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Trade agreements with Mexico
The UK has 2 free trade agreements (FTAs) with Mexico:
- the UK-Mexico Trade Continuity Agreement (TCA) which entered into force on 1 June 2021
- the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a trade agreement including 12 countries (Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the UK and Vietnam), which entered into force between the UK and Mexico on 22 June 2026
The UK-Mexico TCA should be read in conjunction with the following Parliamentary report as certain elements therein have undergone slight changes to adapt the existing agreement to the UK outside the EU.
The UK-Mexico TCA will remain in force alongside CPTPP. At times, you will need to specify which agreement you choose to trade under (notably when applying rules of origin), but benefits from either agreement will mostly apply automatically. Our guides attempt to highlight where businesses may need to make an explicit decision.
CPTPP entry into force and ratification
As of 22 June 2026, CPTPP is in force between the UK and:
- Australia
- Brunei
- Chile
- Japan
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- New Zealand
- Peru
- Singapore
- Vietnam
This means that the UK can access CPTPP provisions with these countries.
Canada has have not yet ratified the terms of the UK’s accession. This means that the UK cannot yet access CPTPP provisions in this country.
This guidance will be updated following the remaining country's ratification of the terms of the UK’s accession to CPTPP and will include when CPTPP will enter in force between the UK and the relevant remaining country.
This guidance is an explanation of CPTPP Chapter 12: Temporary Entry for Business Persons. Important documents include Mexico’s schedule of commitments for temporary entry for business persons in accordance with Article 12.4 of CPTPP. The UK-Mexico Trade Continuity Agreement (TCA) does not contain provisions for temporary entry.
This guidance outlines how the temporary entry provisions in CPTPP supports the movement of skilled UK business professionals to Mexico to facilitate trade in goods and services, as well as investment. CPTPP is now in force with Mexico, and UK professionals can now benefit from the agreement. When applying for temporary entry to Mexico you will not need to specify that you are entering under a particular FTA.
Be aware that entry into Mexico is subject to meeting the relevant immigration and employment requirements set out in Mexican legislation. For more details, visit the UK government’s travel advice for Mexico.
Temporary entry
Temporary entry provisions in FTAs help provide greater certainty and access for the temporary movement of professionals to:
- deliver services
- negotiate the sale of goods
- invest in businesses in person
The movement of skilled UK professionals supports economic growth, innovation, and collaboration between the UK and its international partners.
These commitments do not afford legal rights to business persons directly. They apply to British citizens only, and not to foreign nationals who reside in the UK. For example, they do not allow British citizens to enter a CPTPP country to look for employment, nor do they apply to measures regarding citizenship, nationality, residence or permanent employment.
FTA commitments on temporary entry do not necessarily lead to improvements in domestic legislation of CPTPP countries. However, they guarantee that CPTPP countries will treat covered business persons no less favourably than what is set out in the FTA. The domestic law of each CPTPP country remains the authoritative source of rights and obligations on temporary entry. Each CPTPP country must ensure that its domestic law conforms with its FTA commitments. If there is an inconsistency between the country’s FTA commitments and its domestic law (the latter is less favourable than the former), this needs to be brought to the attention of the UK government. See the contacts in the support section on this page.
Categories of businessperson
Within CPTPP, Mexico provides access for the following categories of business persons. A summary of the main categories and length of stay permitted is listed on this page. Read the full CPTPP definitions in Annex 12-A Mexico Temporary Entry for each category to ensure you meet the criteria, including applicable sectors.
Please note that final visa names are set by the destination country and may vary from the FTA text. Prospective visa applicants should check with the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs for full visa details and other immigration requirements.
