Australia will host a new round of trade talks with Britain with an eye to boosting exports, worth $12.6 billion, as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull heads to London next week to build momentum for a deal.

British officials will fly to Canberra within days for a “working group” on the free trade agreement, amid hopes on both sides that a deal will commence as soon as Britain leaves the European Union at the end of 2020.

Trade Minister Steve Ciobo hit back at fears of a flood of foreign workers under the deal with the United Kingdom in the wake of similar concerns about labour market testing under a free trade agreement with China three years ago.

Malcolm Turnbull with British PM Theresa May outside Number 10 Downing Street in London last year. Credit:Lukas Coch

Australian exports to the UK were worth $12.6 billion and the trade in services is one of the strongest areas of growth, but this has raised expectations that the flow of workers across borders will be a key issue once the formal negotiations begin.