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From the United States to Canada, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, 2026 has brought a wave of immigration changes affecting Africans seeking jobs, permanent residence, study opportunities and family migration abroad.
Some countries have created new routes for skilled workers to address labour shortages, while others have increased visa fees, tightened eligibility requirements or introduced tougher conditions for migrants.
For Nigerians and other Africans, and foreign nationals considering relocation, these are some of the biggest immigration policy changes announced or implemented between January 1 and August 25, 2026.
1 Canada closes major immigration pathways
Canada began 2026 with a significant reduction in some immigration options.
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On January 7, Nairametrics reported that Canada’s Start-up Visa Programme officially closed to new applications from January 1, except for applicants who had secured a valid commitment from a designated organisation in 2025.
The country’s Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots also remained closed, with the pause extended until 2030.
The changes marked a broader shift by Canada towards more targeted immigration rather than expanding temporary and business migration programmes indiscriminately.
2. US pauses immigrant visa processing for Nigerians
On January 14, it was reported that the United States would pause immigrant visa processing for nationals of about 75 countries, including Nigeria, beginning January 21.
The development was particularly significant for Nigerians seeking permanent migration to the US because it affected immigrant visa processing rather than ordinary short-term travel visas.
3. Nigerians face a US visa bond of up to $15,000
Another major US development affecting Nigerians came into effect at the beginning of the year. Certain Nigerian applicants for B1/B2 business and tourism visas became subject to a visa-bond requirement of up to $15,000.
The measure added a potentially significant financial barrier for Nigerians seeking temporary entry to the US. The policy came amid a wider US crackdown on visa overstays and immigration violations.
4. Canada creates five priority talent categories
Canada also introduced a more targeted approach to skilled immigration. On February 19, Nairametrics reported that Canada had announced five priority talent categories under its revamped 2026 Express Entry system.
The objective was to attract workers with skills in areas facing labour shortages rather than relying solely on general immigration scores.
Healthcare and other specialised professions were among the areas receiving greater attention
5. UK increases visa fees
The UK announced higher visa, ETA and citizenship fees on March 20, with the new charges taking effect from April 8.
For workers, the Skilled Worker visa fee for applications of up to three years increased from £769 to £819, while applications exceeding three years rose from £1,519 to £1,618.
The increase adds to the cost of migration for Nigerians and other Africans who rely heavily on the UK employment and study routes.
6. Australia raises salary requirement for sponsored workers
Australia increased the minimum salary that employers must offer foreign workers under eligible employer-sponsored visa streams.
The higher threshold makes employer-sponsored migration more selective but continues to favour professionals whose skills are in demand in Australia. (Nairametrics)
Australia has also continued to allocate substantial places to skilled migration, maintaining its position as an important destination for African professionals.
7. Canada increases permanent residence fees
Canada announced higher permanent-residence fees on March 31, with the changes taking effect from April 30.
The Right of Permanent Residence Fee increased from CAD 575 to CAD 600 for principal applicants and accompanying spouses or common-law partners.
While relatively small compared with other immigration changes, the increase adds to the overall cost of Canada’s migration process.
8. Alberta introduces new fee for foreign workers
Alberta introduced a CAD 135 fee for foreign workers submitting a Worker Expression of Interest profile under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program.
The fee became payable at the first stage of the process, where applicants enter the provincial selection pool. Previously, submitting the expression of interest was free.
Successful applicants would still have to pay the existing CAD 1,500 provincial nomination application fee if invited to apply.
9. Ireland expands work permits
Ireland made one of the more positive changes for foreign workers on June 1, introducing 32 changes to its employment-permit system.
The changes expanded the Critical Skills Employment Permit list, removed some occupations from the Ineligible Occupations List and introduced additional quotas for certain jobs.
The changes cover areas including healthcare, construction, technology, engineering, agriculture and specialist services.
For Nigerians, Ireland remains particularly important because of the country’s established recruitment of international professionals.
10. UK considers lower salary thresholds
The UK could potentially make some skilled-worker routes more accessible after its Migration Advisory Committee proposed changes to salary requirements.
This announcement came in on June 10 that the committee had recommended changes that could lower salary requirements for some sponsored occupations.
