United Kingdom: Immigration Aspects of Trade Agreements with Australia and New Zealand Come into Effect in UK

The first trade deals between the United Kingdom and Australia and the United Kingdom and New Zealand since the United Kingdom left the European Union came into force on May 31, 2023. These agreements have resulted in certain immigration benefits being extended to nationals of Australia and New Zealand. The benefits extend to those seeking to enter the United Kingdom either as Expansion Workers or Service Suppliers under the United Kingdom’s Global Business Mobility routes.

Under the Expansion Worker route, individuals who are nationals or permanent residents of Australia who want to establish a branch or subsidiary of their company in the United Kingdom under the new trade agreement are exempt from the usual requirement that applicants must have worked outside the United Kingdom for the sponsor group for a cumulative period of at least 12 months.  Further, Australian businesses are no longer required to trade overseas for a minimum three-year period prior to submitting a sponsor license application. However, businesses without such a trading history should note that they are limited to sponsoring one employee at a time.

Under the Service Supplier route, references to applications being permitted in the cases of sponsors who have a contract with an overseas company for a service covered by one of the United Kingdom’s international trade agreements will now benefit both Australian and New Zealand nationals. As “Service Suppliers”,  New Zealand permanent residents will be able to stay in the United Kingdom for an initial period of six months, while Australian permanent residents can stay for up to 12 months. Further, those individuals who possess technical qualifications from certain institutions are now eligible to apply under this route, whereas previously they were not eligible.