Citizeo
Pathway

UK Youth Mobility Scheme Visa

United Kingdom Residency
Pathway overview

At a glance

The UK Youth Mobility Scheme visa is for young adults from participating countries and territories who want to live and work in the UK temporarily. It generally requires an eligible citizenship or British national status, age fit, savings, no dependent children, and sometimes ballot selection.

Type
Temporary youth-mobility work visa
Who it covers
Young adults from eligible passport countries
Core requirements
Eligible citizenship, age, funds, and route-specific rules
Main limit
Usually temporary, with passport and age limits
Duration
Temporary stay, often around 12 months unless the country allows a longer period.
Renewal / path
Renewal is limited; it is usually not a direct permanent-residence route.

Summary

The Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) gives eligible young nationals and specified British nationals two years to live and work in the UK without sponsorship. Australians, Canadians and New Zealanders can extend once for a third year. It is temporary and does not itself lead to settlement.

Pathway fit check

Eligibility

Applicants from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Korea are eligible at ages 18 to 35. Those from Andorra, Iceland, Japan, Monaco, San Marino and Uruguay, and British overseas citizens, BOTCs and BN(O)s, use ages 18 to 30. Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan applicants in that age band must first win a ballot; all 2026 ballots had closed by 15 August 2026 and 2027 details were not yet published. Japanese and South Korean nationals no longer need ballots.

The applicant needs £2,530 held for 28 days and cannot previously have used YMS, have a child under 18 living with them, or be financially responsible for such a child. Nationality-specific sponsorship or evidence rules can apply.

What This Route Allows

The two-year grant permits most work, study and limited self-employment. Self-employment normally requires rented premises, equipment worth no more than £5,000 and no employees. Australians, Canadians and New Zealanders can apply once inside the UK for one additional continuous year. The visa fee is £340 plus IHS.

What This Route Is Not

South Korean nationals have the higher age limit but not the third-year extension. The route does not allow dependents, professional-sportsperson work or public funds and is not a direct settlement route. India uses its separate degree-and-ballot scheme.

Next Steps

  1. Check age, passport and any country-specific selection rule on the current eligible-national appendix.
  2. Prepare 28-day funds and do not enter a closed or wrong ballot.
  3. Budget the visa fee and full IHS and apply outside the UK.
  4. If eligible for a third year, apply in the UK while YMS permission is still valid; otherwise plan an independent switch before expiry.
Compare your options

Similar youth mobility pathways in other destinations.

Sources