WR Immigration’s March global immigration recap includes the latest developments on Canada’s removal of Arranged Employment points, the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorization requirement for EU/EEA and Swiss nationals, the EU’s ETIAS expected release date, and more.
Canada – Arranged Employment Points Officially Removed from Express Entry Permanent Residence System
As expected, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) officially announced on March 25, 2025, that arranged employment points will no longer be awarded to Express Entry candidates. This change, allegedly aimed at reducing fraud, means that job offers will no longer provide additional points toward an applicant’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score—historically a key advantage in securing an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency.
It is important to note that this change only impacts candidates who have not yet received an ITA. Those who have already been invited to apply will remain unaffected.
With the removal of arranged employment points, candidates with job offers no longer have an advantage over those without one. This levels the playing field for applicants without a job offer, including those on open work permits. Additionally, employers will no longer have an incentive to pursue employer-specific work permits solely for the purposes of boosting an employee’s Express Entry score. We expect that, due to this change, the points threshold needed to receive an Invitation to Apply will likely decrease in the near future.
UK – Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) requirement extended to EU/EEA and Swiss nationals
As of April 2, 2025, all EU/EEA (excluding Irish) and Swiss nationals must also obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) prior to traveling to the United Kingdom. This ETA allows visitors to enter the UK for business or tourism for up to 6 months and is typically valid for multiple entries over a period of two (2) years. Further information is available on the GOV.UK website.
EU – ETIAS Launch Delayed Until End of 2026
The European Commission has announced that the launch of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) will once again be delayed. The launch has been postponed until late 2026, meaning travelers do not need to take any action at this time.
Once the ETIAS is up and running, nationals who do not require a visa to travel to EU/EEA countries will need to obtain an ETIAS travel authorization online prior to beginning their trip.
However, the ETIAS will not be launched until after the new Entry/Exit System (EES) is operational later this year, and its implementation is expected to be gradual.
The ETIAS launch is set to begin with a transitional period of at least six months, during which time visa-exempt travelers should apply for an ETIAS travel authorization; however, those without one will not be refused entry into the EU/EEA. Further information and updates are available on the official ETIAS website.
Poland – New Regulations to Restrict Posting of Foreign Workers
Beginning on May 1, 2025, significant changes to Poland’s foreign employment law will impact businesses relying on posting employees to Poland. Employers should prepare for key changes including:
New restrictions on intra-company transfers: Work permits will no longer be granted to employees whose home-country employer is a sister company of the Polish receiving entity, i.e. linked only by a common owner. Intra-company transfers will only be allowed in cases where the sending company abroad directly or indirectly owns shares in the Polish receiving entity, or vice versa. The two must have a parent-subsidiary relationship or share common management board members to qualify for this type of work permit.
Service contract limitations: Workers may no longer be posted to Poland to provide services to a client under a contract held by the receiving entity in Poland. Work permits will only be issued to workers posted to Poland to fulfill a contract held by their employer in the home country.
Letterbox company eligibility: Entities that don’t conduct actual business operations in their home country will be considered “letterbox companies” and deemed ineligible to obtain work permits for Poland.
Employment history requirements: To obtain a work permit, a posted worker must be a current employee of the sending company and cannot be hired solely for the purpose of being posted to Poland.
Additional supporting documentation: Employers must submit documents along with each work permit application confirming that the posted worker will adhere to Polish labor law and receive adequate remuneration for their assignment.
Please note that these changes will apply to work permit applications submitted on or after May 1, 2025. Employers who plan to post workers to Poland in the near future are encouraged to submit applications before this date, especially if they anticipate challenges in meeting the new eligibility criteria.
Portugal – New Visa Program Available to Nationals of Community of Portuguese Language Countries
A new visa program introduced at the end of last year offers citizens of Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP, from its Portuguese acronym) an easier path to live and work abroad in Portugal. This program is available to nationals of Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, and East Timor and offers a one-year residence permit that can be renewed for a total of five (5) years.
While Brazilian and East Timorese citizens can enter Portugal on a tourist visa and apply for this residence permit upon arrival, nationals of the other CPLP countries must secure their visa before traveling. This initiative aims to streamline access to Portugal for CPLP citizens, fostering greater mobility and opportunity within the Portuguese-speaking world.
Saudi Arabia – Saudization Quotas to Increase in Key Sectors in July 2025
Beginning on July 27, 2025, increased Saudization requirements will be enforced within the private dentistry, engineering and pharmaceutical sectors in Saudia Arabia. Similar changes will follow in the private accounting sector beginning on October 27, 2025. Employers in these sectors should prepare to comply with the following Saudization rates to avoid penalties, which include fines, interruptions to business operations and suspension of MHRSD services such as work permit renewals and employee transfers.
On July 27, 2025, the following Saudization quotas must be met:
- Dentistry – 45% for businesses with at least three (3) dental workers;
- Engineering – 30% for businesses with at least five (5) engineers; and
- Pharmaceutical –35% for community pharmacies and medical centers, 65% for hospitals, and 55% for all other pharmacy-related businesses.
By October 27, 2025, businesses in the private accounting sector with at least five (5) accountants will need to comply with a 40% Saudization rate, which will increase annually by 10% until reaching 70% by late 2028.
Ireland – New Online Portal for Employment Permits Coming Soon
The Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment (DETE) has announced that a new cloud-based system will soon be released, transforming the Irish Employment Permit application process. This new system is designed to be more secure and user-friendly and will offer portal access to both employers and employees via separate accounts to track application status. The DETE has warned that there will be a blackout period immediately preceding the launch of the new system during which time Employment Permit applications will not be accepted. The launch date for the system has not yet been announced. Further information and updates are available here.
