The Government Authorised Exchange Visa allows individuals to enter the UK for 12 or 24 months to engage in approved programs such as internships, training, work experience, or research. Employers must meet the relevant scheme rules of the approved overarching body to sponsor candidates.
The eligibility requirements for GAE employer registration vary based on the scheme; some of the common requirements are as follows.
An essential stipulation of the GAE route is that roles must be “supernumerary”. This means that the intention is not to facilitate labour supply – participants must not fill existing vacancies but be in addition to the regular staffing requirements. In essence, the scheme’s purpose is to enhance knowledge and skills exchange rather than address labour shortages. The eligibility for individuals taking part in the scheme can be seen here.
The employer might have to pay the following costs under the GAE scheme.
The amount will depend on the overarching body’s price list. Some of them don’t charge any joining fee and some have no re-registration fee.
First-time registration costs for employers can start from £250 + VAT and can go up to £700 + VAT. Some overarching bodies also give the first year into the scheme free of charge and then charge the employers from the second year in the scheme.
The re-registration fee is usually charged when an employer registers with the overarching body again after a period of inactivity. This fee can start from £300 + VAT, again depending on the overarching body.
Every employer must pay the CoS issue fee, which may vary depending on the period of sponsorship. For short-term sponsorship (1-3 months), the fee can start from £450 + VAT and go up to £650 + VAT. For medium-term sponsorship, this fee can start from £750 + VAT and go up to £850. Long-term sponsorship can start at £850 and go up further depending on the overarching body.
The fees for initial and subsequent re-registrations depend on the scheme and the overarching bodies.
Our Immigration Solicitors at City Legal have immense experience in assisting international graduates & their employers in registering for the GAE programme. At City Legal, we work with numerous overarching sponsors and can ensure a smooth, fast and efficient process. We pride ourselves in being approachable, innovative and always going that extra mile to make sure our clients receive the individual attention they deserve. Our Immigration team maintains a high reputation and is committed to providing clear, transparent and reliable advice to our clients.
Under the GAE scheme, employers are not required to obtain a sponsor licence for offering internships. Instead, they must register with an approved Overarching body to facilitate the internship for graduates. To be eligible for this registration, the employers are expected to meet similar standards as a sponsor licence holder, in terms of record keeping, and monitoring workers.
The GAE registration process turnaround time depends on the overarching sponsors and their process. The quickest sponsor we have dealt with takes two to five working days. Upon the registration and CoS, the individuals would need to make a visa application and processing time for a normal route is 8 weeks. Priority options are also available at additional cost.
The minimum age limit to qualify for GAE is 18, and there is no upper limit.
Yes, startups are eligible to hire candidates under the GAE scheme. They need only ensure they meet all the eligibility criteria and have the necessary documents. Cetain industries like Care, Agriculture and Hospitality re exempted by the scheme providers.
The UK Home Office has set out the approved programmes under the Immigration Rules. Each of those schemes are managed by an overarching sponsor. Under the GAE, a sponsor could be an organisation running an approved exchange scheme, a higher education institution (for sponsored researcher, visiting academic or examiner) or a government department or agency. As such, it is not always the employer that may be the sponsor and this is permitted under the rules.
