Spain and the United Kingdom have announced plans to ease short‑term business travel for British professionals, with both governments talking up a new 90‑day work “visa waiver” as part of a broader push to deepen post‑Brexit economic ties.
- Spain’s short‑stay work visa waiver for UK professionals
- What the proposed 90‑day work waiver would change
- How the visa waiver would sit alongside EU border systems
- Potential benefits for UK and Spanish businesses
- Current rules, legal status and what UK professionals should watch next
- What UK professionals and employers should look out for
Spain’s short‑stay work visa waiver for UK professionals
During a recent visit to Madrid, the UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Spain’s Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo presented the initiative during the first visit by a British finance minister to Spain in 11 years.
The announcement comes out of the first annual Spain–United Kingdom Trade and Investment Dialogue, a new framework for closer cooperation on trade in services, investment and short‑term mobility for skilled workers.
What the proposed 90‑day work waiver would change
The core concept put forward by Spain and welcomed by the UK is:
- British professionals would be allowed to carry out certain types of paid work in Spain for short periods of up to 90 days
- Without having to obtain a traditional work visa in advance
How the visa waiver would sit alongside EU border systems
The proposed 90‑day work waiver would not alter the underlying border controls applied to British citizens as non‑EU nationals:
- The 90‑day‑in‑180 Schengen limit would still apply
- Entries and exits would be registered through the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), which is gradually replacing passport stamps with digital records
- Once the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is fully operational, British travellers making short‑stay visits to Spain would still need an online pre‑travel authorisation, even if they are travelling under a future work‑mobility waiver
Potential benefits for UK and Spanish businesses
With around 2,300 British companies in Spain and nearly 800 Spanish companies in the UK, if implemented as described by both governments, the 90‑day work waiver and associated simplifications could:
- Reduce time and paperwork for short‑term assignments such as consulting projects, inspections, training or specialist technical work
- Allow companies with a presence in both countries to move staff more flexibly for limited, clearly defined periods
- Support the broader push to deepen services trade and cross‑border investment between Spain and the UK
Current rules, legal status and what UK professionals should watch next
Despite the political announcements and strong language around a “visa waiver”, at this stage, Spain has not yet published the legal instruments needed to put a new scheme into effect.
Both governments have committed to a clear process: a joint roadmap with shared priorities to be developed before June, and a follow‑up meeting on progress in the last quarter of 2026.
What UK professionals and employers should look out for
For British professionals, firms with UK–Spain operations, and British residents already based in Spain, three developments will be crucial in the coming months:
- Spanish legal instruments
Publication of a Royal Decree or equivalent regulation in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (official state gazette). - Official guidance from both governments
Updated advice from Spain’s immigration authorities and the British Embassy in Madrid. - Clarification on reciprocity and UK procedures
Employers will need to understand:- Whether some Spanish professionals will face a lighter sponsorship process under UK immigration rules
- How this interacts with existing visa categories for skilled workers
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