The global “Khebrat” programme has been created and designed by the KSA Ministry of Education (MoE) to be delivered internationally with Australia, Canada, Finland, New Zealand, USA and the UK as its main partners. The programme involves welcoming Saudi education professionals with an excellent performance record to the UK for English language training, pedagogical upgrading and schools-based immersion placements for periods of up to twelve months.

For UK HE institutions that are unable to sponsor Saudi applicants’ visas via an alternative route, the British Council is anticipating supporting this exciting education and training opportunity by offering a UKVI “Tier 5 Government Approved Exchange (GAE)” visa sponsorship service.

The British Council’s application for a Tier 5 (GAE) licence has been endorsed by the UK Department for Education (DfE), and if that licence is granted, the British Council will be able to offer the following services to enable UK institutions to enrol participants:

• Act as an Arabic-speaking enquiry point in Saudi Arabia.
• Provide verification of participants’ documentation in Saudi Arabia.
• Issue Certificates of Sponsorship (COS) for approved participants.
• Provide participants with in-country visa application support.
• Provide pre-departure briefing for participating education professionals
• Organise and oversee enrolment on pre-departure language training courses, if required.
• In the UK, collaborate with HEIs to ensure effective monitoring of participating education professionals
• Ensure compliance with the sponsorship duties of record keeping, reporting, assuring legal compliance and co-operation with the Home Office, as set out in the GAE guidance.
 
It is envisaged that the participating HEIs will:
• Ensure that participating education professionals and their accompanying dependants comply with the terms of their visas on a daily basis
• Provide pastoral support to participating education professionals and their accompanying dependants
• Ensure effective monitoring of participating education professionals and reporting to the British Council