Global Immigration | Monthly Recap

Clark Hill’s Global Immigration team provides an overview of the major updates from January 2026 in the Americas region.

Clark Hill’s Global Immigration team provides an overview of the major updates from January 2026 in the Europe, Middle East, Africa region.

Clark Hill’s Global Immigration team provides an overview of the major updates from January 2026 in the Asia-Pacific region.

Clark Hill’s Global Immigration practice guides corporate clients and individuals through complex global immigration challenges worldwide. Reviewing the major updates from 2025 we continue to see EMEA implementing tighter controls around immigration.

On Jan. 30, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that the initial registration period for the fiscal year (FY) 2027 H-1B cap will open at noon Eastern on March 4 and run through noon Eastern on March 19, 2026.

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has announced that starting Jan. 21, 2026, immigrant visa processing will be suspended indefinitely for nationals from 75 countries.

On Dec. 16, 2025, the White House announced an expansion of U.S. entry restrictions on foreign nationals from countries with identified deficiencies in security screening, vetting, and information sharing.

The Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) has released its final regulation (to be published on Dec. 29), replacing the random H-1B Cap Lottery process by a new Weighted Wage Selection process, to “generally favor the allocation of H–1B visas to higher-skilled and higher-paid” Foreign Nationals.