Australia and UK to ease business travel

A pledge that a new trade deal agreed between Australia and UK will encourage people to travel and work in each other's country has been made by the two governments.

David Sapsted

17 June 2021

In an Agreement in Principle published on Thursday, which lays out in more detail the deal reached earlier in the week, reciprocal arrangements are laid out on commitments to temporary entry "that will support economic recovery" and enhance opportunities for business travel.In a statement, Downing Street said commitments on mobility chapter included:

companies to sponsor visas committed in the free trade agreement (FTA) without first having to prove that a national of the country in question could not be hired to do the job, through the reciprocal removal of economic needs tests
Australia and the UK to provide balanced guarantees that are broadly reciprocal to maintain visa pathways for service suppliers for a substantial number of sectors - through the binding of these sectors in the FTA
A wider range of side initiatives alongside the FTA encompassing broader demographics than business mobility.

These initiatives will include "unprecedented changes" to existing Youth Mobility Schemes, enabling nationals no older than 35 to stay for up to three years without having to undertake specified work including regional work, for example on a farm.

Read more of David Sapstead's coverage of the UK/Australia trade deal:

"In line with each country’s respective immigration system, the parties will further explore opportunities to enhance the ability for citizens to live, work and travel in each country," the statement added.And in a bid to support agriculture and agribusiness, there will be new visa pathways to facilitate mobility for those involved in the sector.On the subject of innovation and early careers skills exchanges, the two governments are exploring dedicated visa requirements "in line with our respective systems, to further enable workplace exchanges which facilitate early career mobility for those involved in innovation across industry, culture and the arts".The statement said these changes would be made within the coming five years "to allow for a smooth adjustment in respective systems".