Tier 5 — Working holiday

Lily Nguyen
Friday 16 October 2009 10:51 GMT
Article history

Working holiday maker visas — Tier 5

(Youth Mobility Scheme)

The Tier 5 - Youth Mobility Scheme visa replaces the Tier 5 - Working Holidaymaker Visa and was introduced on November 27, 2008.

To get a Youth Mobility Scheme visa you need to accrue 50 points under the UK Home Office's points-based system.

30 will be awarded for a certificate of sponsorship from your home country. It's likely that citizens of some countries, including Australia and New Zealand, will receive 30 points automatically
10 for being aged between 18 and 30
10 for having £1600 in the bank

Rules of the new working holiday visa

You can stay in the UK for up to 24 months
You can work for the full 24 months in any job (except for setting up a business, playing professional sport or working as a doctor in training)
You will have to leave the UK once the visa expires. If you then want to apply for a Tier 1 visa (highly skilled) or Tier 2 visa (work permit), you will have to return to your home country
Previous Youth Mobility Scheme or working holidaymaker visa holders are ineligible for the Youth Mobility Scheme. Existing working holiday makers cannot switch to the Youth Mobility Scheme and conditions of your visa will stay the same, ie your time limit for employment will stay at 12 months

South Africans are ineligible

South Africans are ineligible for the new Youth Mobility Scheme visa because:

The UK will only let in working holiday makers from countries that have a similar scheme for young British people
South Africa does not have such a scheme, nor does it appear likely one will be established
It is unlikely South Africa would issue its citizens with a sponsorship certificate to come to the UK for a working holiday in order to help stop the 'brain drain' of skilled young people

For details on how South Africans can legally live and work in the UK, go to SA Times

Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme Questions

Answers by Shahram Taghavi, barrister and head of the immigration department at Simons Muirhead & Burton

What is the Youth Mobility Scheme?

The Youth Mobility scheme (YMS) has replaced the working holidaymaker visa.

What is the difference between a Youth Mobility Scheme visa and a Tier 5 visa?

There is no difference. The Youth Mobility Scheme is Tier 5 of the UK’s new Points-Based System.

Can anyone enter the UK under Tier 5?

No. You need to be either a national of a country participating in the scheme (anticipated to include Australia and New Zealand, but unfortunately not South Africa) or a British overseas citizen, a British overseas territories citizen, or a British national (overseas). Each participating country will receive an annual allocation of places on the scheme. The list of participating countries and the allocation numbers will be reviewed annually by the UK Border Agency, though there will be a minimum of 1000 places allocated to each country.

How do you get a Tier 5 visa?

You have to score the requisite number of points to be granted a visa. These points will be based on your nationality, age and whether you will be able to financially fund yourself in the UK.

I travelled to the UK in 2007 on a under the working holiday visa and I am now back home. Can I apply for a Tier 5 visa?

No. Tier 5 is not open to people who have previously spent time in the UK on the working holiday visa.

How much does it cost to apply?

£125

If I have entered the UK under Tier 5, can I make a second application in the future?

No.

How many points do I have to score to become eligible to apply for a Tier 5 visa?

You must score a total of 50 points: 40 points for attributes (sponsorship and age) coupled with 10 points for maintenance.

How many points will I be granted under the sponsorship category?

30 points. These 30 points can be scored in one of three ways. Firstly, you can qualify by being a national of a country listed on the Deemed Sponsorship status list. This list is due to be published shortly before Tier 5 is launched this year. Secondly, you can qualify by being a national of a country that meets the qualifying criteria for the Youth Mobility Scheme and you have been issued a certificate of sponsorship by your country. The third and final way in which you can qualify is by being a British overseas citizen, British overseas territories citizen or British national (overseas).

How many points will I be granted under the age category?

10 points. You will be awarded these points in this category if you are aged between 18 and 30 at the time your entry clearance (visa) is issued.

How many points will I be granted under the maintenance category?

10 points. You must show that you have at least £1600 that you can use to financially support yourself while in the UK.

What immigration visa categories were terminated when Tier 5 was launched?

Most notably, the working holiday visa. In addition, the following schemes were closed: British Universities North America Club (BUNAC) scheme; Gap year entrants; Japan: Youth Exchange; and research assistants to Members of Parliament.

How long are Tier 5 visas for?

You will be given permission to enter and stay in the UK for a maximum of 24 months.

Will I be able to apply to extend my Tier 5 visa after I arrive in the UK?

No.

Once I arrive in the UK on a Tier 5 visa, can I apply to remain in the UK on another basis?

No. You will not be able to “switch” into a different immigration category. If you wish to be in the UK on another category you will need to return home and apply for entry clearance to enter under the new category.

Can I bring any dependants with me?

