July 2026 Outbound Immigration and Global Mobility Recap | APAC

Also Authored by Melvin Ng and Riduan Fattah

Clark Hill’s Outbound Immigration & Global Mobility practice guides corporate clients and individuals through complex global immigration challenges worldwide. We pride ourselves on creative, compliant, and people-centered solutions – looking at global mobility from a holistic perspective in an ever-changing immigration environment. Our team assists with short-term assignments, long-term relocations, consular processing, document procurement, document legalizations/apostilles, and business visas in 100+ countries worldwide.

Below is an overview of the major updates from July 2026 in the Asia-Pacific region.

APAC

Australia

Significant Changes to Government Fees

Effective July 1, 2026, there are significant increases to the government fees for visa applications. Here are the new fees for commonly applied work visas:

Visa type	New fees from 1 Jul 2026 (AUD)	Previous fees from 1 Jul 2025 (AUD)
Subclass 482 Skills in Demand	4,015.00	3,210.00
Subclass 186 Employer Nomination Scheme Visa	6,140.00	4,910.00
Subclass 400 Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) Visa	535.00	430.00
Subclass 407 Training Visa	535.00	430.00
Subclass 408 Temporary Activities Visa	535.00	430.00

The increases also extend to a range of personal visa categories:

Visa type	New fees from 1 Jul 2026 (AUD)	Previous fees from 1 Jul 2025 (AUD)
Bridging Visa B	575.00	190.00
Subclass 600 Visitor Visa (offshore)	250.00	200.00
Subclass 485 Graduate Work Visa	5,750.00	2,300.00
Partner Visa	11,710.00	9,365.00
Working Holiday Visa	840.00 Increasing to 1,000.00 for 2nd and 3rd WHV	670.00

Australian Citizenship Fees

In line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the Australian citizenship application fee has increased modestly and is now AUD 595.

New Skilled Visa Income Thresholds (2026–2027)

As part of its annual indexation process, the government has confirmed updated skilled visa income thresholds for the period July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027:

• Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT): $79,423 (Applies to Subclass 482 Core Skills stream and Subclass 186)

• Specialist Skills Income Threshold (SSIT): $146,576 (Applies to Subclass 482 Specialist Skills stream)

• Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT): $79,423 (Applies to Subclass 494 and Subclass 187)

All new nomination applications lodged must meet the higher of:

• the relevant income threshold, or
• the Annual Market Salary Rate (AMSR)

These changes do not affect existing visa holders or applications lodged before July 1, 2026.

India:

Electronic Overseas Citizen of India (e-OCI) Card Launched

The Ministry of Home Affairs has launched the electronic Overseas Citizen of India (e-OCI) card. With this implementation, OCI paper booklets will no longer be issued or re-issued when a document is lost or damaged. In line with this, when a cardholder reaches the age of 20 and is issued a new passport, the holder can simply update the new passport details online.

Eligible foreign nationals may apply for an e-OCI card through the website of the relevant overseas Indian Mission or the appropriate Foreigners Registration Office in India. The entire OCI process can be completed online, and once approved, they will be able to download the digital card. Each e-OCI holder will be assigned a unique registration number. Existing cardholders can also obtain their e-OCI card digitally in most cases without needing a new application or physical verification.

As the e-OCI card system integrates with the nation’s immigration system, it is expected to facilitate faster immigration clearance at the checkpoints in India.

Japan:

Revised Residence Permit Fee Schedule Announced

The Japan Immigration Services Agency (ISA) has announced details of its revised residence permit fee schedule, which is expected to take effect on October 1, 2026. The new fee structure for applications to change or extend residence status will vary according to the length of the requested period of stay. This will replace the current flat-fee system.

• For Change of Status of Residence and Extension of Period of Stay applications, the new fees will range from JPY 10,000 for permissions of up to three months to JPY 75,000 for permissions of five years or more when filed physically (currently it is JPY 6,000 regardless of the requested period)
• Corresponding online application fees will range from JPY 10,000 to JPY 65,000 (currently it is JPY 5,500 regardless of the requested period), with online filing continuing to offer lower fees than in-person applications for authorized periods exceeding three months
• The filing fee for Permanent Residence applications submitted physically will increase significantly to JPY 200,000 (from JPY 10,000)

If the above-listed applications are filed before October 1, 2026, they will remain subject to the current fee schedule, even if the outcome is decided after the new effective date.

Malaysia:

New Photo Validation Process for all eVisa Applications

Effective July 1, 2026, the Photo Validation feature will be activated for all eVisa applications under the VDR (Visa with Reference) category submitted through the MyVISA – Portal. When applying for an eVisa, all photographs uploaded will undergo an automated validation process to ensure compliance with the Malaysia Visa Photo Specifications, which include:

• Permitted background colors – white or blue
• The background must be plain and uniform, with no gradients, patterns, textures, or objects
• Shadows or reflections on the background are not permitted

Any photograph that fails the validation process must be referred to the VDR Issuing Office.

Currently, this photo validation applies to all new long-term work/student pass applications processed by the MIDA Expatriate Services (MES). The eVisa must be applied by the applicant in his/her country of residence for entry into Malaysia.

