Government Authorised Exchange visa (Temporary Work)

United Kingdom•Europe

Open

Government Authorised Exchange visa (Temporary Work)

Work Dependents Allowed

At a Glance

Processing Time

21 days

Application Fee

340 GBP

Stay Duration

12 months

Renewable

Job Offer

Required

Dependents

Allowed

PR Pathway

Remote Work

Not Required

Apply Now Official Information

Living in United Kingdom

Cost of Living

2% cheaper than United States

Avg Salary£31,200

Quality of Life

176/200

Full Country Guide

Overview

Temporary visa for work experience, training, research, and fellowship under government-authorised exchange schemes.

The UK GAE visa is a Temporary Work route for researchers, trainees, and fellows on a government-approved exchange scheme requiring a Certificate of Sponsorship.

Stay is 12 months (work experience) or 24 months (research/training). No PR pathway or quota. Dependants can join and work except as professional sportspeople.

This visa is ideal for internationally-sponsored researchers, trainees, and exchange fellows seeking structured UK experience without a permanent job offer or salary threshold.

Fee Breakdown

Application fee	340 GBP
Immigration Health Surcharge (per year) recurring	1,035 GBP

Processing Tracks

Outside UK (standard)	3 weeks
Inside UK extension (standard)	2 months

Conversion Paths

Visas you can typically switch to from this status.

United Kingdom

Skilled Worker Visa

Validity5 years per grant (renewable indefinitely)

Processing5-56 days

View Visa Details

United Kingdom

Global Talent Visa

Validity5 years

Processing15-21 days

View Visa Details

United Kingdom

Spouse/Partner Visa

Validity33 months

Processing3 months

View Visa Details

Requirements

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from a licensed UK sponsor running an approved exchange scheme

Sponsor must be an approved government-authorised exchange programme, higher education institution, or government department

Role must meet UK minimum wage and working hours regulations

Minimum £1,270 in funds held for 28 consecutive days (unless exempt)

TB test results if applying from a listed country

ATAS certificate if role involves sensitive PhD-level research

KEY CRITERIA

Job Offer

Required

Min. Savings

1,270 EUR

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Valid passport or travel document

Certificate of Sponsorship reference number

Bank statements showing £1,270 held for 28 consecutive days (unless exempt)

TB test results (if required based on country of origin)

ATAS certificate (if role involves sensitive PhD-level research)

Scholarship or agency consent letter (if funded by a government or international scholarship agency)

Certified translations of any documents not in English or Welsh

Advantages & Considerations

Key Benefits

Permits up to 20 hours/week secondary employment in any sector
Study permitted alongside sponsored role (ATAS certificate required for sensitive subjects)
No English language requirement
No annual quota or cap on places
Can arrive 14 days before the sponsor-stated start date

Worth Knowing

No pathway to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or permanent residence
Strictly temporary — maximum stay is 24 months
Requires an approved sponsoring organisation; no self-sponsored route
Remote work for overseas employers not explicitly permitted and likely outside the approved scope
£1,270 minimum funds must be held continuously for 28 days before applying (unless sponsor covers first month)

Application Process

Obtain a Certificate of Sponsorship reference number from a licensed UK sponsor

Apply online via the Home Office visa portal

Verify identity via the UK Immigration: ID Check app or attend a visa application centre for biometrics (fingerprints and photo)

Submit supporting documents

Await decision (3 weeks outside UK; 8 weeks inside UK)

Verified Claims (21)

Last verified May 31, 2026

Application Steps	Obtain a Certificate of Sponsorship reference number from a licensed UK sponsor; Apply online via th…	gov.uk
Dependent Visa	Dependents allowed	gov.uk
Fee Breakdown	Application fee: 340 GBP; Immigration Health Surcharge (per year): 1035 GBP	gov.uk
Fees	£340 application fee + £1,035/year Immigration Health Surcharge	gov.uk
Forms	—	gov.uk
Included Nationalities	—	gov.uk
Job Offer Required	true	gov.uk
Application Portal	https://apply-to-visit-or-stay-in-the-uk.homeoffice.gov.uk	gov.uk

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Overview

Temporary visa for work experience, training, research, and fellowship under government-authorised exchange schemes.

The UK GAE visa is a Temporary Work route for researchers, trainees, and fellows on a government-approved exchange scheme requiring a Certificate of Sponsorship.

Stay is 12 months (work experience) or 24 months (research/training). No PR pathway or quota. Dependants can join and work except as professional sportspeople.

This visa is ideal for internationally-sponsored researchers, trainees, and exchange fellows seeking structured UK experience without a permanent job offer or salary threshold.

Conversion Paths

Visas you can typically switch to from this status.

United Kingdom

Skilled Worker Visa

Validity5 years per grant (renewable indefinitely)

Processing5-56 days

View Visa Details

United Kingdom

Global Talent Visa

Validity5 years

Processing15-21 days

View Visa Details

United Kingdom

Spouse/Partner Visa

Validity33 months

Processing3 months

View Visa Details

Requirements

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from a licensed UK sponsor running an approved exchange scheme

Sponsor must be an approved government-authorised exchange programme, higher education institution, or government department

Role must meet UK minimum wage and working hours regulations

Minimum £1,270 in funds held for 28 consecutive days (unless exempt)

TB test results if applying from a listed country

ATAS certificate if role involves sensitive PhD-level research

KEY CRITERIA

Job Offer

Required

Min. Savings

1,270 EUR

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Valid passport or travel document

Certificate of Sponsorship reference number

Bank statements showing £1,270 held for 28 consecutive days (unless exempt)

TB test results (if required based on country of origin)

ATAS certificate (if role involves sensitive PhD-level research)

Scholarship or agency consent letter (if funded by a government or international scholarship agency)

Certified translations of any documents not in English or Welsh

Advantages & Considerations

Key Benefits

Permits up to 20 hours/week secondary employment in any sector
Study permitted alongside sponsored role (ATAS certificate required for sensitive subjects)
No English language requirement
No annual quota or cap on places
Can arrive 14 days before the sponsor-stated start date

Worth Knowing

No pathway to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or permanent residence
Strictly temporary — maximum stay is 24 months
Requires an approved sponsoring organisation; no self-sponsored route
Remote work for overseas employers not explicitly permitted and likely outside the approved scope
£1,270 minimum funds must be held continuously for 28 days before applying (unless sponsor covers first month)

Application Process