Fragomen Worldwide Immigration Trends Report Webcast: Europe, Middle East & Africa
January 29, 2026 | 3:00 PM — 4:00 PM BST

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Disruption in global talent sourcing. Redefining value amid high costs. Intensifying immigration compliance risks.
These are the top challenges employers are facing as we enter 2026, and they are reshaping how companies think about their immigration and mobility strategies.
We invite you to join us for our Worldwide Immigration Trends Report Webinar on Thursday, January 29, with a focused lens on the Europe, Middle East and Africa regions and the shifting regulatory and talent landscapes shaping them.
Our 2026 Worldwide Immigration Trends Report is designed to equip organizations with the tools to optimize workforce strategies, adapt to evolving global conditions and maintain a competitive edge. It is a vital resource for navigating today’s rapidly changing immigration landscape.
Moderated by Fragomen Chief Knowledge Officer Scott Leeb, Our panelists which include Fragomen Partner Lunga Mani, Fragomen Managing Partner Haider Hussain and Fragomen Senior Counsel Jo Antoons will cover the following points for each region:
Africa
- The immigration impact of the persistent geopolitical instability
- Rapid regulatory transformation with focus on heightened compliance scrutiny and stricter verification requirements
- The impact of trade realignments and tariff shifts on immigration policies
Middle East and North Africa
- Balancing localization with global talent attraction
- Digital transformation and Innovation of immigration processes
- Shift in Visa Categories and strategic Mobility pathways
Europe
- European fragmentation and workforce strategies
- EU ambitions versus Member States’ realities on talent attraction, digitisation, and migration enforcement
- Moving beyond immigration compliance to encompass social law requirements
We hope to see you there and encourage you to submit your questions in advance via the registration form.
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Partner Rick Lamanna outlines Canada’s entry requirements for the FIFA World Cup 2026, highlighting visa and eTA processes, border expectations and special measures for participants to help travelers prepare for seamless entry during the tournament.
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Partner Rick Lamanna discusses Canada’s expanded citizenship by descent rules extending eligibility to potentially millions of people worldwide with only distant ancestral ties.
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Fragomen is recognised in Ibec’s Top 100 Companies Leading in Wellbeing Index 2026, highlighting its commitment to employee wellbeing and a supportive workplace culture.
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Senior Manager Alexander Hood and Senior Associate Lara Hannaway outline how the UK Global Talent visa is increasingly being used by internationally mobile individuals as a flexible UK residence option, examining who the route is designed for, the endorsement process and the sectors currently covered, including the new design route launching in July 2026.
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Senior Manager Samantha Arnold examines the closure of Ireland’s Immigrant Investor Programme and outlines the limited remaining options for high net worth individuals seeking Irish residence through approved investment and charitable donation routes.
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Partner Chad Ellsworth discusses recent H-1B lottery changes, including salary-weighted selection and filing restrictions, and how they are influencing employer selection outcomes and hiring approaches for foreign talent.
Work authorization
Senior Associate Tracey Kimberly explores the recent increase in RFEs for EB‑5 I‑526E petitions, highlighting heightened USCIS scrutiny of source-of-funds documentation—particularly in cases involving loan-based investments and property sale proceeds.
Work authorization
Director Audrey Morew examines how Nordic immigration systems, while increasingly digital and efficient, can embed compliance risk earlier in the process—placing greater responsibility on employers to ensure data accuracy, internal controls and long‑term compliance from the outset.
Work authorization
Partner Rick Lamanna outlines Canada’s entry requirements for the FIFA World Cup 2026, highlighting visa and eTA processes, border expectations and special measures for participants to help travelers prepare for seamless entry during the tournament.
Media mentions
Partners Aaron Blumberg and Daniel Pierce discuss how a US pause on processing certain work permit applications including OPT creates uncertainty for international students and employers while early court rulings offer limited case-specific relief.
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Senior Counsel Jo Antoons, Senior Immigration Managers Manuela Birsan and Andreia Ghimis, Senior Manager Wout Van Doren, Associate Pauline Chomel and Immigration Supervisor Elisabeth Kamm contributed to the European Migration Network (EMN) Belgium report "Labour Migration in Times of Labour Shortages in Belgium."
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Manager Pierangelo D'Errico explores how Italy’s Investor Visa is emerging as a strategic alternative to diminishing EU golden visa programmes, offering high‑net‑worth individuals flexible residence rights, deferred investment timing, Schengen access and a structured—though not accelerated—pathway to long‑term EU residence.
Media mentions
Partner Rick Lamanna discusses Canada’s expanded citizenship by descent rules extending eligibility to potentially millions of people worldwide with only distant ancestral ties.
Awards
Fragomen is recognised in Ibec’s Top 100 Companies Leading in Wellbeing Index 2026, highlighting its commitment to employee wellbeing and a supportive workplace culture.
Work authorization
Senior Manager Alexander Hood and Senior Associate Lara Hannaway outline how the UK Global Talent visa is increasingly being used by internationally mobile individuals as a flexible UK residence option, examining who the route is designed for, the endorsement process and the sectors currently covered, including the new design route launching in July 2026.
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Senior Manager Samantha Arnold examines the closure of Ireland’s Immigrant Investor Programme and outlines the limited remaining options for high net worth individuals seeking Irish residence through approved investment and charitable donation routes.


![Porthole headshot image of Fragomen [Johannesburg][PracitceLeader][LungaMani]](https://www.fragomen.com/a/web/6WcQWfBAw47M3G3iqv1Hsw/39Scq7/lunga_porthole_2019.jpg)

