January 2026 Global Mobility News: 75-Country Visa Freeze, DV Lottery Suspended, Canada Opens Citizenship by Descent
Global mobility updates you should not miss this month
Each month I track new visas, residency changes, and travel rules so you don’t miss anything.
Visa launches
Rule and fee changes
Travel access changes
Citizenship & investment news
Here is what changed in the last four weeks.
US Pauses Immigrant Visas for 75 Countries
The State Department announced an indefinite pause on immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries on January 14, 2026.
The freeze took effect January 21.
No end date was given.
The stated justification is a review of “public charge” policies, which bar admission to anyone likely to become primarily dependent on government assistance.
Key points:
All immigrant visas processed abroad are affected, including family-sponsored and employment-based green cards
Nonimmigrant visas (tourist, student, H-1B) continue normally
Countries include Afghanistan, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Somalia, Thailand, and approximately 60 others
Dual nationals applying with a passport from a country not on the list are exempt
Interviews continue, but no visas are being issued
For DV lottery winners from affected countries, this compounds the existing suspension and makes the September 30 deadline even more precarious.
Diversity Visa Lottery Suspended
The diversity visa program is frozen.
Following the Brown University shooting in mid-December, DHS suspended the DV-2026 lottery indefinitely.
USCIS placed holds on all pending adjustment of status applications.
The State Department paused visa issuances abroad.
Key points:
129,516 DV-2026 selectees are affected
All DV visas must be issued by September 30, 2026 (this deadline is set by Congress and cannot be extended)
DV-2027 registration has been delayed indefinitely
When it reopens, a new $1 processing fee will apply
If the suspension runs long enough, selectees will simply run out of time.
There is no carryover to the next fiscal year.
H-1B Lottery Becomes Wage-Based
The H-1B selection process is changing.
On December 23, 2025, USCIS released a final rule replacing the random H-1B lottery with a wage-based weighted system.
The rule was published in the Federal Register on December 29 and takes effect February 27, 2026, applying to FY 2027 cap season.
Key points:
Registrations will be weighted by Department of Labor prevailing wage levels
Level I registrations count once, Level II twice, Level III three times, Level IV four times
Under the old system, 47% of selections were at Wage Level I. Under the new system, that’s projected to drop to 31%
The annual cap remains 85,000 (65,000 regular plus 20,000 for US advanced degree holders)
Legal challenges are expected but no injunctions have been filed yet
Entry-level positions have significantly reduced odds while senior roles in high-cost markets have better chances.
If you’re an American 50–75 with a meaningful retirement nest egg and you’re seriously thinking about retiring abroad in the next 0–5 years, hit reply and write “RETIRE”.
You’ll get a private invite to the “Retire Abroad Priority List” with some of my best tactics for retiring abroad.
Canada Restores Citizenship by Descent
Canada just fixed a 15-year-old problem.