UK-Switzerland business travel agreement extended to 2029
Lawyers from the UK can continue to travel to Switzerland for up to 90 days a year without having to apply for a work permit or visa, as both countries have agreed to extend the Services Mobility Agreement (SMA) again until the end of 2029.
The agreement allows solicitors from the UK to visit Switzerland on a short-term basis to provide legal services under similar conditions to those before the UK’s exit from the single market.
The UK and Switzerland had previously agreed to extend the agreement from the end of 2022 to the end of 2025. This new extension will be in place for a further four years, until 31 December 2029.
Under the SMA, UK professionals operating in Switzerland for up to 90 days a year do not need to:
- obtain a work permit, or
- complete an economic interests test
The agreement applies to businesses of all sizes, including the self-employed.
Read the UK government press release on the SMA update
Our campaign to support market access
The Law Society has been pushing not only for the SMA to be extended for the second time but also for its provisions to be secured permanently through the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that is currently being negotiated between the UK and Switzerland.
The extension of the SMA facilitates the provision of legal services by UK solicitors on a temporary, fly-in-fly-out basis in Switzerland.
We will continue to advocate for the FTA to protect the ability of UK lawyers to also practise on a permanent basis under their home country professional title in Switzerland, as well as facilitate intra-corporate transfers and secondments between the UK and Switzerland.
Switzerland is the UK’s second largest market in Europe and the third globally for legal services exports.
Maintaining seamless access to Switzerland is vital not just for lawyers but for the wider British economy, enabling UK law firms to continue driving growth, creating jobs and supporting local communities.
This extension comes after the Recognition of Professional Qualifications (RPQ) agreement between the UK and Switzerland entered into force on 1 January this year.
This agreement gives UK lawyers a route to requalify into the Swiss legal profession after three years of registration and practice without having to complete a Swiss law degree or sit any exams.
Read more about the RPQ agreement in our doing legal business in Switzerland guide.
Next steps
We will continue to liaise with members and stakeholders as negotiations on the new UK–Switzerland Free Trade Agreement progress, ensuring that the interests of UK legal professionals remain protected and smooth business travel to Switzerland is maintained beyond 2029.