Find information for:
- business visitors
- intra-corporate transferees
- investors
- professionals and technician-professionals
- contractual service suppliers
In addition, for intra-corporate transferees, Mexico will permit spouses of covered businesspeople to temporarily enter and work in Mexico, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Business visitors
Business visitors are UK nationals seeking to travel to Mexico on a temporary basis for business purposes and who are paid from a source outside of Mexico. Applicable business purposes comprise the following activities:
- establishing, developing or managing a foreign capital investment
- providing specialised services, including after-sale or after-lease services, previously agreed to in a contract
- attending business administration meetings, conferences, and trade fairs
- performing management or executive duties in a company or its subsidiaries or affiliates in Mexico
Business visitors can stay in Mexico for up to 180 days, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
For example, if you are a UK businessperson looking to attend a trade fair in Mexico, you can stay in Mexico for up to 180 days, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Intra-corporate transferees
Intra-corporate transferees are UK nationals who are employed by an enterprise of the UK and who are being transferred to a part of their enterprise in Mexico. Under CPTPP, there are 3 types of intra-corporate transferee:
- executives who primarily direct the management of the organisation and exercise decision-making
- managers who primarily direct the organisation or a department or sub-division of the organisation and supervise and control the work of other supervisory, professional, or managerial employees
- specialists who possess specialised knowledge of the company’s products or services and the company’s application in international markets, or an advanced level of expertise or knowledge of the company’s processes and procedures
Intra-corporate transferees can stay in Mexico for one year, which may be extended 3 times for one year each time, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Mexico has also committed to grant temporary entry and stay, and to issue work permits to spouses of intra-corporate transferees, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
For example, if you are a UK business looking to send an executive to a part of your enterprise in Mexico, you will have certainty that you can send an executive to Mexico for up to one year, with the option to extend up to 3 times, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Investors
Investors are UK nationals seeking to enter Mexico, or are already in Mexico, on a temporary basis and intend to:
- understand different investment alternatives
- perform a direct investment or supervise such investment
- represent a foreign business or perform business transactions
- develop, administer or provide advice or key technical services to the operation of an investment to which the businessperson or the businessperson’s enterprise has committed, or is in the process of committing, a substantial amount of capital, in a capacity that is supervisory, executive or involves essential skills
Investors in Mexico can stay in Mexico for one year, which may be extended 3 times for one year each time, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
For example, if you are looking to invest in and manage a business in Mexico, you can come to Mexico for up to one year with the option to extend up to 3 times, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Professionals and technician-professionals
Professionals and technician-professionals are UK nationals who are businesspeople engaged in a specialty occupation requiring specialised knowledge, and who have a post-secondary degree (a ‘technical’ degree in the case of technician-professionals) related to the occupation.
Mexico’s commitments under this category are limited to the “same occupations, activities, professions or sectors committed by” the UK (for the relevant list, see category E in the Annex 12-A United Kingdom). Additionally, technician-professionals will be granted temporary entry if they practice an occupation listed under category D of Annex 12-A Mexico.
Both professionals and technician-professionals must have a work contract and submit documentation which demonstrates that the businessperson:
- shall be engaged in the business activity and describes the purpose of entry
- has the minimal academic requirements or “alternative academic degrees”
Be aware that the temporary entry of a professional or technician-professional shall not imply the recognition of academic degrees or certificates, or the granting of licences for professional practice.
Professionals and technician-professionals can stay in Mexico for one year, which may be extended 3 times for one year each time, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
For example, if you are an interior designer with a contract to provide interior design services for a Mexican business, as a technician-professional you can stay in Mexico for up to one year with the option to extend up to 3 times, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Contractual service suppliers
Contractual Service Suppliers are businesspeople who are engaged in a specialty occupation requiring specialised knowledge and who have a post-secondary degree related to the occupation (note that this definition is identical to that of “Professional” in Annex 12-A Mexico – the difference between these 2 categories is unclear. Other countries often use “Professionals” to refer to self-employed persons, while “Contractual Service Suppliers” are persons employed by a service supplier of the other Party).
Mexico’s commitments under this category are limited to the “same occupations, activities, professions or sectors committed by” the UK (for the relevant list, see category D in the Annex 12-A United Kingdom).
Contractual service suppliers must have a work contract and submit documentation which demonstrates that the businessperson:
- shall be engaged in the business activity and describes the purpose of entry
- has the minimal academic requirements or “alternative academic degrees”
Be aware that the temporary entry of a contractual service supplier shall not imply the recognition of academic degrees or certificates, or the granting of licences for professional practice.
