Youth Mobility Scheme

The Youth Mobility Scheme is available only to nationals of countries that have a bilateral youth mobility agreement with the UK. As of 2025, these include Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong (BN(O) passport holders), Taiwan, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Uruguay, and India (subject to a quota).

The age limit is 18–30 for most nationalities, though some countries (currently Australia and New Zealand) allow applicants up to age 35. You must not have dependants living with you in the UK, must have at least £2,530 in savings, and must not have previously been granted leave under the Youth Mobility Scheme (it is available once only per person).

Some nationalities are subject to an annual quota — once the quota is filled, no further applications can be accepted for that calendar year. Applicants from quota countries should apply early in the year.

Youth Mobility Scheme holders can work in almost any employment in the UK. This includes full-time or part-time employed work, casual work, and self-employment (with some limitations). There are no restrictions on the type of job you can take — you can work in hospitality, retail, offices, agriculture, healthcare, or any other sector.

However, there are restrictions: you cannot work as a professional sportsperson (including a sports coach) or as an entertainer. You can study but must not spend more than 50% of your total leave studying at a publicly funded institution. You may not access most public funds.

The visa is valid for two years from the date of entry. It cannot be extended and there is no pathway from the Youth Mobility Scheme to settlement. If you wish to remain in the UK after your Youth Mobility leave expires, you must qualify for and switch to a different immigration route — such as a Skilled Worker Visa — before your leave expires.

Applications must be made from outside the UK (you cannot apply for or switch to the Youth Mobility Scheme from within the UK). Applications are submitted online through the UKVI portal. The visa fee is £298. You will need to book and attend a biometric appointment at a Visa Application Centre in your home country.

You must apply for entry clearance before travelling. The visa gives you permission to enter the UK for up to two years from the date of entry. Processing times vary but are usually a few weeks.

Because the scheme has no employer sponsor requirement, there is no Certificate of Sponsorship and no employer involvement in the application. You simply apply as an individual, demonstrate you meet the requirements, and, if approved, travel to the UK.

Youth Mobility Scheme holders can be self-employed in the UK, subject to some limitations. The restriction on "working in the course of self-employment" that applies under some other routes does not apply in the same way to YMS holders, who generally have broad permission to work in any capacity. However, there is a restriction on providing services as a professional entertainer as self-employment — this falls within the prohibition on entertainers. For all other types of self-employment (freelancing, consulting, trading as a sole trader, etc.), YMS holders are free to operate.

Self-employed YMS holders must register with HMRC as self-employed and file a Self Assessment tax return for each tax year in which they have self-employment income. National Insurance Class 2 and Class 4 contributions apply in the same way as for other self-employed persons in the UK. Failure to register and file returns is a tax compliance failure that must be declared in future immigration applications (as part of the good character assessment for ILR or naturalisation). Registering with HMRC promptly on starting self-employment is important both for compliance and to avoid penalties for late registration.

For employed YMS holders, income tax and National Insurance are deducted through PAYE. Employers must ensure that YMS holders are included in their payroll from day one of employment — informal arrangements or cash-in-hand payments expose both the employer and the worker to HMRC penalties and tax debts. YMS holders are entitled to claim back any overpaid income tax through HMRC at the end of the tax year, for example if they did not work for the full year or had multiple jobs with different tax codes.

At the end of the YMS period, if the holder leaves the UK and does not convert to a longer-term visa route, they should inform HMRC they are leaving the UK and settle any outstanding tax liabilities. HMRC may require a P85 form (leaving the UK) to be completed. Unresolved UK tax issues can affect future visa applications to the UK.

Employers in the UK are legally required to carry out right to work checks before employing any worker, including Youth Mobility Scheme holders. Under section 15 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 (IANA 2006), an employer who employs someone without valid permission to work in the UK faces a civil penalty of up to £60,000 per illegal worker. A Youth Mobility Scheme visa serves as proof of right to work, and employers can verify it using the Home Office online right to work checking service at gov.uk/view-right-to-work, which checks digital immigration status in real time.

Youth Mobility Scheme holders are entitled to all the same statutory employment rights as any other worker in the UK. This includes: the National Minimum Wage (and National Living Wage if aged 21 and over); written statement of particulars; paid annual leave (5.6 weeks per year); rest breaks and limits on weekly working hours under the Working Time Regulations 1998; protection against unlawful deduction from wages; and protection against discrimination under the Equality Act 2010 on grounds of race, sex, disability, religion, and other protected characteristics.

If an employer refuses to hire you because of your immigration status (i.e., because you are not a British citizen or settled person, even though you have the right to work) this may in some circumstances constitute unlawful nationality discrimination under the Equality Act 2010. ACAS provides free advice and conciliation for workplace disputes. Employment tribunal claims must generally be brought within three months of the act complained of, and must usually be preceded by Acas Early Conciliation.

Youth Mobility Scheme holders should also be aware of their visa conditions: you must not work as a professional sportsperson (including a sports coach), perform as an entertainer, or spend more than 50% of your total leave studying at a publicly funded institution. Breach of these conditions is a breach of visa conditions and can affect your immigration record and future applications.