GOV.UK
Temporary Worker - Government Authorised Exchange visa (Tier 5)
Overview
You can apply for a Tier 5 Temporary Worker - Government Authorised Exchange visa if you:
- want to come to the UK for a short time for work experience or to do training, an Overseas Government Language Programme, research or a fellowship through an approved government authorised exchange scheme
- have a sponsor
- are from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland
- meet the other eligibility requirements
Sponsorship
You need to have a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed sponsor before you can apply to come to the UK to work.
Your work, training or research in the UK must relate to the work of your sponsor organisation.
Your sponsor can be any of the following:
- an organisation running an approved exchange scheme
- a higher education institution (if you are a sponsored researcher, visiting academic or examiner)
- a government department or agency
How long it will take
The earliest you can apply for a visa is 3 months before the date you’re due to start work. This date is on your certificate of sponsorship.
You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.
Check the guide processing times to find out how long getting a visa might take in your country.
Fees
How much you pay for your visa depends on where you are.
| Who you’re applying for | Apply (outside the UK) | Extend or switch (in the UK) |
|---|---|---|
| You | £244 | £244 |
| If you’re a citizen of Turkey or Macedonia | £189 | £189 |
| All dependants | £244 each | £244 each |
Healthcare surcharge
You’ll also have to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your application. Check how much you’ll have to pay before you apply.
If you’re applying to extend or switch in the UK
You’ll need to pay £19.20 to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken.
Get a faster decision on your application
If you want to get a decision more quickly, you can pay an extra £500 for the priority service to get a decision within 5 working days.
You can pay an extra £800 for the super priority service to get a decision:
- by the end of the next working day after providing your biometric information if your appointment is on a weekday
- 2 working days after providing your biometric information if your appointment is at the weekend
Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays.
How long you can stay
You can stay in the UK for up to 12 or 24 months (depending on the scheme you’re applying for) or the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 28 days, whichever is shorter.
You can enter the UK up to 14 days before the start date of your job.
What you can and cannot do
You can:
- study (for some courses you’ll need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate)
- work in the job described in your certificate of sponsorship
- do a second job for up to 20 hours per week
- do a job on the Tier 2 shortage occupation list for up to 20 hours per week as well as your main job
- apply to change (‘switch’) into a Tier 1 Exceptional Talent visa if you’re in the government authorised exchange scheme for sponsored researchers
- bring family members with you
You cannot:
- take a permanent job
- get public funds