UK Internship Visa

For those looking for an internship visa for the UK, the Government Authorised Exchange visa is suitable for most foreign nationals. However, there are several other possible visa options that candidates can consider for internships in the UK including the Youth Mobility Scheme visa for those from Australia, Canada, Monaco, New Zealand or Iceland.

Government Authorised Exchange visa

The UK’s Government Authorised Exchange visa is a temporary work visa for candidates who wish to undertake experience, training, an Overseas Government Language Programme, research, or a fellowship through one of the approved government authorised exchange schemes. The Government Authorised Exchange visa replaced the Temporary Worker Government Authorised Exchange visa (T5).

As a Government Authorised Exchange visa holder you will be able to study, work in your sponsored role, and take a second job for up to 20 hours per week in addition to your main job. You can also bring your partner and children with you.

Depending on the approved exchange scheme, you may be able to stay for 12 or 24 months. It may also be possible to extend your visa up to the maximum stay of 12 months (for those doing work experience) or 24 months (for those doing research, training or an Overseas Government Language Programme).

To be eligible for the Government Authorised Exchange visa, you must:

• Have a Certificate of Sponsorship from a sponsoring organisation that:
  • runs an approved exchange scheme
  • is a higher education institution (e.g. for researchers, visiting academics or examiners)
  • a government department or agency
• At least £1,270 to support yourself

Youth Mobility Scheme visa

The UK’s Youth Mobility Scheme visa is for nationals of Australia, Canada, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino and Iceland who are aged between 18 and 30 and wish to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years.

Nationals of Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan are also eligible for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa but they must be selected from a ballot before being able to apply. British overseas citizens, British overseas territories citizens, and British nationals (overseas) can also apply. Furthermore, Indian nationals can apply under the Indian Young Professional Scheme.

If your Youth Mobility Scheme visa application is approved, you will be able to live, travel, work, study, and even be self-employed in the UK for up to 2 years. It is not possible, however, to extend the Youth Mobility Scheme visa – those who wish to stay longer can switch to a different UK visa within the UK (e.g. a Skilled Worker visa).

To be eligible for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa, you must be:

• Aged between 18 and 30
• Have at least £2,530 in savings to support yourself (this must have been available to you for at least 28 days before you apply for your Youth Mobility Scheme visa)
• Be a national of one of the eligible countries listed above

There are some additional requirements depending on which country you are applying from, as follows:

If you are a national of Hong Kong, Japan, the Republic of Korea or Taiwan, you will need to enter the Youth Mobility Scheme visa ballot. If selected you will then need to provide confirmation of your selection with your application (you must have been selected in the 6 months before you apply).

Nationals of Iceland are required to provide an “Icelandic Criminal Certificate for Private Use” (this is referred to as a “Sakavottorð” issued within 6 months of your visa application.

And nationals of San Marino are required to provide a letter from the principality’s Directorate of Political and Diplomatic Affairs of the Republic of San Marino Department of Foreign Affairs stating they are suitable for the Youth Mobility Scheme. This letter must have been issued within 6 months of the Youth Mobility Scheme visa application.

Other temporary visas

In addition to the Government Authorised Exchange visa and the Youth mobility Scheme visa, there are some other temporary work visas which are suitable for those who want to come to the UK for an internship, including the:

• Creative worker visa – the Creative Worker visa is a temporary work visa for those who have been sponsored to work in the UK as a creative worker. Applicants must be able to prove that they can make a unique contribution to the UK labour market. This may be the case, for example, for those who are internationally renowned for the work they do. Creative worker visa holders can stay in the UK for up to 12 months and can work, study, do a second job, and bring dependants to the UK.
• International agreement visa – enables sponsored overseas nationals to work for an overseas government, a ‘recognised international organisation’ or as a private servant in a diplomatic household in the UK for up to 2 or 5 years. International agreement visa holders can live, work, study, do a second job, travel and bring their dependants to the UK.
• Graduate visa – allows holders to live, work, travel, and be self-employed in the UK for up to 2 years having completed a bachelor’s degree, postgraduate degree or other eligible course at a university in the UK.
• High Potential Individual visa (HPI visa) –for those who have graduated from an top overseas university in the last 5 years to live, work, travel, and be self-employed in the UK for up to 2 years.