Expatriator Index · v1.0.1
Immigration simplicity
How simple, predictable, and low-friction the bureaucratic process is once you are on a route.
10 means minimal paperwork, fast, and predictable.
Global floor
United States
Family
US immigration is among the slowest and most complex in the world — multi-year backlogs, per-country caps, requests for evidence, and unpredictable adjudication make it the global floor for simplicity.
Global midpoint
Spain
Digital Nomad
Spain's digital-nomad visa is attainable but involves apostilles, consular or UGE filing, social-security coordination, and TIE appointments — a moderate, navigable bureaucracy.
Global ceiling
UAE
Regime Arbitrageur
The UAE issues residence through streamlined, largely online free-zone and Golden Visa processes — a well-resourced applicant can be legally resident within days with minimal friction.
Each band shows the number of countries in that score range.
Evidence and review record
Ceiling anchor: Golden Visa and free-zone residence issued through largely online channels, legal residence achievable within days.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- High (3/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Temporary residence obtainable in-country on broad grounds (work, business, study) with a thin document set and low fees, routinely completed without agents.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Residence permits decided in ~30 days with minimal documentation and no apostille culture; many nationalities get 365-day visa-free entry under the 2015 visa ordinance.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Both the CBI programme and the fully online Nomad Digital Residence visa (2020) are remote, checklist-driven processes measured in weeks to months.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The ordinary E-class visa converts to renewable EB/ER/EG extensions handled by agents in days with near-zero documentation, indefinitely repeatable.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
CBI applications are agent-filed and remote with standardized documentation, historically among the fastest and cheapest Caribbean programmes.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Lawyer-driven but highly predictable residence routes (Friendly Nations, Qualified Investor) with provisional residence issued at the first SNM filing.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The Employment Gold Card (2018) is a single online application combining work permit, visa, and residence, typically approved in 1-2 months.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- High (3/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The e-Albania portal handles unique residence permit applications online with modest requirements and fast turnarounds under the 2021 Law on Foreigners.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
M and V visas (Resolution 5477 of 2022) are filed entirely online through Cancillería with decisions commonly inside 30 days and the cédula issued shortly after.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Police and Border Guard applications are digital-first with published checklists and statutory decision deadlines, though non-EU permits sit under an annual quota.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The single online portal remains accurate procedurally, but the two-tier Professional Occupation Permit (ProPass/Expert Pass) and the USD 2,000/month Retired Non-Citizen floor add real qualification complexity.
- Evidence date
- Aug 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Aug 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- claude-option-b-score-audit-applied
- Source record
- Option B batch-005 score audits: Uruguay, South Africa, Mauritius, Romania, Serbia, plus first Morocco scoring
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Employer-sponsored residence permits are processed through the digital Hukoomi/MOI system in days once a contract exists, with the sponsor handling most steps.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The 2023 Foreigners Act amendments introduced a single online portal, a unified residence-and-work permit, and 3-year permits with light documentation.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The digital-nomad residence permit (2021) accepts online or in-country applications with a short document list and decisions in weeks.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Temporary residence via consular economic-solvency application is a two-step but well-trodden process, though consulate-by-consulate discretion and the INM canje add friction.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Tourist status extends routinely up to 36 months through simple Bureau of Immigration filings, and the SRRV offers a fast agent-free retirement route.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
myMOM decides Employment Pass applications in roughly 10 business days, but the 40-point COMPASS scoring layer, the mandatory 14-day job-ad rule, and stepped salary floors add real procedural gates; lowered to reconcile with the legacy complexity score.
