UK Youth Mobility Scheme Visa: The Complete 2026 Guide
Everything you need to know about the Youth Mobility Scheme — which countries qualify, age limits, the ballot system, fees, what you can and cannot do, and how to apply in 2026.
The Youth Mobility Scheme issued 79,546 visas in the year ending September 2025, with a 91% grant rate.
What is the UK Youth Mobility Scheme?
The Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) — sometimes called the working holiday visa — allows young people from participating countries to live, work, and travel in the UK for up to 2 years, or 3 years if you are from Australia, Canada, or New Zealand. It is one of the UK's most flexible immigration routes: no job offer, no employer sponsor, and no Certificate of Sponsorship is required.
The scheme is designed to encourage cultural exchange and gives young people the chance to experience life in the UK, build professional experience, and explore opportunities before committing to a longer-term route. In the year ending September 2025, the Home Office granted 79,546 YMS visas — a 91% grant rate, making it one of the most straightforward visa routes available.
No job offer, no sponsor, no salary threshold. Once granted, you can work for any UK employer in almost any role, change jobs freely, be self-employed (with restrictions), or study — all on a single visa.
Eligibility requirements
To apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa you must meet all of the following:
- Hold nationality from one of the 13 participating countries or territories, or be a British Overseas Citizen, British Overseas Territories Citizen, or British National (Overseas)
- Be aged 18–30 on the date you apply (18–35 if you are from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or South Korea)
- Have at least £2,530 in personal savings, held continuously for 28 consecutive days — the last day of that 28-day period must fall within 31 days of your application date
- Not have previously been granted a Youth Mobility Scheme visa
- Not have dependent children under 18 living with you or financially dependent on you
- Not currently be in the UK (applications must be made from outside the UK)
The £2,530 must be held in a personal bank account for a full 28 consecutive days without dropping below that amount even once. A single day where the balance falls below £2,530 will cause the application to be refused. Your bank statements must cover the entire 28-day period and the final day must be within 31 days of your application submission date.
Additional requirements for Indian nationals
Indian nationals apply under the separate India Young Professionals Scheme, which runs alongside the standard YMS but has additional requirements. You must hold a degree-level qualification (equivalent to RQF Level 6 or above) or have at least 3 years of skilled work experience. You must also prove English language proficiency at CEFR B1 level unless your degree was taught in English. The India Young Professionals Scheme operates its own ballot, separate from the Hong Kong and Taiwan ballot.
Participating countries and quotas
The scheme currently covers 13 countries and territories, plus eligible British nationality holders. Each country has an annual quota — once filled, no further applications are accepted for that year. The quota applies at the time of application, not when you enter the UK.
As of March 2026, no EU member state is included in the Youth Mobility Scheme. The UK and EU agreed in principle at the May 2025 summit to negotiate a reciprocal Youth Experience Scheme covering all 27 EU member states. Negotiations are ongoing — if a deal is reached, applications could open as early as 2027. We will update this guide when confirmed.
The ballot system
For nationals of Hong Kong, Taiwan, and India, demand for YMS places significantly exceeds the annual quota. The Home Office therefore operates a ballot system — a random draw that selects who can proceed to the visa application stage.
How the ballot works (Hong Kong and Taiwan)
In 2026, there are 1,000 places available for Hong Kong nationals and 1,000 for Taiwanese nationals. The first 2026 ballot opened on 10 February and closed on 12 February 2026 — a 48-hour window. A second ballot is expected in summer 2026. To enter, you send a single email to the Home Office in a strictly prescribed format: the subject line must read Lastname Firstname – DD/MM/YYYY – passport number. Duplicate entries are not counted. If successful, you receive an email by the end of the following Friday and then have 90 days to submit your full visa application.
How the ballot works (India — India Young Professionals Scheme)
Indian nationals apply under the India Young Professionals Scheme ballot, which runs separately. The first 2026 ballot opened in February 2026, with a second ballot expected in summer 2026. If selected, you then proceed to the standard visa application with the additional qualification/experience requirements noted above.
Since January 2024, Japanese and South Korean nationals no longer need to enter a ballot. They can apply directly at any time, subject to the annual quota being available.
The application process
- Check you are eligible: Confirm your nationality, age on the application date, savings, and that you have not previously held a YMS visa. If you are from Hong Kong, Taiwan, or India, check whether the ballot is currently open.
- Enter the ballot (if required): Hong Kong, Taiwan, and India nationals must be selected in the ballot before applying. All other nationalities proceed directly to step 3.
- Gather documents: Valid passport (at least one blank page), bank statements covering the full 28-day savings period, TB test certificate if required (depends on country of residence in the past 6 months), and any country-specific documents.
- Apply online: Complete the application form on the UKVI website and pay the visa fee and Immigration Health Surcharge in full upfront.
