TIER 5 VISA - YOUTH MOBILITY SCHEME

The youth mobility scheme is for young people from participating countries who would like to experience life in the United Kingdom.

The countries on the scheme now are:

• Australia;
• Canada;
• Japan; and
• New Zealand.

Under the youth mobility scheme, your national government is your sponsor. British overseas citizens, British overseas territories citizens and British nationals (overseas) can also apply under the scheme and do not need a sponsor.

To apply under the youth mobility scheme, you must be a national of a country taking part in the scheme, and have a valid national passport from that country, which will be all the evidence you need to show that you are sponsored by the government of your country to apply for a visa under the scheme.  (British overseas citizens, British overseas  territories citizens and British nationals (overseas) can also apply under the scheme and do not need to be sponsored.)

You can apply if you:

• are a citizen of a country taking part in the scheme or a British overseas citizen, British overseas  territories citizen or a British national (overseas);
• are 18 years old or over when your visa lets you come to the United Kingdom (becomes valid) and under  31 years old when you apply;
•  have £1,600 in available maintenance (funds) when you apply .

You cannot apply if you have:

• children under 18 years old who are either living with you, or you are financially responsible for;
• been in the United Kingdom at any other time as a working holidaymaker or under the youth mobility scheme.

You cannot apply for the youth mobility scheme if you are already in the United Kingdom.

You should go to our visa services website for information on how to apply. There you can find out more about the process in the country you are applying from and download the relevant application forms.

While you are in the United Kingdom under the youth mobility scheme, you are not allowed to switch into any other category of the points-based system or in to a visitor route.

You will also need to be sponsored by your governent, if you are not a British overseas citizen, British overseas territory citizen, or a British national (overseas).

As a worker in the UK under Tier 5, you will not be allowed to switch out of your current tier into another tier, as you would be allowed to do in the highly skilled migrant tier, the skilled migrant tier, and the student tier.

You must be aged between 18 and 30 years of age and have sufficient funds to support yourself when you first arrive in the UK until you find a employment.

If you are given permission to stay under the youth mobility scheme, you will be able to live and work in the United Kingdom for a maximum time of 24 months.

You can leave and come back to the United Kingdom at any time during the length of your stay under the youth mobility scheme.

When Tier 5 is implemented, it will replace the following schemes:

• au pair scheme
• British Universities North America Club scheme
• Gap year entrants
• Japan: Youth Exchange
• research assistants to the Members of Parliament
• Working Holiday Makers scheme

If you think we can help you with your immigration situation, contact us to make an appointment. Call 02080902408 (Office) / 07869286490 (Mobile) or email info@systimesolutions.com or fill in the enquiry form.