The proposals included using the 25th percentile of earnings as the basis for some occupation-specific thresholds and a proposed £33,400 salary threshold for new entrants.
However, this remains an important distinction: these were recommendations and not an immediate change to the UK’s immigration rules.
11. Quebec reopens permanent residence route
Quebec announced the reopening of its Quebec Experience Programme (PEQ) for foreign workers and international graduates.
Nairametrics reported on June 13 that applications would be accepted from July 2, 2026, to July 2, 2028, with the first intake running until October 31.
The reopening provides temporary residents whose immigration plans were disrupted by the previous closure with another route towards permanent residence. (Nairametrics)
12. Japan raises visa fees by up to 400%
Japan announced on June 21 that visa fees would increase from July 1, marking the country’s first major revision of visa charges since 1978.
The single-entry visa fee increased from ¥3,000 to ¥15,000, while multiple-entry visas rose from ¥6,000 to ¥30,000.
The increases affect Africans travelling to Japan for business, tourism and other short-term purposes, although Japan continues to recruit foreign workers in sectors facing labour shortages.
Japan also announced another major immigration-cost increase on August 25. The country’s new residency fee structure will take effect in October 2026, with some fees increasing dramatically.
The permanent-residency application fee is set to rise from ¥10,000 to ¥200,000, a 20-fold increase.
Other residence-related applications will also become more expensive, with the government saying the changes reflect the growing administrative demands of managing Japan’s foreign-resident population.
13. New Zealand tightens some open work-visa conditions
New Zealand introduced new employment conditions for certain open-work-visa holders.
The changes, announced in February and taking effect on April 20, restrict holders of Migrant Exploitation Protection Work Visas, asylum seekers and working-holiday visas to specified forms of employment.
Affected migrants must work under formal employment arrangements recognised by immigration authorities.
At the same time, New Zealand has expanded some graduate and post-study work opportunities, creating a mixed picture for African migrants.
14. Slovakia gives foreign workers more time to find jobs
Slovakia introduced new immigration rules on July 15, following an announcement reported on July 9.
National visas for certain foreign workers were extended from 90 days to 120 days, while workers who lose their jobs were given longer periods to secure new employment.
Workers with less than two years of residence can receive three months to find another job, while those with more than two years can receive up to six months.
However, Slovakia also tightened documentation requirements, giving applicants less time to provide missing documents.
15. UK moves Nigerian travellers to digital immigration records
The UK continued its transition away from physical immigration documents. By February 2026, Nigerian travellers and other new visa applicants had moved to a fully digital eVisa system, replacing physical visa stickers with electronic immigration records.
The change does not create a new visa route but significantly changes how Nigerians prove their immigration status when travelling and living in the UK.
16. Trump ends birth tourism
The United States introduced another major immigration development affecting Africans on August 7, when President Donald Trump signed an executive order specifically targeting what his administration describes as “birth tourism.”
The order seeks to prevent pregnant foreign nationals from using temporary US visas primarily to travel to the country to give birth so their children can obtain US citizenship.
The development is particularly relevant to Nigerians because Nigeria has historically been among the countries whose nationals travel to the US for childbirth.
The move followed Trump’s broader January 2026 attempt to restrict birthright citizenship, which was challenged in court.
17. US tightens Green Card public-charge rules
On August 19, it was reported that the US was preparing tighter public-charge rules for Green Card applicants from September.
The policy could make financial circumstances more important in assessing some immigration applications.
Also since May 2026, foreigners temporarily residing in the US, including Nigerians, were generally be expected to return to their home countries to apply for Green Cards rather than adjusting their status from within the United States, subject to exceptions.
18. Trump proposes $103,265 H-1B fee
One of the biggest immigration stories of the year came on August 24, when the Trump administration proposed a $103,265 fee for new H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers.
The proposal was published by the Department of Homeland Security in the Federal Register and opened a 30-day public-comment period.
If finalised, the measure would dramatically increase the cost of employing foreign professionals in the US.
The H-1B programme is widely used by technology companies, universities, research institutions and other employers hiring foreign professionals.
The proposal follows Trump’s earlier $100,000 H-1B charge introduced in September 2025. For African professionals, particularly those seeking technology, engineering, research and specialised professional roles in the US, the proposed fee could make employer sponsorship considerably more expensive.
