Date changes to the Youth Mobility Scheme come into force
The September 2023 announced changes to the Youth Mobility Scheme will come into force on 31 January 2024. Any applications made under the scheme before 31 January 2024 will be determined in accordance with the immigration rules in force at the time of the application.
The Youth Mobility Scheme will be extended to applications from Andorran nationals and Uruguay nationals. In 2024 the allocated places available for use by nationals or citizens of Andorra are limited to 100 applications.
There are 2 key changes to the Youth Mobility Scheme for Canadian and Australian citizens:
To be eligible to apply for the scheme you need to:
The countries currently participating in the non-ballot Youth Mobility Scheme are:
In addition, the following countries participate (or will do) in the ballot Youth Mobility Scheme:
If you are an Indian national you may meet the eligibility criteria to apply for a similar ballot scheme called the India Young Professionals visa.
The age limit rules mean an applicant must be aged 18 or over when the visa starts, or age 30 or under (or 35 depending on the country) when the application is made. The rules allow applicants to apply for a visa before they are 18 or to come to the UK if they are over 30 (or 35 where relevant) provided the application is made within the relevant age criteria.
Even if a person meets the nationality and age criteria for the Youth Mobility Scheme, applicants are excluded from applying for the scheme if they have:
From the point of view of applicants and UK employers, the two major benefits of the Youth Mobility Scheme are that those who come to the UK on the scheme do not need:
Although the Youth Mobility Scheme gives flexibility in employment it does have its drawbacks. An applicant can only stay in the UK for 2 or 3 years and cannot apply to extend their time on the scheme or make a second application. Time spent on the Youth Mobility Scheme does not lead to UK settlement or count towards meeting the residence requirement of an application for indefinite leave to remain. Therefore, some applicants may prefer to look at the option of applying for a skilled worker visa or other alternative work or family visa routes that do lead to UK settlement.