Youth Mobility visa

Am I eligible for the UK Youth Mobility visa?

Written by Bill Zahr  |  Noble Rose Immigration Service  |  IAA Regulated Level 1  |  Last updated June 2026

Overview

The Youth Mobility visa, formally the Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS), is a reciprocal cultural exchange route allowing young adults from 13 participating countries and territories to live, work, and travel in the UK for up to 2 years without employer sponsorship. Eligibility depends on nationality, age, financial savings and having no dependent children. This page sets out who qualifies and explains the ballot system for Hong Kong, Taiwan, and India.

Core eligibility requirements

Core eligibility requirements

✓

You are a national of one of the 13 participating countries or territories

Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Uruguay — or India under the separate India Young Professionals Scheme
✓

You are aged 18 to 30 at the date of application or 18 to 35 if from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or South Korea

Age eligibility is assessed at the date of application, not the date of arrival in the UK
✓

You hold at least £2,530 in cash savings held continuously for 28 consecutive days

The end of the 28-day period must fall no more than 31 days before the application submission date
✓

You do not have children living with you or who are financially dependent on you

Having dependent children is a strict disqualifying factor regardless of nationality or age
✓

You have not previously held a Youth Mobility visa

The scheme can only be used once, there is no second application and no route back to YMS after use

You may be eligible if

You are not eligible if
✓

You are a national of a participating country within the eligible age range

✓

You hold £2,530 in savings held continuously for 28 days

✓

You have no children living with you or financially dependent on you

✓

You have not previously held a YMS visa

✓

For Hong Kong, Taiwan, or India, you have been selected in the relevant ballot
✗

Your nationality is not on the participating countries list including all EU nationalities as of June 2026

✗

You are outside the eligible age range for your nationality

✗

You have dependent children

✗

You have already used a Youth Mobility visa

✗

You are inside the UK when applying, applications must be made from outside the UK

Key facts at a glance

Application fee

£340

from 8 April 2026

Total cost (2 years)

£1,892

fee + IHS at £776 per year

Duration

2 years

3 years for AU, CA, NZ

What you need to know

The ballot system: Hong Kong, Taiwan, and India

For Hong Kong SAR passport holders and Taiwanese nationals, demand significantly exceeds the annual quota and a ballot applies. The ballot opens for strictly limited 48-hour windows typically in February and July each year. In 2026 the first ballot opened on 10 February and closed on 12 February. A single email in a precisely prescribed format must be sent to the Home Office, the subject line must read: Lastname Firstname – DD/MM/YYYY – passport number. Duplicate entries are disregarded. Indian nationals apply under the separate India Young Professionals Scheme ballot which operates on a different cycle.

EU citizens: not yet eligible

As of June 2026, no EU member state participates in the Youth Mobility Scheme. The UK and EU agreed in principle at the May 2025 summit to negotiate a reciprocal Youth Experience Scheme. Negotiations are ongoing — if a deal is concluded and ratified, applications from EU nationals could open as early as 2027. Until then, EU nationals must use other routes such as the Skilled Worker visa or Student visa.

Self-employment restrictions under YMS paragraph 7.3

Self-employment is permitted on the Youth Mobility visa but is subject to specific restrictions. You must not own business premises other than your home. The total value of any equipment used in the business must not exceed £5,000. You may not have any employees. These restrictions prevent YMS holders from establishing capital-intensive businesses, freelance consulting, digital work and sole trader activity is permitted within these limits.

The YMS as a route to Skilled Worker sponsorship

The Youth Mobility visa does not lead to ILR and time on the YMS does not count toward any ILR qualifying period. The primary long-term strategy for YMS holders is to use the 2-year window to gain UK work experience, build employer relationships, and secure a qualifying job offer from a licensed Skilled Worker sponsor. Switching to the Skilled Worker visa from within the UK is permitted before the YMS visa expires. The ILR clock begins from the date the Skilled Worker visa is granted.

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Bill Zahr

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Bill Zahr (LLB Hons) leads Noble Rose Immigration Service with a methodical, "law-first" approach. Guided by the ethos ‘Navigare per Legem’, Bill combines rigorous legal expertise with genuine empathy to navigate complex UK immigration cases. Formerly of a top-tier UK firm, he ensures every client receives transparent, elite, and personalised care.

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Renzel Carlos (LLB Hons, First Class) is the primary liaison at Noble Rose Immigration Service. Currently undertaking the Bar Vocational Studies (BVS) programme, she combines a meticulous legal foundation with deep frontline experience. Renzel is dedicated to guiding clients through the emotional complexities of immigration with high-level professionalism, precision, and compassionate care.