Government Authorised Exchange

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The Government Authorised Exchange route provides individuals with the opportunity to come to the UK on a temporary basis on Home Office-approved exchange schemes, which fall into four types of programme:

  1. •

    work experience—this also includes volunteering, job shadowing and internships

  2. •

    training—in the fields of science and/or medicine, or training delivered by HM Armed Forces or UK emergency services

  3. •

    research and fellowships—for those on a scientific, academic, medical, or government research

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Latest Immigration News

Immigration weekly highlights—5 March 2026

Welcome to the 5 March 2026 highlights from the Immigration team, which provides links to key news stories from the last week, as well as a round-up of new and updated content in Immigration.

New Statement of Changes reforms refugee leave and makes miscellaneous amendments

On 5 March 2026 the Government laid Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules HC 1691 before Parliament, accompanied by an Explanatory Memorandum (EM). The measures span significant changes to protection leave, a temporary ‘visa brake’ on certain Student and Skilled Worker applications, the imposition of a visa requirement on Nicaragua and St Lucia, extension of the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme, changes to the EU Settlement Scheme, English language uplifts to level B2  for settlement from 26 March 2027, and a range of route-specific and technical amendments. Certain of these changes had been previously announced.

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The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has issued a call for evidence on the Global Talent and Innovator Founder visa routes as part of its wider review into how effectively the UK’s immigration system can be used to attract global talent.

HASC publishes Home Office letter on commencement of Sentencing Act 2026 deportation provisions

The House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee (HASC) has published a letter from the Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Alex Norris MP, setting out plans to commence provisions in the Sentencing Act 2026 (SA 2026) relating to foreign national offenders.

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