Contractual service suppliers can stay in Mexico for one year, which may be extended 3 times for one year each time, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
For example, if you are an engineer with a contract to provide engineering services for a Mexican business, as a contractual service supplier, you can stay in Mexico for up to one year with the option to extend up to 3 times, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Practicalities for business travel to Mexico
Entry to Mexico is subject to applicants meeting the relevant immigration requirements set out by Mexico. For full details on visa requirements and applications, visit the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs website (the information is provided in Spanish only).
For further information on exemptions from visas (relevant for business visitors), visit the page on Foreign nationals exempted from visa to travel to Mexico as non-lucrative visitors from the Mexico consulate in the UK.
For further information on work visas, visit the page on Temporary Resident Visa authorised by the Migration National Institute from the Mexico consulate in the UK.
For an overview of procedures in Mexico, visit the website of the National Migration Institute (the Institute is part of the Government of Mexico).
Further information on providing services in Mexico
To provide a service in Mexico you need to follow the terms set out in Mexico’s legislation, including with respect to:
- getting an authorisation or licence to provide a service
- complying with local business regulations
- abiding by Mexican nationality requirements which could prevent you from providing services in some sectors
If in doubt, consider appointing an English-speaking lawyer in Mexico to help you comply with specific regulations. You can find guidance on English-speaking lawyers and translators/interpreters in Mexico on GOV.UK.
Department for Business and Trade support
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) helps businesses export, drives inward and outward investment, negotiates market access and trade agreements, and champions free trade. Helpful links, tools and services available from DBT and wider government include:
Export Support Service (ESS) team
Get support on how to do business abroad. Businesses in Wales can also access support from Business Wales.
Export Support Service – International Markets (ESS-IM)
DBT's overseas in-market export support service for SMEs with high-export potential. Our International Market Advisers provide tailored support and market introduction information to new and current UK exporters looking to enter or expand into new markets. The service may be accessed globally with International Markets teams in South Asia, China, the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, North America and Latin America.
Sign up to access webinars on how to grow your international sales.
Information on finance and insurance for UK exports.
Trade and investment factsheets
The latest statistics on trade and investment between the UK and individual overseas partners.
Overseas business risk profiles
Information for UK businesses on political, economic and security risks when trading overseas.
Advice and warnings about travel abroad, including entry requirements, safety and security, health risks and legal differences.
Check or report a trade barrier
If you encounter an issue when exporting to any country – report the issue and UK government officials will be able to assess the issue and consider the options we have open to addressing it as appropriate.
Search for your specific product to find applicable tariffs for each market, explore rules of origin and step-by-step help on customs procedures.
Check import duties and allows you to check the status of available tariff rate quotas.
Useful resources
To find out more about export opportunities to Mexico, please consult DBT’s market guide. This page will also help you understand more about business culture in Mexico, and links to existing trade barriers with this market.
Prior to export, you must be aware of local regulations and import conditions in Mexico that apply to your goods or services. This can include tax considerations, labour laws, intellectual property rules, labelling and packaging regulations, among others.
For further information related to local regulations, business culture, or to find a local lawyer, translator, importer or distributor, use the following contacts:
- DBT’s Export Support Service International Markets team
- get in touch with DBT at the local British Embassy
- get in touch with the British Chamber of Commerce in Mexico
For information on political, economic and security risks when trading with Mexico, see:
Legal disclaimer
This document is provided as an information guide only and should not be relied on as a substitute for your own research or independent advice.
No investment and/or business decision should be made solely on the basis of information presented in this document. It is recommended that an independent due diligence investigation is conducted before entering into engagement with any individual, business or other organisation mentioned.
The Department for Business and Trade accepts no responsibility for any loss or damage caused to any person as result of any error, omission, inaccurate or misleading statement in this document.
The accuracy, completeness or timeliness of the content of any website mentioned in this document is not guaranteed in any way, implied or explicit.
