Meridian · Freshness tracker

What's changed.

Dated updates to visa, tax, residency, citizenship, housing, and labour policy across every country tracked. Every entry cites its primary source and the date we last verified it.

Subscribe via RSS ↗ · 11 entries shown

Country All countriesAQAntarcticaAUAustraliaBRBrazilCACanadaCNChina (Mainland)EGEgyptFRFranceDEGermanyHKHong KongIEIrelandITItalyJPJapanMXMexicoMAMoroccoNLNetherlandsNZNew ZealandPTPortugalSGSingaporeZASouth AfricaKRSouth KoreaESSpainAEUnited Arab EmiratesGBUnited KingdomUSUnited States
Category All categoriesVisa & immigrationResidencyCitizenshipTaxationLabourHousingHealthcareOther
In force 1 Oct 2025
In force Healthcare
IEIreland

PRSI contribution rate raised in phased steps

As part of the 2024 pension-sustainability package, the employee and employer PRSI (social-insurance) contribution rates began a phased annual rise — 0.1 percentage points from October 2024, and further 0.15-point rises through 2028. The first tranche took effect on 1 October 2024; the next on 1 October 2025.

Who it affects: All employees and employers paying PRSI.

Government of Ireland ↗ · Revenue Commissioners ↗ · verified 2026-04-21

In force 15 Jan 2025
In force Healthcare
DEGermany

Electronic patient record (ePA) rollout begins nationwide

The opt-out electronic patient record (elektronische Patientenakte, ePA) was rolled out nationally by statutory health insurers from 15 January 2025, after pilot regions in early 2025. Insured residents automatically receive an ePA unless they opt out; doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies access the record via the Telematik-Infrastruktur with the patient's health card.

Who it affects: All residents covered by statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung).

Bundesministerium für Gesundheit ↗ · Bundesregierung (Federal Government) ↗ · verified 2026-04-18

In force 1 Jan 2025
In force Healthcare
DEGermany

Statutory health-insurance supplementary contribution rate rises

The benchmark supplementary contribution rate (Zusatzbeitrag) for statutory health insurance rose from 1.7% to 2.5% on 1 January 2025, the sharpest single-year increase in over a decade, driven by hospital-funding reforms and rising pharmaceutical costs. Individual Krankenkassen set their own rate around this benchmark.

Who it affects: All residents enrolled in statutory health insurance.

Bundesministerium für Gesundheit ↗ · Bundesregierung (Federal Government) ↗ · verified 2026-04-21

In force 1 Jan 2025
In force Healthcare
DEGermany

Krankenhausreform (hospital structural reform) enters force

The Krankenhausversorgungsverbesserungsgesetz passed the Bundesrat on 22 November 2024 and came into force on 1 January 2025. It overhauls hospital funding — shifting from per-case DRG payments toward a part-reserved "Vorhaltepauschale" funding floor — and tightens minimum case volumes for specialist treatments, which is expected to consolidate smaller hospitals over the coming years.

Who it affects: All residents; particularly relevant for patients of smaller regional hospitals.

Bundesministerium für Gesundheit ↗ · Bundesregierung (Federal Government) ↗ · Bundesgesetzblatt (Federal Law Gazette) ↗ · verified 2026-04-21

In force 1 Jan 2025
In force Healthcare
AEUnited Arab Emirates

Federal mandatory health insurance for all private-sector employees and dependants

A federal mandate requires employers to provide health insurance to all private-sector employees and their dependants from 1 January 2025 — extending the mandatory-health-insurance regime that had previously applied federally only in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to all seven emirates. Materially strengthens employee health protection and adds a small administrative cost to employer compliance.

Who it affects: All private-sector employers nationwide and their employees / dependants.

Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation ↗ · UAE Government Portal ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Sept 2024
In force Healthcare
BRBrazil

SUS universal-healthcare coverage continued for all legal residents

Brazil's Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) continues to provide universal-healthcare access to all legal residents including foreign residents on any visa category — a structural advantage compared to most other mover destinations. Practical quality varies materially by region; private health insurance is common in São Paulo and Rio professional/expat circles.

Who it affects: Foreign residents in Brazil on any residence permit.

Ministério da Justiça e Segurança Pública — Migrações ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Sept 2024
In force Healthcare
CNChina (Mainland)

Public Universal Health Insurance enrolment for long-term foreign residents clarified

NIA and the National Healthcare Security Administration clarified in September 2024 that long-term foreign residents (Z visa holders with 6+ months of consecutive employment) are eligible for and may be required to enrol in the Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance scheme — depending on the locality. Implementation varies materially across cities; Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen have stricter enforcement than secondary cities.

Who it affects: Long-term foreign residents on Z visa or work-permit holders.

State Council of the People's Republic of China ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Jun 2024
In force Healthcare
AQAntarctica

Station medical and evacuation capability — continuing enhancements

Station medical capability continues to be enhanced through 2024–2026 via COMNAP-coordinated protocols — including telemedicine links to home-country hospitals, standardised in-station surgical capability at larger stations, and refined winter-evacuation protocols. Overwintering medical evacuation remains possible only in narrow winter weather windows; most medical issues are managed on-station.

Who it affects: Overwintering staff at all national Antarctic stations.

Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 6 Feb 2024
In force Healthcare
GBUnited Kingdom

Immigration Health Surcharge raised to £1,035 per year

The Immigration Health Surcharge rose from £624 to £1,035 per year for most categories on 6 February 2024, and from £470 to £776 for students, Youth Mobility Scheme, and under-18 applicants. The surcharge is paid upfront for the full visa duration.

Who it affects: All non-settled migrants applying for UK visas of six months or longer.

Home Office ↗ · GOV.UK ↗ · verified 2026-04-21

In force 1 Jan 2024
In force Healthcare
AQAntarctica

Standardised station-health and psychological-screening protocols

COMNAP continues to coordinate standardised health-and-psychological-screening protocols across national Antarctic programmes — particularly for overwintering roles. Multi-week deployment workups, psychological interviews, medical clearance ("PQ" — Physically Qualified — in US Antarctic Program language), and dental fitness are the near-universal pre-deployment requirements.

Who it affects: Station personnel and prospective applicants across national programmes.

Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Jan 2024
In force Healthcare
ITItaly

Voluntary SSN enrolment fee structure reformed

The 2024 budget law reformed the voluntary SSN (national health service) enrolment fee structure for non-employed and study-visa residents. A minimum annual fee of €2,000 was introduced (rising to €2,700 for certain categories), replacing the previous €387.34 minimum. The structure is progressive to income for taxable residents.

Who it affects: Non-employed foreign residents; students and self-sponsored visa holders enrolling in SSN.

Gazzetta Ufficiale della Repubblica Italiana ↗ · Governo Italiano ↗ · verified 2026-04-21