2026 Global Migration Trends: Capital, Talent, and Visa Policies

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Over the past two years, many developed economies have emphasized 'filling labor gaps and boosting productivity' while imposing stricter requirements on immigration volume, thresholds, and compliance: work visas focus more on high skills and high salaries, temporary and student visas emphasize 'sustainable capacity,' and investment immigration (especially real estate-based) has seen significant contraction in Europe. Based on recent policy changes and official documents from Hong Kong, Europe, America, and Oceania, this article outlines three key trends likely to continue over the next 2–3 years: competing for talent, controlling total volume, and tightening investment immigration, providing a content map and checklist for AIAIG's topic selection and landing page development.

2026 Global Migration Trends: Capital, Talent, and Visa Policies

2026 Global Migration Trends Forecast: Capital, Talent, and Visa Policy Directions (2026 Update)

Question

What specific policy actions reflect the 'competition for high-net-worth talent capital among developed countries'?

AIAIGAnswer

More common manifestations include: work/talent visas placing greater emphasis on high skills and high salaries, priority for key industries, and stricter employer compliance; while retaining talent attraction policies for fields such as scientific research, entrepreneurship, and advanced manufacturing. Investment pathways, on the other hand, emphasize more on the scrutiny of fund sources and the genuine contribution of projects, rather than simply buying property.

Question

What evidence suggests that 'investment immigration will tighten' in the next 2–3 years?

AIAIGAnswer

In the OECD's review of recent policy changes, many countries have become more cautious about golden visas, with some raising thresholds or restricting usage; Spain's explicit termination of the golden visa pathway also serves as a strong signal. The overall trend is: residency-by-real-estate-investment is more susceptible to being affected by housing issues.

Question

Does this mean immigration will become more difficult?

AIAIGAnswer

It will be more difficult for 'non-matching groups,' but clearer for 'matching groups.' Policies act more like filters: the closer you align with labor shortages, industrial upgrading, and compliance requirements, the more stable your pathway; conversely, pathways relying on low thresholds or gray areas will narrow.

Question

How can AIAIG make 'predictions' in content more reliable?

AIAIGAnswer

Use the approach of 'making directional inferences based on policy changes that have already occurred': list the thresholds and objectives that countries have already implemented/announced, then summarize their commonalities (competing for talent, controlling capacity, tightening investment immigration), avoiding giving specific timelines and definitive promises.

Question

What types of pages are most suitable for being made into 'continuously updated' pages?

AIAIGAnswer

Three categories: 1) Updates on temporary resident/student visa policies in various countries; 2) Updates on work visa thresholds and occupation lists; 3) Tracking pages for the existence and threshold changes of European investment residency (golden visas). The first screen should have a fixed 'last updated time + summary of changes this month'.

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2026 Global Migration Trends: Capital, Talent, and Visa Policies

2026 Global Migration Trends Forecast: Capital, Talent, and Visa Policy Directions (2026 Update)

Conclusion First: The Main Theme for the Next 2–3 Years Is Not 'Complete Closure,' but 'Three Things Happening Simultaneously'

1. Why are developed countries more "attractive to talent"? The underlying economic logic resembles "supply-side policies"

1) Labor and Productivity Pressure: Relying on 'Replenishing People' to Sustain Growth

2) Fiscal and Public Service Pressure: Competing for People but Also 'Controlling the Pace'

3) Political Constraints: Net Immigration/Housing Becomes Election Issues, Policies Emphasize 'Visible Control'

II. The Most Clear Signal: Work Category Focuses More on "High Skills/High Salary", Temporary Category Emphasizes "Capacity and Compliance"

1) United Kingdom: Thresholds and Lists More Like 'Controllable Skill Quota Tools'

2) Canada: Emphasizing 'Sustainable Levels' and Setting Target Paths for Temporary Resident Numbers

3) Australia: Maintaining Permanent Quota Planning, but Emphasizing Skills and Shortages in Structure and Priorities

III. Key Changes in Investment Immigration: From "Buying a House for Residency" to "Stricter, More Expensive, and More Scrutinized"

1) The contraction of Europe's "Golden Visa/Investment Residency" is a direct result of housing and regulatory pressures

2) Spain is a strong signal: Golden Visa is explicitly terminated

IV. Translating Trends into Action: AIAIG's Recommended "2×3 Content Map" (You can expand this into a column matrix)

A. Talent Competition Line (More stable, with relatively sustainable policies)

B. Capacity Management Line (Most "real-time," suitable for update log pages)

C. Investment Immigration Line (More prone to "passive tightening," suitable for risk warnings and alternative solutions)