"If you were building global teams in 2025, you wouldn't need me to tell you it was a crazy year. We experienced economic volatility and AI disruption. Plus, tightened borders caused companies to adjust and readjust their approaches. 2026 won't be calmer. But the elements we need to master to stay competitive are now coming into focus: Navigating mobility disruption, creating unity across increasingly distributed workforces, and building the transparent, compliant infrastructure needed to employ people anywhere."
"After a decade or so of relative calm, global mobility is now being disrupted from every angle. That's because geopolitical instability, along with economic shifts and competing visa regimes are fundamentally changing how companies access and rely on talent. Governments are modernizing immigration with digital platforms like the European Travel Information and Authorisation System, yet the same environment is producing abrupt travel restrictions, emergency evacuations, and rising protectionism. The result is a system that is technically more advanced but practically more unpredictable."
"Sharp increases in visa costs in some major economies have pushed many companies to rethink their talent strategies. High fees and uncertainty are accelerating offshoring and nearshoring, especially for high-value work in AI, product development, and cybersecurity. Yet with many companies facing hiring freezes and restructuring, mobility in 2026 will need to be more selective and strategy-led, not volume-driven."
Global hiring faces renewed turbulence from economic volatility, AI disruption, and tightened borders, making 2026 another unsettled year. Companies must master mobility disruption, unify distributed workforces, and create transparent, compliant employment infrastructure to stay competitive. Geopolitical instability and competing visa regimes are changing how organizations access talent, while digital immigration platforms coexist with abrupt travel restrictions and protectionism. Rising visa costs accelerate offshoring and nearshoring for high-value roles, and many employers must move from volume-driven to selective, strategy-led mobility. Organizations should build in-house mobility capabilities, deploy digital tooling and real-time monitoring, and deepen specialist partnerships for rapid regulatory response.
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