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Temporary workers - government authorised exchange

Image of employees of an overseas government in the United Kingdom.

Extending your stay

This page explains how you can apply to extend your stay under the government authorised exchange category (Tier 5 Temporary Worker) of our points-based system to work in the United Kingdom.

Read eligibility first to make sure you meet the requirements to apply.

Who can apply to extend their stay?

You can apply to extend your stay if you are already in the United Kingdom under the government authorised exchange category. You can only extend your permission to stay if you have been here for less than 24 months, which is the maximum time you are allowed to stay.

You will have to pass the points-based assessment in place at the time you apply, which could be different to the points-based assessment you had to pass when you first applied.

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How to apply to extend your stay

The process for applying is:

  1. do a self-assessment online using our points-based calculator, which you can find on the right of this page, to find out if you are likely to score enough points.
  2. fill in the tier 5 application form.
  3. send it to us with your fee and supporting evidence.

You must send all supporting documents with your application as we will not use any evidence sent in after we have made a decision.

If you are sending any dependant applications at the same time as your own application, we encourage you to send your application and dependant applications in the same envelope.

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Application forms

Tier 5 temporary worker - for applications made inside the United Kingdom

See also

Do it online

Terms explained

  • Non-visa national

    A non-visa national is a national or citizen of any country that is NOT listed in Appendix 1 of the immigration rules (nationals of countries listed in Appendix 1 are visa nationals). A non-visa national does not need a visa to come to the United Kingdom for less than six months, unless it is a requirement of the immigration category under which they are entering. A non-visa national coming to the United Kingdom for more than six months will need a visa.

  • Public funds

    Public funds are income-related benefits paid by the state. They include income support, income-based job seekers allowance, housing and homelessness assistance, housing and council tax benefit, working families' tax credit, a social fund payment, child benefit and any disability allowance. Benefits paid as a result of contributions, such as the state pension, are not considered to be public funds. Social housing is not considered to be a public fund either. Claiming public funds when you are not eligible is known as benefit fraud and it is a criminal offence.

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