New Zealand:

In-Person Testing Now Required for Occupational English Tests

From July 13, 2026, Immigration New Zealand will require all Occupational English Test (OET) results submitted for immigration purposes to be obtained through in-person testing at a supervised test center. The OET is commonly used by workers in the healthcare sector.

Applicants who have completed or will complete an at-home OET by July 12, 2026, may continue to use those results for their immigration applications. This change is intended to ensure a fair testing process, protect the integrity of the immigration system, and ensure that test results accurately reflect each applicant’s English language skills.

Substantial Changes to the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Resident Visa

Immigration New Zealand is set to implement substantial changes to the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Resident Visa in August 2026. The reforms are designed to ensure New Zealand’s skills and education system is world-class (by increasing points for New Zealand University-level qualifications), aligning pathways with labor market needs, and improving the retention of skilled workers.

New residence pathways will be introduced under the SMC, consisting of two distinct streams:

• The Skilled Work Experience Pathway will apply to applicants working in roles classified under ANZSCO skill levels 1–3, who have at least five years of directly relevant work experience, including at least two years in New Zealand earning at least 1.1 times the median wage.
• The Trades & Technician Pathway will apply to foreign nationals who hold relevant qualification at Level 4 or above, with at least four years of post-qualification skilled work experience, including at least 18 months in New Zealand at or above the median wage.

The work experience requirement for certain Skilled Migrant Category pathways will be reduced to a maximum of two years (down from three years), making residence more accessible for eligible applicants. In addition, relevant international work experience may continue to be recognized toward meeting overall eligibility criteria.

The wage increase requirement during the qualifying period will be removed. Instead, applicants will be required to maintain at least the median wage threshold while working in New Zealand to remain eligible.

New Zealand University-level qualifications will receive increased weighting within the points framework, providing greater recognition for graduates of local institutions.

INZ has also updated guidance for Skilled Residence Visa applications:

• It has clarified how wage thresholds are assessed and confirmed that revised wage assessment rules apply across all relevant Skilled Residence Visa categories.
• It has amended qualification requirements, requiring applicants claiming points for Level 8 or Level 9 qualifications (other than those claiming five points for a New Zealand Master’s degree) to hold a supporting bachelor’s degree or equivalent undergraduate qualification. An International Qualification Assessment (IQA) is not required for the supporting bachelor’s degree.
• It has removed the 120-credit requirement for overseas Trades and Technician qualifications, while confirming that comparable New Zealand qualifications must comprise at least 120 credits, which may be accumulated across multiple prerequisite qualifications.
• It also clarified that self-employment cannot be counted as relevant work experience under the two new pathways and introduces clearer grounds for declining applications where there are significant concerns that the employment offered is not genuine.

South Korea:

Digital Nomad Visa (F-1-D) Implemented

Effective June 30, 2026, the Ministry of Justice has announced the formal implementation of the Digital Nomad Visa (F-1-D). The revised framework introduces tiered income thresholds based on the applicant’s age and intended place of residence. Eligible individuals may now stay for up to three years through one-year extensions, provided they continue to meet all the visa requirements.

• Applicants aged 18 to 34 residing in non-metropolitan or designated population-decline areas must demonstrate annual income of at least the Republic of Korea’s gross 2025 national income (GNI) per capita (i.e., KRW52,410,000/approximately USD39,980).
• Applicants aged 18 to 34 residing in the Seoul metropolitan area, and applicants aged 35 or older residing in non-metropolitan or designated population-decline areas must demonstrate annual income of at least 1.5 times the 2025 GNI per capita (i.e., KRW78,620,000/approximately USD59,970).
• Applicants aged 35 or older residing in the Seoul metropolitan area must demonstrate annual income of at least 2 times the 2025 GNI per capita (i.e., KRW104,830,000/approximately USD79,960).
• Applicants accompanied by dependents (i.e., a spouse and/or minor children) must demonstrate annual income of at least twice the 2025 GNI per capita when residing in the Seoul metropolitan area, or 1.5 times the 2025 GNI per capita when residing in non-metropolitan or designated population-decline areas, regardless of the principal applicant’s age.

Vietnam:

Implementing the Apostille Convention

The government issued a decree on July 23, 2026, providing guidance on the implementation of the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents (“Apostille Convention”) in Vietnam.

Starting September 11, 2026, Vietnamese public documents intended for use in Apostille Convention member countries will be authenticated through an apostille certificate instead of consular certification. Conversely, public documents from member countries that have been apostilled may be used in Vietnam without the additional step of legalization.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the responsible authority in Vietnam issuing the apostille certificate. The application may be submitted in person (single-window unit), by post, or online. The general processing time is 1 to 4 working days, but it may extend to 10 working days if verification is required or if there is a high volume of applications.

This change is expected to simplify and shorten the document authentication process, which will benefit foreigners applying for work authorization in Vietnam.

For additional information, please contact Clark Hill’s APAC team at apac@clarkhill.com.

For further information on any of the updates in this bulletin, reach out to one of the members of our Outbound Immigration & Global Mobility team.

To view June’s updates for the EMEA and Americas regions, click the respective region.

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