UK-Switzerland Agreement Facilitates Professional Qualifications Recognition
New agreement between the UK and Switzerland allows UK-qualified professionals in over 200 professions to work in Switzerland.
The United Kingdom and Switzerland have announced a new bilateral agreement to recognize professional qualifications, facilitating UK-qualified professionals to work in Switzerland.
The UK-Switzerland Recognition of Professional Qualifications Agreement, confirmed by the Department for Business and Trade, acknowledges qualifications in more than 200 professions, thus replacing the previous agreement related to the UK's exit from the European Union, which expired at the end of 2024.
This latest agreement encompasses a wide range of professions, which include but are not limited to lawyers, ski instructors, auditors, driving instructors, cabin crew, and notably, anaesthetists for the first time.
The initiative aims to continue the cooperation initially established under the 2018 citizens’ rights agreement, ensuring recognition for UK and Swiss nationals working across both nations.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, drawing from his own experiences as a trainee solicitor, acknowledged the challenges faced by UK professionals working abroad.
The minister emphasized the importance of such agreements in sustaining the UK's service sectors, which play a significant role in the economy.
The announcement comes as part of broader efforts to support business operations between the UK and Switzerland, both considered leading global players in services trade.
This bilateral engagement occurs against a backdrop of wider global economic concerns.
A recent World Economic Forum (WEF) report highlighted a general decline in economic optimism, fueled by anxieties about potential armed conflicts and geopolitical tensions.
According to the WEF's annual global risk survey, which involved over 900 global risk experts, policymakers, and industry leaders, 52% of respondents expect an 'unsettled' global outlook over the next two years.
This sentiment is compounded by concerns over climate change and potential shifts in trade policies, such as the possibility of new tariffs being imposed by the United States.
The UK-Switzerland Recognition of Professional Qualifications Agreement, confirmed by the Department for Business and Trade, acknowledges qualifications in more than 200 professions, thus replacing the previous agreement related to the UK's exit from the European Union, which expired at the end of 2024.
This latest agreement encompasses a wide range of professions, which include but are not limited to lawyers, ski instructors, auditors, driving instructors, cabin crew, and notably, anaesthetists for the first time.
The initiative aims to continue the cooperation initially established under the 2018 citizens’ rights agreement, ensuring recognition for UK and Swiss nationals working across both nations.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, drawing from his own experiences as a trainee solicitor, acknowledged the challenges faced by UK professionals working abroad.
The minister emphasized the importance of such agreements in sustaining the UK's service sectors, which play a significant role in the economy.
The announcement comes as part of broader efforts to support business operations between the UK and Switzerland, both considered leading global players in services trade.
This bilateral engagement occurs against a backdrop of wider global economic concerns.
A recent World Economic Forum (WEF) report highlighted a general decline in economic optimism, fueled by anxieties about potential armed conflicts and geopolitical tensions.
According to the WEF's annual global risk survey, which involved over 900 global risk experts, policymakers, and industry leaders, 52% of respondents expect an 'unsettled' global outlook over the next two years.
This sentiment is compounded by concerns over climate change and potential shifts in trade policies, such as the possibility of new tariffs being imposed by the United States.
