Victoria's relationship with the United Kingdom

Victoria has a long and rich relationship with the United Kingdom, built on a history of migration, trade, investment and long established cultural ties.

The United Kingdom is the second largest source of foreign direct investment into Victoria. Over the past five years, businesses from the United Kingdom operating in sectors such as digital technologies, automotive OEM, financial services and transportation and warehousing have found opportunity in Victoria. Opportunities will continue to grow in 2021 particularly relating to green transition, advanced manufacturing, agribusiness, professional services, and life sciences.

The United Kingdom is Victoria's third largest source of international tourists.

Victorian Trade and Investment Offices

Victoria has been represented in the United Kingdom by the Agent-General for Victoria since 1868, and has maintains a Victorian Government Trade and Investment office in London.

Victoria's United Kingdom Strategy

Already engaged in significant trade with the United Kingdom market, Victoria's United Kingdom Strategy seeks to exponentially grow the State's economic relationship across trade, investment, visitors and students. For more information visit:

Victoria's United Kingdom Strategy

Trade Agreements

Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (not yet in force)

Signed virtually on 17 December 2021, the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (AUKFTA) is a once-in-a-generation deal that paves the way for Australia's economic relationship with the United Kingdom in terms of both trade and investment.

For more information please refer to The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade:

Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) - Formal Accession Request

On 1 February 2021, the United Kingdom (UK) formally requested accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) - a free trade agreement (FTA) between Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, New Zealand, Singapore and Vietnam, and on 2 June 2021, the CPTPP Commission agreed to formally commence accession negotiations with the United Kingdom.

For more information please refer to The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade:

Bilateral Relationships

Victoria and the UK maintain extensive people to people links, institutional ties and substantial trade and investment links.

National / Institutions

Metropolitan Melbourne

City of Bayside sister-city relationship with King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Beaumaris, Wales

Regional Victoria

Greater Bendigo sister-city relationship with Penzance (established 1996)

Victorian Universities

The University of Melbourne - UK University partner institutions
Cambridge Australia Scholarships
Euraxess Programme: Research placements in the UK
Royal Society grants: Postdoctoral science research
International Atomic Energy Agency Fellowship: Fellowship for graduates

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