- Evidence date
- Aug 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Aug 10, 2026
- Confidence
- High (3/3)
- Review record
- claude-option-b-score-audit-applied
- Source record
- Option B batch-003 score audits: UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, Malaysia
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The DTV (2024) is a cheap 5-year e-visa with modest proof requirements, but in-country friction persists via 90-day reports, TM30 filings, and re-entry permits.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Legal residency is applied for in-country at DNM with immediate provisional status and work rights, though final approval can take a year or more.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Rentista, professional, and nomad visas (2022 reglamento) have clear low thresholds and in-country filing, though Cancillería appointment backlogs add months.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The Certificate of Eligibility system makes work-visa adjudication predictable (1-3 months) with published criteria, offset by paper-heavy, Japanese-language procedure.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Temporary residence via cheap company formation or property ownership is procedurally simple and fast, but renewals are annual and offices are paper-based.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
IND's recognized-sponsor system decides highly-skilled migrant permits in about 2 weeks, one of Europe's fastest tracks, though baseline routes without a sponsor are thin.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The digital-nomad visa (Resolution 45/2021) and VITEM routes are clearly defined, but consular filing plus Policia Federal registration make it a multi-stage process.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The digital-nomad visa (quota-capped) and 'pink slip' visitor permits are attainable with moderate paperwork at Civil Registry and Migration offices.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Residency requires a consular RS visa before in-country filing at the DGM, a two-stage, document-heavy but agent-navigable process taking most of a year.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The MIGRIS online system and statutory decision deadlines make Lithuanian TRP processing comparatively predictable for the region.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The Nomad Residence Permit (2021) runs through a dedicated Residency Malta Agency with clear checklists, though throughput and appointment scheduling are slow.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Visa categories (E-7, D-8, F-2-7 points) are well documented via HiKorea with functional online booking, but adjudication is discretionary and document-heavy.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Express Entry is transparent with ~6-month service standards, but ECA, language testing, proof-of-funds, and IRCC's fluctuating backlogs make the pipeline long and complex.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The FIP and digital-nomad visas (Law 4825/2021) have clear consular checklists, but residence-permit issuance and renewals through Greek migration offices run slow.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
For the baseline (non-CBI) migrant the accessible routes are employer-tied work permits and standard residence filings through a small manual bureaucracy; the ~6-month CBI track requires USD 235k+ and is out of reach.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
OCMA processes are rule-bound with published timelines, but consular D-visa steps, quota politics, and Russian-speaker-era scrutiny add friction.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Editorial judgment (1/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
DE Rantau's online nomad pass stays simple, but the 2024 MM2H rules add a mandatory property purchase (12-month window, 10-year hold) on top of the fixed deposit at every mainland tier.
- Evidence date
- Aug 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Aug 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- claude-option-b-score-audit-applied
- Source record
- Option B batch-003 score audits: UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, Malaysia
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The digital-nomad visa (2022) and long-stay D visas follow fixed checklists, but consular appointments and General Inspectorate processing are sluggish.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The new digital-nomad residence permit (November 2025) simplifies one route, but administrative-unit processing remains slow and paper-based.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Midpoint anchor: the digital-nomad visa is attainable but demands apostilles, UGE or consular filing, social-security coordination, and TIE appointments.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- High (3/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
For the baseline (non-CBI) migrant the accessible routes are standard small-island work/residence permits with modest but manual, in-person processing; the famous 4-6 month CBI track requires USD 250k and is out of reach.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Law 2/2026 (Omnibus) made passive residence a heavy, in-person process: roughly €1M in qualifying investment plus a €50,000 non-refundable state fee, with small quotas and slow adjudication.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Rentista, digital-nomad and Mercosur categories are unchanged, but DNU 366/2025 followed by the July 2026 Electoral Chamber nullification has degraded procedural predictability even where the underlying visa rules held.
- Evidence date
- Aug 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Aug 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- claude-option-b-score-audit-applied
- Source record
- Option B batch-006 score audits: Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Albania
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Long-stay D visas must be filed at specific consulates with notoriously scarce appointments before a separate in-country residence stage.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Rentista/pensionado categories are well defined, but DGME 'tramitología' routinely stretches approvals past 12 months with in-person appointment scarcity.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The White Card intake is procedurally simple while the surrounding system tightens — the 2024 law's permit-type exclusions and the cultural-knowledge exam. That tension is now corroborated across Helpers Hungary, KPMG and Fragomen, raising confidence to 3.
