Spain has set its sights on a bespoke mobility corridor with the United Kingdom that would allow qualified professionals to carry out short-term assignments on either side of the Channel without first securing a sponsor-based work visa. Speaking at a Spanish–British business forum in London on 11 December, Spain’s Secretary of State for Trade, Amparo López Senovilla, confirmed that Madrid has tabled a formal proposal for a reciprocal 90-day visa exemption covering “Mode 4” service providers—technicians, consultants, executives and other specialists who need to troubleshoot equipment, install software or advise clients onsite.
Since Brexit, these trips have become a headache for multinational companies because most paid activities in the UK require a Skilled Worker or Temporary Worker (Service Supplier) visa that can cost more than £700 per person, plus the healthcare surcharge and lead time for sponsorship paperwork. Spain’s own immigration rules were recently amended to recognise a Mode 4 exemption inside the Schengen Area, and officials argue that extending the logic bilaterally would benefit both economies without reopening the wider EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
For companies that still need to navigate existing visa obligations while the new corridor is being negotiated, VisaHQ offers a convenient workaround. Their Spain visa page (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) provides step-by-step application guidance, document checks and courier services, helping technicians and executives secure the right paperwork quickly and avoid costly delays.
![Spain Proposes 90-Day Work-Visa Waiver With the UK for Skilled Service Providers]()
If adopted, the waiver would stand outside existing EU frameworks and require new UK legislation—something London has been willing to do for other partners such as Singapore. Business-mobility managers therefore see the Spanish offer as a potential template for other EU members. For companies, the savings could be substantial: no visa fees, faster deployment of staff and fewer delays linked to Certificates of Sponsorship. Spanish firms with British subsidiaries in aerospace, fintech and renewable energy would be among the biggest winners; UK exporters of specialised engineering services would gain the same friction-free access to Spanish sites.
Yet details still need to be hammered out. Tax and social-security coordination—for example, whether Spanish technicians would remain within Spanish social-security coverage for the 90-day period—must be clarified, as must the status of accompanying dependants. Compliance teams will also have to track how any new corridor interacts with the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), which begins full operation in April 2026. Until legislation is finalised, HR departments are advised to map assignment pipelines, monitor UK Home Office consultations and budget for current visa routes as a contingency.
For now, the proposal signals a pragmatic attempt to ease post-Brexit friction and could herald a new wave of bilateral mobility deals within Europe—especially if the UK proves amenable to a sector-driven, skills-based approach.
Since Brexit, these trips have become a headache for multinational companies because most paid activities in the UK require a Skilled Worker or Temporary Worker (Service Supplier) visa that can cost more than £700 per person, plus the healthcare surcharge and lead time for sponsorship paperwork. Spain’s own immigration rules were recently amended to recognise a Mode 4 exemption inside the Schengen Area, and officials argue that extending the logic bilaterally would benefit both economies without reopening the wider EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
For companies that still need to navigate existing visa obligations while the new corridor is being negotiated, VisaHQ offers a convenient workaround. Their Spain visa page (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) provides step-by-step application guidance, document checks and courier services, helping technicians and executives secure the right paperwork quickly and avoid costly delays.
If adopted, the waiver would stand outside existing EU frameworks and require new UK legislation—something London has been willing to do for other partners such as Singapore. Business-mobility managers therefore see the Spanish offer as a potential template for other EU members. For companies, the savings could be substantial: no visa fees, faster deployment of staff and fewer delays linked to Certificates of Sponsorship. Spanish firms with British subsidiaries in aerospace, fintech and renewable energy would be among the biggest winners; UK exporters of specialised engineering services would gain the same friction-free access to Spanish sites.
Yet details still need to be hammered out. Tax and social-security coordination—for example, whether Spanish technicians would remain within Spanish social-security coverage for the 90-day period—must be clarified, as must the status of accompanying dependants. Compliance teams will also have to track how any new corridor interacts with the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), which begins full operation in April 2026. Until legislation is finalised, HR departments are advised to map assignment pipelines, monitor UK Home Office consultations and budget for current visa routes as a contingency.
For now, the proposal signals a pragmatic attempt to ease post-Brexit friction and could herald a new wave of bilateral mobility deals within Europe—especially if the UK proves amenable to a sector-driven, skills-based approach.
