The new EU visa policy strategy: between secure EU borders, digitalisation and attraction of global talent for innovation and research.
In accordance with the overarching long-term goals of the EU competitiveness agenda, the European Commission (EC) proposed a new EU visa policy strategy on the 29th of January 2026 that is aligned with the “Recommendation on attracting talent for innovation”. It proves to be a balancing act between being as open as possible and as closed as necessary.
A strong focus in the new visa strategy is on security and strengthening of the EU borders. Measures include modernising the visa system with smart IT systems (aligned with EU interoperability standards), using visa regulations for geopolitical leverage via a revised visa suspension mechanism, and strengthening travel document security by launching a digital visa.
More important for the ERI field, however, is how the visa strategy is set to empower the economy and competitiveness of the EU. As tourism and business travel makes up “40% of global international travel crossing its external borders”, the new strategy aims to simplify procedures for reliable travellers by employing digitalisation of visa procedures and introducing digital visas, as described in the new rules for Schengen visa digitalisation. The EC recommends that member states broaden the options for issuing multiple-entry visas with extended validity periods for trusted (business) travellers.
But besides the tourism sector, multiple initiatives, including the Union of Skills (see SwissCore article), Choose Europe (see SwissCore article), the Start-up and Scale-Up Strategy, and the AI Continent Action Plan (see SwissCore article), consistently underscore the significance of streamlined and coordinated visa procedures to position the EU as a premier destination for skilled professionals, international researchers, and students. For instance, Choose Europe now has a total of 101 national and regional funding schemes for science and has been funded with almost €900 million in 2025, further reinforcing the EU’s commitment to supporting research and innovation talent. However, all these efforts are often hampered by the complexity and length of current visa processes. For example, the EC also acknowledges the limited effectiveness of existing frameworks such as the Students and Researchers Directive and the EU Blue Card Directive in attracting talent due to the current visa policy.
For that matter, the EC encourages member states to speed up and simplify their consular services and increase transparency about procedures for applicants outside of the EU. Member states will receive EU funding specifically dedicated to aid consulates in the process of handling applications of non-EU nationals with specialised skills and strong innovation and research potential, particularly those participating in the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and Erasmus+. This aims not only to broaden access to mobility programmes, but also to initiatives like the Talent Partnership, which includes countries like Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Lastly, following the EU-India trade deal, the EU plans to launch its first Legal Gateway Office to simplify talent entry from India, starting with the ICT sector.
While the effectiveness of the new visa strategy will depend on how member states exercise their authority over individual applications, it opens the door for further alignment with the EU’s broader ambitions. Since Switzerland is part of the Schengen area, it follows comparable entry requirements and participates in visa systems like the Entry/Exit System and ETIAS (Electronic Travel Information and Authorisation System). But what does it mean for Switzerland’s ability to shape its own talent attraction policies? Could mandatory adoption of EU measures due to a potential visa suspension mechanism limit Switzerland’s flexibility to negotiate bilateral agreements with third countries?
The new EU visa policy already forestalls recommendations on attracting talent for innovation. The recommendations, however, go beyond more efficient visa procedures. Family reunification, for example, is seen vital for attracting but also retaining talent from abroad as well as offering a long-term perspective by transparently sharing information on application requirements for long-term residency. Striking the balance will be the challenge: between being open enough to address “the war on global talent” and a tighter grip on migration.