Blog · 2024-12-28

Relocation news digest - December 28, 2024

United Kingdom: ETA to expand in 2025

The UK's Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme is set for a major expansion in 2025. From 8 January the ETA requirement extends to a further 48 countries, and from 2 April it will cover an additional 34 European nations. Travellers will need an ETA to enter the country for short business trips, tourism or transit.

Italy: the country's largest bank to restrict euro payments from Russia

Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy's largest bank, will stop accepting euro payments from Russian banks, with the sole exception of its own Russian subsidiary, Intesa. The subsidiary notified its clients and counterparties of the change in December.

Intesa representatives in Milan confirmed the decision to the law firm O2 Consulting.

Hungary: residency-by-real-estate purchase scrapped

The government has removed this option from the programme following lengthy consultations with the European Commission.

Sweden: the Blue Card becomes easier to obtain

From 1 January 2025 Sweden is introducing more relaxed rules for the EU Blue Card. The key changes include:

• a lower minimum-salary threshold;
• reduced requirements for the length of the employment contract;
• eased long-term mobility rules;
• eased rules on changing employer.

These reforms form part of Sweden's compliance with the 2021 EU Blue Card Directive.

New Zealand: work visas set to become easier

Over the course of 2025 the New Zealand government will scrap the median-wage threshold, lower work-experience requirements, introduce new seasonal visas and overhaul the job-check process under the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme.

The changes are expected to ease the administrative burden on AEWV applicants and help address the country's labour shortage.

Indonesia: application fees increased

The Indonesian government has raised fees for most visa categories:

• the short-term work permit fee has risen to IDR 5,250,000, up from IDR 1,800,000 (plus an additional USD 150 charge);
• the long-term work permit (LTWP) fee has risen to IDR 7,000,000, up from IDR 2,700,000 (plus an additional USD 150 charge);
• the LTWP extension fee has risen to IDR 4,500,000, up from IDR 2,500,000;
• the fee for a new dependant residence permit has risen to IDR 6,000,000, up from IDR 2,700,000 (plus an additional USD 150 charge);
• the dependant residence permit extension fee has risen to IDR 4,500,000, up from IDR 2,500,000;
• the five-year permanent residence permit (KITAP) fee has risen to IDR 11,000,000, up from IDR 6,750,000;
• the fee for an unlimited KITAP has risen to IDR 23,000,000, up from IDR 11,950,000.

Turkey raises the minimum wage by 30%

Turkey has raised its minimum wage to 22,104 lira (USD 627) for 2025. The increase was widely expected: more than a third of the country's workforce earns the minimum wage, which in turn influences other pay levels.

Investors had previously voiced concern that a higher minimum wage could upset inflation forecasts and complicate the central bank's plans to begin cutting its key rate. Inflation is expected to fall to 21% by the end of next year.

Hungary: golden visa via real-estate investment abolished

A programme offering residency in exchange for real-estate investment of at least €500,000 was due to launch on 1 January 2025. Because of the changed situation in the housing market, however, the idea has been shelved.

The Guest Investor Programme (GIP) still offers two other routes to residency: investing €250,000 in real-estate funds, or donating from €1 million to state initiatives.

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