Cyprus
New medical certificate requirements for Immigration permits
The Migration Department of Cyprus has announced that, effective 1 September 2026, applications for an Immigration Permit must be supported by the following additional medical certificates:
- Original blood test results conducted outside Cyprus, certifying that the third-country national applicant (as well as any dependents) does not suffer from hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV or syphilis;
- An original chest x-ray for tuberculosis screening, issued in the applicant’s country of origin and/or their last country of residence.
The above documents must be duly certified/legalised, unless a relevant bilateral intergovernmental agreement provides for an exemption from such certification/legalisation requirements.
The submission of the above medical documents will not be required where the applicant is already a holder of a temporary residence permit in Cyprus, under which the required medical certificates have already been submitted and their results are still retained in the relevant administrative file.
Denmark
Positive Lists updated
The Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) has updated the Positive Lists for, respectively, people with a higher education and skilled work, effective 1 July 2026.
The new Positive List for People with a Higher Education includes 164 job titles, while the Positive List for Skilled Work includes 63.
The current update shows a slight decrease in the number of positions on the Positive List for people with a Higher Education and a rise in the number of positions on the Positive list for Skilled Work.
Foreign nationals who have been offered a job included in one of the Positive Lists can apply for a residence and work permit in Denmark based on the scheme.
Those who have been offered a job requiring university level qualifications in a profession with a shortage of qualified professionals can use the Positive List for people with a higher education.
Iceland
Student permit holders no longer need work permits
The Directorate of Immigration has announced that, following recently adopted amendments to the Foreign Nationals Act and the Act on the Employment Rights of Foreign Nationals, holders of student residence permits are no longer required to obtain a separate work permit.
For students who hold a valid student residence permit, this mean that:
- They no longer need to apply for a separate work permit in order to work in Iceland.
- They may work as employees for up to 60% of full-time employment.
- Self-employment remains prohibited.
- Between academic terms, including during the summer and Christmas holidays, students may continue to work full-time.
- When renewing their residence permit, students must provide information about their employment to confirm that they have not exceeded the permitted working hours. Working beyond the permitted limit may result in the loss of the right to work.
The same rules apply to students who applied to renew their residence permit before their previous permit expired and are awaiting a decision on their application. Applicants for their first student residence permit may however not begin working until their residence permit has been issued.
Ireland
Employers advised to submit residence registration renewal requests early
The Immigration Services Registration Office Burgh Quay Dublin is currently experiencing a very large volume of applications, with a current processing time to renew an Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card of approximately 10 weeks.
Following the completion of the renewal of Registration it may take a further two weeks to deliver the new IRP card. Therefore, persons wishing to renew their registration should allow sufficient time to complete the process to ensure they remain in permission while in the State.
If an employee’s IRP card has expired, they have a valid in-date employment permit or hold a permission that does not require one to access employment, and they are unable to obtain a valid registration card by the expiry date of their current IRP card, they are still permitted to remain in Ireland on the existing conditions of their current IRP card for a maximum of 12 weeks.
This 12-week provision is subject to the employee providing proof that they have applied to renew their registration, including when changing stamp category, prior to their current IRP card expiring, and that all required documents, including a valid employment permit (where applicable), were uploaded with the application.
In addition to this post-expiry 12-week provision, customers may submit a renewal up to 12 weeks prior to a current IRP card expiring to allow sufficient time for a case to be reached and processed.
This provides for a 24-week window before and after expiry in which to apply for and obtain a new IRP card.
The Registration Office strongly encourages eligible customers to avail of the opportunity to submit their application 12 weeks before expiry to allow sufficient time for a case to be reached and processed in advance of a current permission expiring.
All permission renewals in Ireland are processed online and applicants are issued with a receipt of application detailing the date of application and a unique application number (OREG number). Once the online renewal application has been approved, an application completed e-mail is sent to the applicant. This email confirmation can be used as proof of registration while the applicant awaits the delivery of their new IRP card.
If, however, their current permission expired prior to submitting an application for renewal, they are considered out of permission and therefore not permitted to remain or work in the State.
Italy
Digital signing of contracts of stay now available
Effective 19 June 2026, it is possible for EU Blue Card applicants to sign their contract of stay digitally through a new portal. Handwritten signatures are still also accepted.
Once the worker has arrived in Italy, the employer or their representative must enter the worker’s entry details via the portal. Subsequently, the employer and employee must sign and return the documentation that the employer will be sent.