- Biometrics: Attend a Visa Application Centre to provide fingerprints and a photograph, or use the UK Immigration: ID Check app where available.
- Await decision: Standard processing is approximately 3 weeks after your biometric appointment. Priority (5 working days, £500 extra) and Super Priority (24 hours, £1,000 extra) services are available.
You can apply up to 6 months before your intended start date. You cannot apply from inside the UK — the application must be made from your home country or a country where you are legally resident.
Fees and costs
The YMS benefits from a discounted Immigration Health Surcharge rate of £776 per year — significantly lower than the standard £1,035 charged on most other routes. Total cost for a standard 2-year visa is £1,871.
| Fee type | Amount (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visa application fee | £319 | All nationalities |
| Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) | £776/year | Discounted YMS rate — paid upfront for full duration |
| Total for standard 2-year visa | £1,871 | £319 + £1,552 IHS |
| Extension (AU/CA/NZ only) | £319 + £776 IHS | Applied from inside the UK |
| Priority service | £500 | Decision within ~5 working days |
| Super Priority service | £1,000 | Decision within ~24 hours |
| Savings requirement | £2,530 | Must be held for 28 consecutive days |
What can I do on the Youth Mobility Scheme?
The YMS is one of the UK's most permissive visa routes in terms of work rights. You can:
- Work for any UK employer in almost any role — no restrictions on industry or job type
- Change jobs freely without notifying the Home Office
- Be self-employed, subject to restrictions: you must rent your premises, your equipment must not be worth more than £5,000, and you cannot take on any employees
- Study any course in the UK (an ATAS certificate may be required for certain sensitive subjects)
- Travel in and out of the UK freely during your visa period
What you cannot do:
- Work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach
- Access public funds
- Bring dependants — partners and children cannot apply as dependants on this visa
- Work primarily as a doctor or dentist in training (permitted in a supernumerary capacity only)
Extension — Australia, Canada and New Zealand
Nationals of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand are the only nationalities eligible to extend the YMS visa. The extension adds a further 12 months, bringing the maximum stay to 3 years total. The extension is applied for from inside the UK before your initial 2-year visa expires. The fee is £319 plus a further year's IHS at £776.
All other nationalities are limited to a maximum 2-year stay and cannot extend the YMS visa. If you wish to remain in the UK beyond 2 years, you must switch to another eligible route — most commonly the Skilled Worker Visa — before your YMS visa expires.
Route to settlement
The Youth Mobility Scheme does not lead directly to Indefinite Leave to Remain. Time spent on the YMS does not count towards the standard 5-year ILR qualifying period.
However, the YMS is widely used as a bridge to settlement. While in the UK you can secure a job with a licensed Skilled Worker sponsor and switch to the Skilled Worker Visa — the clock for ILR then starts running from the date you switch. In most cases you cannot switch from inside the UK to other visa routes, but the Skilled Worker switch is permitted.
If you turn 31 (or 36 for the relevant nationalities) after your visa has been issued, you are still entitled to stay for the full duration of the visa. The age limit applies at the point of application only.
This guide is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. UK immigration rules change frequently — always verify current requirements on GOV.UK or consult a regulated immigration adviser before applying.
Frequently asked questions
Not yet. As of March 2026, no EU member state participates in the Youth Mobility Scheme. The UK and EU agreed in principle at the May 2025 UK-EU Summit to negotiate a reciprocal Youth Experience Scheme. Negotiations are ongoing and a deal is expected to be concluded by the Spring-Summer 2026 UK-EU Summit — if agreed, applications could open as early as 2027. Until then, EU citizens must use other routes such as the Skilled Worker Visa or Student Visa to live and work in the UK.
Only nationals of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand can extend their YMS visa. The extension adds 12 months, bringing the total permitted stay to 3 years. It must be applied for from inside the UK before the initial 2-year visa expires. All other nationalities must leave the UK or switch to a different visa route — they cannot extend the YMS visa or apply for it a second time.
No. Dependants — including partners and children — cannot be added to a Youth Mobility Scheme visa. This is a strict rule. In fact, having dependent children under 18 living with you or financially dependent on you is a ground for refusal. If you have children, you will need to consider a different visa route.
No. One of the key advantages of the Youth Mobility Scheme is that you do not need a job offer or employer sponsorship before you apply. You can arrive in the UK and look for work once you are there. Once you find a job, you can start immediately — there are no restrictions on the type of employment you can take up (with the exception of professional sport and a few other limited categories).
Your application will almost certainly be refused. The Home Office requires the full £2,530 to be present every single day throughout the 28-day period. Even a single day where the balance falls below this amount — even by £1 — is grounds for refusal. If this happens, you will need to wait until you have a fresh 28-day qualifying period and reapply. The 28-day period must end within 31 days of the date you submit your application.