GATS Modes of Supply
Mode 4 and Professional Mobility
Trade in services is classified by the WTO's General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS, 1995) into four modes: Mode 1 (cross-border supply), Mode 2 (consumption abroad), Mode 3 (commercial presence), and Mode 4 (movement of natural persons/temporary presence of service suppliers). Mode 4 is the mode most relevant to Indian professionals seeking short-term work access abroad.
- Mode 4 commitments are typically the most restrictive category in any FTA's services chapter, as they intersect with a partner country's domestic immigration and labour-market rules.
- India's FTA negotiating priority in developed-country deals (UK, EU, Australia) has consistently centred on improving Mode 4 access for its IT and professional services exporters, given India's comparative advantage in skilled-services trade.
- CETA's improved access for Indian professionals and service providers falls under this Mode 4 framework, alongside a parallel Double Contribution Convention exempting short-term assignees from double social security payments.
● Tracked since July 14, 2026 · last seen July 15, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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