We have noted the reports of unethical and exploitative practices in this sector. To address this the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has recently published guidance aimed at candidates who are applying for health and social care jobs in the UK from abroad. It provides information on how to avoid scams, working rights and standards, what to consider when deciding whether to take a health or care job in the UK and where to go for further guidance, help or support.

Section 6 of the Employment Agencies Act 1973 (EAA 1973) prohibits the charging of work-finding fees to work-seekers wherever they are recruited from, provided the agency is operating in Great Britain. Agencies are permitted to charge fees for other paid-for services and can pass on visa costs to work-seekers, but this should be clearly set out in writing to the work-seeker. The Employment Agency Standards (EAS) Inspectorate continues to work closely with DHSC to ensure their guidance aligns with these requirements.

The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) contains provisions on the entry and temporary stay of natural persons for business purposes (Mode IV), similar to the EU’s best precedent reached with Canada and Japan, with some improvements.

For short-stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, UK nationals will not need a visa when travelling to and within the Schengen Area, where they are undertaking a limited range of activities such as attending meetings, tourism, cultural or sporting events. Under the TCA with the EU, business travellers do not require a work permit to carry out certain short-term business travel activities, such as attending meetings and conferences, providing after sale-services, or translation and market research services, unless otherwise stated in the agreement. Some Member States allow additional activities without the need for a visa or work permit. The types of additional activities allowed differ by Member State, and UK nationals should check relevant rules before travelling.

For those undertaking longer-term stays or providing a service under a contract, a visa and/or work permit may be required. If you are travelling to several Member States for work purposes, you may need to apply for these documents for each country. UK nationals should therefore check the rules of each country they intend to travel to ahead of time.

We have published guidance on GOV.UK for businesses to support our new trading relationship with the EU.

The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) already includes measures for short-term business visitors, who can perform a list of 11 activities without requiring a work-permit, subject to a limited number of Member State reservations. EU Member States may allow more activities without a work-permit than those specified in the agreement. This will vary country to country.

Visa-free travel is not usually part of Free Trade Agreements, although the UK and EU both allow visa-free visits in their domestic laws. EU nationals can visit the UK for up to 6 months and perform a wide range of business activities (which can be found under the ‘Permitted Activities’ of the Immigration Rules). UK nationals can visit the EU for 90 days in every 180 days and also perform a range of visitor activities, although these will vary from Member State to Member State.

The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) already includes measures for short-term business visitors, who can perform a list of 11 activities without requiring a work-permit, subject to a limited number of Member State reservations. EU Member States may allow more activities without a work-permit than those specified in the agreement. This will vary country to country.

Visa-free travel is not usually part of Free Trade Agreements, although the UK and EU both allow visa-free visits in their domestic laws. EU nationals can visit the UK for up to 6 months and perform a wide range of business activities (which can be found under the ‘Permitted Activities’ of the Immigration Rules). UK nationals can visit the EU for 90 days in every 180 days and also perform a range of visitor activities, although these will vary from Member State to Member State.

As part of their domestic immigration rules, each EU Member State has the power to set the cost of visas and/or work permits. This has resulted in a wide range of costs that Member States can continue to change, and at a time of their choosing. Each Member State is responsible for communicating and updating such costs, and each remains the most accurate and applicable source of this information; the UK Government does not hold this information. We urge all UK nationals to check the rules in the country they are travelling to ahead of time. These rules will differ depending on length of stay and activities undertaken abroad.

The Government is committed to supporting individuals and businesses. We will continue to engage regularly with our embassies to better understand the requirements in Member States. We will also continue to enhance guidance for businesses to best support travel for work purposes under our new trading relationship with the European Union.

This Government recognises the importance of the UK’s thriving cultural industries, and that is why it pushed for ambitious arrangements to make it easier for performers and artists to perform across Europe as part of the negotiations on our future relationship with the EU.

This Government proposed to the EU that musicians, and their technical staff, be added to the list of permitted activities for short-term business visitors in the entry and temporary stay chapter of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. This would have allowed musicians and their staff to travel and perform in the EU more easily, without needing work-permits.

As with legal text shared in confidence with trading partners, publishing transcripts of negotiations on trade agreements would not be appropriate as both parties exchanged information in confidence.

The Government recognises the importance of mobility for economic, social and cultural cooperation. This includes the value of visa-free travel arrangements for UK nationals and EU citizens traveling to each other's territories for short-term visits. ONS figures show that in 2018, UK residents made c.54 million visits to the EU of which c.87% lasted for a period of 13 nights or fewer.

The EU has already legislated such that UK nationals will not need a visa when travelling to the Schengen area for short stays of up to 90 days in every 180-day period. This will apply once free movement ends and after the end of the implementation period.

The Political Declaration sets out the aspects of mobility that the UK and the EU have committed to discuss in the negotiations on the future relationship. This includes providing for visa-free travel for short-term visits. Any provisions agreed in the negotiations would benefit all UK nationals, including those who own property in the EU. The detail of future mobility arrangements with the EU will be subject to negotiation.

The Government recognises the importance of mobility for economic, social and cultural cooperation. This includes the value of visa-free travel arrangements for UK nationals and EU citizens traveling to each other's territories for short-term visits. ONS figures show that in 2018, UK residents made c.54 million visits to the EU of which c.87% lasted for a period of 13 nights or fewer.

The EU has already legislated such that UK nationals will not need a visa when travelling to the Schengen area for short stays of up to 90 days in every 180-day period. This will apply once free movement ends and after the end of the implementation period.

The Political Declaration sets out the aspects of mobility that the UK and the EU have committed to discuss in the negotiations on the future relationship. This includes providing for visa-free travel for short-term visits. Any provisions agreed in the negotiations would benefit all UK nationals, including those who own property in the EU. The detail of future mobility arrangements with the EU will be subject to negotiation.

The Government recognises the importance of mobility for economic, social and cultural cooperation. This includes the value of visa-free travel arrangements for UK nationals and EU citizens traveling to each other's territories for short-term visits. ONS figures show that in 2018, UK residents made c.54 million visits to the EU of which c.87% lasted for a period of 13 nights or fewer.

The EU has already legislated such that UK nationals will not need a visa when travelling to the Schengen area for short stays of up to 90 days in every 180-day period. This will apply once free movement ends and after the end of the implementation period.

The Political Declaration sets out the aspects of mobility that the UK and the EU have committed to discuss in the negotiations on the future relationship. This includes providing for visa-free travel for short-term visits. Any provisions agreed in the negotiations would benefit all UK nationals, including those who own property in the EU. The detail of future mobility arrangements with the EU will be subject to negotiation.

The European Union has proposed to grant UK nationals visa-free travel to the EU for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The UK has also said that we do not intend to require visas for EU citizens travelling to the UK for short stays.

The arrangements for longer stays will depend on the approach taken by individual Member States.

The FCO’s Travel Advice pages provide the most up to date information on entry requirements for travellers for each Member State.

This can be found at https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.

The rules that will apply to UK nationals travelling to the EU in future, and EU citizens travelling to the UK are issues that have not yet been discussed with the EU. In her Mansion House speech, the Prime Minister set out our ambition to agree an appropriate and reciprocal labour mobility framework that will enable UK businesses and professionals to travel and provide services. We are carefully considering our options and will discuss these matters with the EU in due course.