- Evidence date
- Aug 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Aug 10, 2026
- Confidence
- High (3/3)
- Review record
- claude-option-b-score-audit-applied
- Source record
- Option B batch-006 score audits: Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Albania
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The E33G remote-worker KITAS (2024) and evisa portal improved intake, but shifting regulations and de facto reliance on visa agents keep the process opaque.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Filed locally with DGSN after entry through a well-documented process, but paperwork-heavy, French-language, and rewarding a local fixer — more friction than the Spain midpoint anchor
- Evidence date
- Aug 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Aug 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- claude-option-b-score-audit-applied
- Source record
- Option B batch-005 score audits: Uruguay, South Africa, Mauritius, Romania, Serbia, plus first Morocco scoring
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Red-White-Red Card and settlement permits involve quota ceilings, German-language evidence, and multi-office MA35-style processing known for delays.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The živno trade-license route is viable but demands scarce consular appointments, in-person steps, and Ministry of Interior processing that often exceeds statutory deadlines.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The long-stay visitor visa is checklist-clear, but préfecture appointment scarcity and renewal chaos are a documented, litigated national problem.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
No nomad route; employment permits plus separate visa and IRP registration form a multi-agency process with long registration-appointment queues.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
AEWV and points-based residence remain slow and expensive, but removing the median-wage test and moving MSD engagement to a declaration cut real employer-side friction.
- Evidence date
- Aug 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Aug 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- claude-option-b-score-audit-applied
- Source record
- Option B batch-003 score audits: UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, Malaysia
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
D7/D8 criteria are clear, but AIMA's post-SEF backlog (hundreds of thousands of pending cases and court-ordered scheduling since 2023-2025) makes execution slow and unpredictable.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Short-term residence permits, once easy, now face closed neighborhoods, tightened tourism-residence rules since 2022, and unpredictable rejections.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The July 2026 golden visa and UD1 tech visa give a real long-stay route beyond border runs and 90-day e-visa churn, though issuance is capped at 8,000.
- Evidence date
- Aug 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Aug 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- claude-option-b-score-audit-applied
- Source record
- Option B batch-004 score audits: Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, Turkey, Brazil
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The 2021 migration law requires most applicants to file from abroad through a consulate rather than converting status in-country, a structural barrier on top of the multi-year backlogs; now cross-sourced, raising confidence to 3.
- Evidence date
- Aug 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Aug 10, 2026
- Confidence
- High (3/3)
- Review record
- claude-option-b-score-audit-applied
- Source record
- Option B batch-006 score audits: Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Albania
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Clear statutory routes (Skilled Immigration Act 2023) collide with Ausländerbehörde appointment scarcity, paper processes, and months-long municipal backlogs.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The points-based system still decides in ~3 weeks, but the June 2025 White Paper reset the skill floor from RQF3 to RQF6, shrinking the pool of sponsorable roles on top of extreme fees, the IHS, and sponsor dependence.
- Evidence date
- Aug 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Aug 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- claude-option-b-score-audit-applied
- Source record
- Option B batch-003 score audits: UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, Malaysia
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Three-tier Skills in Demand bands, twice-yearly indexed salary thresholds, skills assessments, English tests, and the NIV absorbing Global Talent and BIIP were all independently verified, raising confidence to 3.
- Evidence date
- Aug 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Aug 10, 2026
- Confidence
- High (3/3)
- Review record
- claude-option-b-score-audit-applied
- Source record
- Option B batch-003 score audits: UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, Malaysia
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
The decreto flussi quota lottery, nulla osta stage, and questura appointment chaos make even approved routes slow and erratic despite the 2024 nomad visa.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Home Affairs states it has cleared the core visa and permit backlog — a real if self-reported improvement — while waivers and appeals still run under concession into 2027.
- Evidence date
- Aug 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Aug 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- claude-option-b-score-audit-applied
- Source record
- Option B batch-005 score audits: Uruguay, South Africa, Mauritius, Romania, Serbia, plus first Morocco scoring
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Non-EU workers face strict federal quotas, labour-market testing, and dual cantonal-federal approval, making the process narrow and heavy.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Residence involves migration-card, registration, quota-bound RVP-then-permanent stages with heavy in-person bureaucracy and wartime-era discretion.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Editorial judgment (1/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Work permits run through the opaque A/B/C tier system with employer sponsorship, document legalization, and shifting local implementation; permanent residence is famously rare.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- Medium (2/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1
Evidence and review record
Floor anchor: per-country caps, multi-year backlogs, RFEs, and unpredictable adjudication make US immigration the global floor for simplicity.
- Evidence date
- Jul 10, 2026
- Reviewed
- Jul 10, 2026
- Confidence
- High (3/3)
- Review record
- scoring-rescore-v1.0.1
- Source record
- Canonical v1.0.1 63-country scoring rescore
- Registry
- v1.0.1