful Activity (OASA) will enter into force on 1 January 2026.
Labour immigration to Switzerland from third countries is subject to restrictions. Authorizations are issued according to the needs of companies and taking into account the economic interests of the country, priority being given first to workers in Switzerland, then to those from EU or EFTA Member States.
Next year, 8500 skilled workers from third countries can be recruited again: 4500 will benefit from a residence permit (B permit) and 4000 from a short-term residence permit (L permit).
The ceilings valid for service providers from EU or EFTA countries whose mission duration in Switzerland exceeds 90 or 120 days per year will also remain unchanged. In 2025, 3000 L authorizations and 500 B authorizations will be available for this category of workers. As before, they will be granted quarterly to the cantons.
Up to 3500 British workers will be able to be recruited again in 2026: 2100 under a B permit and 1400 under an L permit.
At the end of September 2025, the cantons had used about 52% of the quotas for workers from third countries (L and B permits) and those reserved for EU or EFTA service providers (L and B permits), up to 38%. As in the past, the maximum numbers applicable to workers from the United Kingdom were little used (17% at the end of September for L and B permits).
Federal Council decides on activation of safeguard clause with regard to Croatia
At its meeting on 26 November 2025, the Federal Council decided that the unilateral safeguard clause relating to Croatia will be reactivated should the number of workers entering Switzerland from Croatia exceed a certain threshold by 31 December 2025. Quotas on the number of Croatian nationals coming to work in Switzerland may thus apply again next year.
The Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (AFMP) concluded with the European Union was extended to Croatia by an additional protocol, which entered into force on 1 January 2017. This protocol provides for the gradual opening up of the Swiss labour market to Croatian nationals over a period of ten years. Switzerland has the option of activating the safeguard clause one last time in 2026. From 1 January 2027, Croatian nationals will benefit from full freedom of movement, on the same basis as nationals of other EU member states.
This measure may be implemented if, by 31 December 2025, the number of permits issued to Croatian workers reaches 2,004 residence permits (B permits) or 1,116 short-term permits (L permits). As soon as the threshold for either type of permit (B or L) is exceeded, the safeguard clause can be activated.
The Federal Council will decide on this issue in January 2026, based on the permit numbers reached by 31 December 2025. If the thresholds are not reached by that date, Switzerland will not reintroduce quotas for Croatia next year. From January to the end of October of this year, Switzerland issued 1,492 B permits and 656 L permits to Croatian nationals.
United Kingdom
Planned reforms to permanent settlement rules
On 20 November 2025, the Home Office announced significant changes to the legal migration system, including much longer qualifying periods and contribution-based criteria for obtaining permanent settlement.
The changes will apply to almost two million migrants who arrived in the UK from 2021, subject to consultation. It will not apply to those with existing settled status.
- Earlier this year, the government announced it would double the permanent settlement qualifying period for migrants to 10 years, with reductions for those “making a strong contribution to British life”.
- Low-paid workers, such as the 616,000 people and their dependants who came on health and social care visas between 2022 and 2024, would be subject to a 15-year baseline. The route was closed earlier this year following widespread abuse.
- There will be penalties for immigrants exploiting the system.
- Migrants reliant on benefits face a 20-year wait for settlement – quadruple the current period.
- Another proposal would allow migrants to become eligible for benefits and social housing only after they become British citizens, rather than upon being granted settlement as is currently the case.
- Illegal migrants and visa overstayers would have to wait up to 30 years to settle, removing the prospect of long-term residence and security in the UK.
- In contrast, doctors and nurses working in the NHS will be able to settle after five years. Certain international talent could have settlement fast-tracked – with high earners and entrepreneurs able to stay after just three years.
Other key proposals include:
- Migrants should have a clean criminal record if they wish to settle – work will take place to consider the precise threshold at which this is applied, building on rules announced earlier this year to reduce the deportation threshold.
- Immediate family members of UK citizens, and Hong Kong BN(O)s will retain their existing five-year pathway to settlement.
- Five-year pathway for skilled frontline public service workers.
- Migrants on Global Talent or Innovator Founder visas for at least three years could only have to wait three years for settlement, a seven-year reduction on the 10-year baseline.
- Migrants making national insurance contributions will receive settlement after 10 years, but higher and additional rate taxpayers will benefit from reduced periods in recognition of their contribution.
- Migrants could also receive a discount for integration – this includes speaking English to a high standard and volunteering.
Under the current system, settlement is typically granted with few conditions after five years in the UK, which allows access to public funds. This includes those who arrived on economic routes, including Skilled Worker visas, as well as family and humanitarian routes.
Citizenship can be granted a year later but bestows few additional benefits. Restricting benefits to British citizens only would mean even those granted settlement after meeting the tougher conditions would not automatically be entitled to public funds.
As part of the asylum reforms announced earlier this week, recognised refugees who came to the UK legally will be subject to a 20-year settlement qualifying period.
Refugees will still retain their eligibility for public funds, subject to stricter conditions.
The Home Office opened its consultation on these proposed changes on 20 November 2025. The consultation is open to contributions until 12 February 2026.
ETA scheme set to be enforced
The Home Office has announced that, effective 25 February 2026, visitors from 85 nationalities, including the United States, Canada, and France, who do not need a visa will not be able to legally travel to the UK without an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).
Enforcing will mean that everyone who wants to come to the UK must have digital permission through either an ETA or an eVisa. Carriers will be checking people before they travel.
Since the launch of ETA in October 2023, more than 13.3 million visitors have successfully applied for the scheme.
While ETA was being rolled out, it was not strictly enforced, to give visitors time to adjust to the new requirement.
Applying for an ETA is quick and simple through the official UK ETA app, and the cost is £16. While most people currently get a decision automatically in minutes, it is recommended to allow three working days to account for the small number of cases that require additional review.
British and Irish citizens, including dual citizens, are exempt from needing an ETA. The UK government strongly advises dual British citizens to make sure they have a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement, to avoid problems like being denied boarding when travelling to the UK from 25 February 2026.
