Government Authorised Exchange Is For Supernumerary Roles Only

An update to the Immigration Rules from 9 April 2025 acts as a reminder for host employers that Government Authorised Exchange scheme roles must be in addition to their staffing needs. Employer hosts can expect greater scrutiny from Government Authorised Exchange scheme sponsors on this requirement.

What is the change?

The Immigration Rule change concerns one of the requirements for having a valid Certificate of Sponsorship under the Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) route. Under the revised wording, the Certificate of Sponsorship must:

• Confirm that the role is supernumerary, i.e. that it is in addition to the host employer's regular, required, or standard number of staff;