No. If you have dependent children you are not eligible for a Tier 5 visa. If you do not have dependent children but are married or have a partner, you can apply for a Tier 5 visa but they will not be able to accompany you as your dependant. There is however no bar to your spouse or partner independently applying to enter the UK on a Tier 5 visa. Nor is there any bar to your spouse or partner applying to enter the UK on a different immigration category (for example as a highly skilled worker) whilst you enter under Tier 5.

Can I apply for a Tier 5 visa if I have children?

No. If you have dependent children you will not be granted a Tier 5 visa.

Any questions?

See our Tier 5 Working Holiday Visa forum for recent posts

Other visas to consider

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Comments

Bexina

Does anybody know what the rights for travel are when you're an Ausralian on a UK working holiday visa? Like, how long can I travel around european countries for? If I travel in europe am i considered a UK resident or an Australian tourist?

MEGHAL R. PAREKH

Hello!! I Am meghal From Bombay... I Have Applied for uk on W.H.M. Basis On Date: 21/11/2008 at UK-VFS Mumbai.. And then i am known afterwords That W.H.M Category is going to be over from 26/11/2008. So i have applied before 26/11/2008 So Will i be Able to get VISA On W.H.M. Basis? Or They will refuse my application? I am Damn worried..... So please tell me on which status standing i am Right now about my application?......

BJH

I'm really frustrated that we missed out on the YMS as we applied for our WHV 5 months ago. Being in our late 20's, we have found it really difficult to get jobs, mainly because most positions we are going for want somone for longer than 12 months and our WHV restricts this, then if we try for hospitality, call centre or just general jobs we are told we are over qualified! I am really happy for those now that are able to work for the full 2 years on the new scheme, however it is very frustrating for those of us still on the WHV, which seems to be more suited to those in their early 20's rather than there late 20's.

JOANNE CACKETT

Hi there - please go to our new forums page to ask your Visa questions. See TNT Forums Jo - TNT

Brian

So did the British apply for visas when they colonized South AFrica, New Zealand or Australia?? Have they ask the local indigenous people if they can take some land or did they just took it by force? When Britain was at war against Nazi Germany, South Africa/ Australia and New Zealand all sent men to fight a war for Britian.... No matter what why you look at it, Britain owes the Commonwealth far more than she will ever be able to afford back. But it's fine, if they want to tighten visa control they should go ahead and do it. :-)

faruq

its not about that, its about the reciprocal nature of the agreement. If SA won't offer the similar program to Brits why should they be allowed in?. I think they should get rid of the ancestry visa as well. Saffas can still apply for tier 1 visa btw.

Tony

Faruq, I see you still have a massive chip on your shoulder and still can't forgive the whites and move forward in your life??? It's not white saffas that are being discriminated it's the whole of South Africa. Meaning everyone living in South Africa (that includes 44 million black people and about 3 million white) But if it makes you feel great that white saffas are being discriminated Good for You!!! Go and Celebrate! (just don't forget the majority of South Africa (Black people) are now excluded from applying) You clever Dick.

P.K Botha

Excellent to see the white Saffers being discriminated against. Apples, how you like those ones?

faruq

Good to see Saffa's banned. Too many of them here now as it is.

Lee

This is alot of crap............ the britsh stole from south africa they still own our gold and diamonds who do they think they are???????? give back our riches then we dont need to be here cause our country will be stable with this back in our hands....

Danielle Berka

Hi, I am a Australian citizen wishing to apply for a croatian passport so i can come and reside in the uk after croatia joins EU. However i am having difficulty. I have been told that i need more then proof than my father's croatian passport and birth certificate but not sure what this is. I am also finding it difficult to find the application required from the internet. Can you please shed some light?

sylvester

Hi there, does anybody know will Malaysia join this scheme?

Lara

At the moment it looks like only Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan are going to be on the new scheme. Official information will be released on November 4th.

Netra

Does anyone know india will join this YMS?

Ana

The new YMS is for 24 months and you can work for the whole 24 months that you are in the U.K, all part of the new changes taking place in November 08. It's so unfortunate that the U.K keep changing their policies, especially when people have applied for the WHM visa this year and then miss out on the YMS! I do think that the U.K should make more allowances for people from the Commenwealth countries, most people from these places are highly skilled and qualified, compared to most of the people that they allow through their borders, due to the E.U treaties. I know a lot of British ex-pats now choose to live in NZ and Australia, why can't the U.K show the same courtesy towards Kiwis/Aussies and Saffas wanting to work and live in the U.K?

Hilary

The official sites do not mention the YMS allowing 24 months work out of 24 months - where did this information come from? Kind regards.

Meagan

I have been here on the Working Holiday Visa and been working for 2mths - am I elligible to apply for the Tier 5 visa which allows me to work for 24mths as I am currently only allowed to work 12mths? I have been here 4mths.