Global Mobility Insights from K2 Group, Q3 2026 - Part I

Immigration

USA: The current administration in the US has placed increased emphasis on immigration enforcement. Although high-profile cases related to enforcement have made the news, practitioners have seen increased challenges in all areas of immigration. This is especially true for Permanent Residency (“Green Card”) processes.

While US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has always had a higher standard of review for Permanent Residency cases (as opposed to other work-authorised status such as an L-1 Intracompany Transferee), currently many applicants are subjected to increased scrutiny and extreme vetting.  This, along with staffing and funding cuts to USCIS, has resulted in ever longer processing times for Permanent Residency cases.  

An overview of current processing times for employment-based immigration stages follows:

• Prevailing Wage Determinations (Step 1a of a PERM Labour Certification): 6–9 months

• PERM Applications (Step 1b of a PERM Labour Certification): Approximately 18 months

• EB‑1C Immigrant Petitions (Step 1 of a Multinational Manager process): Approximately 24 months

• Employment-Based Adjustment‑ of Status Applications (Final Step of obtaining a Green Card): Approximately 32 months

Given these timelines, we strongly recommend initiating any permanent residency processes as early as possible. Doing so will help avoid last-minute complications‑, including potential employee relocations or unplanned departures due to status limitations later in the process.

BRAZIL: Brazil is currently digitising parts of its immigration and governmental documentation processes. This is creating some disruption, although the exact operational impact is not yet clear. Once available, we will provide updated information on any impact this may have.  

GLOBAL: The following regulatory updates were published on the K2 X Border website over the course of Q3:

• UK - Statement of Changes HC 259 and Latest Developments

• Australia - New processing priority framework for Australian skilled visas

• Sweden - Employer Considerations for Student and Job Seeker Permit Holders

• UK - Sponsor Alert: Phishing Emails Targeting Sponsor Management System (SMS) Users

Housing

EMEA

Europe remains the most challenging region for securing long-term housing, with the toughest locations being Dublin, Amsterdam and the wider Randstad region, Luxembourg, Paris, Berlin, Munich and Frankfurt. In these locations, assignees must contend with extremely low vacancy rates, heavy competition for available properties, longer housing search periods, and increased documentation and landlord requirements.

In London, UK, rental supply is improving modestly, but costs remain high, particularly in prime locations. There remains a lack of clarity around the UK periodic leases introduced on 1 May and existing stamp duty land tax (SDLT) rules. The new periodic tenancy is treated as a lease of indefinite duration, therefore as the tenancy continues, the calculated net present value (NPV) of the rent can increase over time and potentially exceed the £125,000 SDLT threshold. This would have meant some tenants facing SDLT charges and filing obligations simply because they remained in the property for a long period. Back in April the Government announced that it intends to legislate so that residential assured tenancies under the new regime will not give rise to an SDLT charge on the rent element and we hope to see this finally formalised in the Autumn Budget.  

Middle East: Gulf markets currently offer better availability and lower ADRs than in recent years. Dubai remains one of the region's most resilient mobility destinations, supported by strong infrastructure, regulatory stability, and continued investment. Although regional geopolitical tensions continue to generate uncertainty, there has been minimal impact on day-to-day living conditions, corporate activity, or relocation services across the key Gulf markets.

Africa: Rising rental costs and affordability pressures in long-term housing, particularly in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco, Egypt, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and DRC. There is limited property availability in these locations as demand for suitable, quality accommodation continues to exceed supply in several markets. This is particularly noticeable in Kenya. Johannesburg, however, continues to offer excellent value for expatriate families, with the increasing development of gated residential communities that offer enhanced security and shared amenities, which are particularly popular with expatriate families.

Recovering security deposits at the end of long-term leases continues to be challenging across several African markets, particularly where these were originally paid in USD, EUR, or GBP. Countries including Egypt, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Morocco, and Senegal often face difficulties due to foreign currency restrictions and limited availability of hard currency, which can delay the return of funds. More broadly across the region, landlords frequently seek to refund deposits in local currency, which many clients’ finance teams are unable to accept. To mitigate these challenges, K2 works closely with its DSP partners to facilitate deposit recovery on the client’s behalf. While partners would typically apply a disbursement fee for this service, K2 negotiates either an immediate or advance payment arrangement in exchange for waiving the fee. This approach helps accelerate the return of funds while ensuring the client does not incur any additional costs.

Temporary Accommodation standards vary significantly between markets throughout Africa, while changing visa requirements and rising costs create additional pressure in the region. International hospitality brands and serviced apartment operators are expanding their African footprint, improving consistency and traveller experience. In South Africa, Cape Town experiences significant seasonal demand pressure affecting both availability and pricing whilst offering one of the broadest ranges of serviced accommodation options on the continent.  The market is moving beyond traditional hotel accommodation towards longer-stay, family-friendly and more residential-style options, which are better suited to international assignments.

APAC  

Seasonal demand remains the primary market driver across key destinations including Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Sydney, and Seoul. Peak leasing periods, driven by corporate relocations, school enrolment cycles, lead to limited housing supply in premium expatriate locations. As a result, clients can expect higher average daily rates (ADRs) for temporary accommodation, reduced housing availability, longer search timelines, and less flexibility during lease negotiations.

Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney, and Tokyo remain among the region's most expensive temporary accommodation markets, with elevated rental costs and strong demand for centrally located properties. In contrast, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Kuala Lumpur continue to offer more cost-effective housing solutions, providing greater value for mobility programmes while maintaining access to high-quality accommodation options.

In Singapore, evolving agent commission practices are increasingly shifting costs from landlords to tenants. This change is resulting in higher upfront expenses for assignees, particularly for longer-term leases and premium properties. A review of current housing policies and rental allowances is recommended to ensure they remain aligned with market conditions and adequately cover potential increases in move-in costs.

Across the region, early planning and market engagement are becoming increasingly important. Encouraging employees to commence their home search well in advance of assignment start dates can help mitigate competition, expand housing options, and reduce the risk of temporary accommodation extensions and associated programme costs.

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AMERICAS

‍Elevated mortgage rates continue to influence housing decisions across the US, sustaining rental demand as many prospective buyers remain priced out of the home ownership market. Despite this overall trend, local market dynamics differ considerably. Austin and Dallas continue to benefit from significant new housing supply, resulting in improved availability, greater negotiating leverage for tenants, and more favourable rental terms. Conversely, New York City, the Bay Area, and key Florida markets remain among the most competitive relocation destinations, where limited inventory and sustained demand contribute to higher rental costs and extended home search timelines.

In Toronto and Vancouver, Canada, increased development activity has improved rental supply and slowed rate increases. However, premium neighbourhoods favoured by expats continue to command high rents.

Mexico – In key Mexico City districts, strong demand and constrained supply continue to drive rental rate growth, particularly in areas favoured by multinational companies and expatriate populations. At the same time, landlords are increasingly enforcing stricter financial and documentation requirements, including requests for guarantors, income verification, enhanced due diligence, and higher upfront payments. These factors can extend lease approval timelines and create additional challenges for newly arrived assignees, making early planning and market engagement increasingly important.

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Part II of Global Mobility Insights from K2 Group, Q2 2026, can be found here.