Running an internship programme in the UK involves several steps, particularly when it comes to ensuring compliance with UK visa regulations. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Determine the type of internship
- Paid: If you are conducting a paid internship, then these are generally treated like normal employment and so would normally require a UK work visa.
- Unpaid: If it is unpaid internship, then the intern will need to obtain a Temporary Work visa (i.e. the Government Authorised Exchange visa “GAE”).
- Identify the Relevant Visa category
- The Skilled Worker category is more appropriate for individuals looking to obtain a permanent role.
- The Tier 5 GAE visa is for internships that are part of a UK government approved exchange scheme. The sponsor must be licensed for Tier 5 visas.
- Student visa: if the student is already in the UK and holds the Student visa, they may be able to intern as part of their course, but this is dependent on each individual’s particular circumstances.
- Become a Licensed Sponsor
- If your organisation intends on applying for a sponsor licence, we suggest seeking advice on this process as it varies according to each individual organisation.
- If your organisation does not want to become a sponsor, you can engage a third-party entity that holds a sponsor licence for this scheme. The entity will facilitate the sponsorship itself, but you will be responsible for the visa application stage. You can find the approved sponsors via this link.
- We can establish a seamless collaboration with the sponsor, your organisation and the intern and will take care of each stage of the process from start to finish.
Following these steps ensures your internship programme complies with UK visa regulations and provides a smooth experience for both your organisation and your interns.
How Gherson can assist
Gherson’s Immigration Team are highly experienced in advising on UK visa matters. If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or, alternatively, follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.
The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.
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