The UK Department for Business and Trade confirmed on 2 February that the ninth round of negotiations for an ‘enhanced’ Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Switzerland concluded in London last month. Although the discussions cover goods, services and digital trade, mobility featured prominently: negotiators aim to ‘lock in’ business-travel rights and extend provisions of the existing Services Mobility Agreement, already renewed to 2029.
Switzerland is Britain’s tenth-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade worth £49 billion in the year to September 2025. Two-way services—consultancy, finance, legal and tech—account for more than 60 percent of that figure, underlining the importance of predictable visa routes and mutual recognition of professional qualifications. The future FTA chapter on Trade and Sustainable Development is also set to include labour-mobility clauses designed to ensure that cross-border assignments meet high social and environmental standards.
![UK–Switzerland trade talks highlight easier business travel and data flows]()
While policymakers hammer out these provisions, mobility teams can simplify current entry requirements by turning to VisaHQ’s dedicated Switzerland page. The platform consolidates the latest visa categories, processing times and document checklists and offers hands-on assistance with submissions, status tracking and passport logistics—see https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/ for details.
For corporate mobility managers, the key takeaway is continuity. The draft text is expected to cement 90-day visa-free business visits and streamline work-permit processing for intra-company transferees, mirroring Switzerland’s quotas for UK nationals. It should also clarify post-Brexit data-transfer rules, allowing HR teams to move employee information between Swiss and UK servers without additional contractual safeguards.
A final deal is likely later in 2026, but companies with Swiss operations should start mapping potential gains in areas such as digital signatures, e-invoicing and remote-first service delivery. Immigration counsel recommend maintaining existing compliance procedures until implementing legislation passes in both parliaments.
Switzerland is Britain’s tenth-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade worth £49 billion in the year to September 2025. Two-way services—consultancy, finance, legal and tech—account for more than 60 percent of that figure, underlining the importance of predictable visa routes and mutual recognition of professional qualifications. The future FTA chapter on Trade and Sustainable Development is also set to include labour-mobility clauses designed to ensure that cross-border assignments meet high social and environmental standards.
While policymakers hammer out these provisions, mobility teams can simplify current entry requirements by turning to VisaHQ’s dedicated Switzerland page. The platform consolidates the latest visa categories, processing times and document checklists and offers hands-on assistance with submissions, status tracking and passport logistics—see https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/ for details.
For corporate mobility managers, the key takeaway is continuity. The draft text is expected to cement 90-day visa-free business visits and streamline work-permit processing for intra-company transferees, mirroring Switzerland’s quotas for UK nationals. It should also clarify post-Brexit data-transfer rules, allowing HR teams to move employee information between Swiss and UK servers without additional contractual safeguards.
A final deal is likely later in 2026, but companies with Swiss operations should start mapping potential gains in areas such as digital signatures, e-invoicing and remote-first service delivery. Immigration counsel recommend maintaining existing compliance procedures until implementing legislation passes in both parliaments.
