Updates to the Youth Mobility Scheme
This month, UK Visas & Immigration has updated its guidance to caseworkers on the Youth Mobility Scheme.
The guidance has been updated to reflect the addition of Iceland and India to the scheme from 1 January 2022.
The guidance now states that an applicant must be one of the following:
• a British Overseas Citizen, British Overseas Territories Citizen or British National (Overseas) as defined by the British Nationality Act 1981
• a national or citizen of a country or the holder of a passport issued by a territory, listed in Appendix Youth Mobility Scheme: eligible nationals. The countries and territories listed in Appendix Youth Mobility Scheme: eligible nationals of the Immigration Rules are:
• Australia
• Canada
• Hong Kong
• Iceland
• India
• Japan
• Monaco
• New Zealand
• Republic of Korea
• San Marino
• Taiwan Page
However, potential Indian citizen applicants are going to have to be a little patient, the first Indian ballot has not yet been announced and the general guidance to applicants states:
India Young Professionals Scheme
Do not use this page to enter the ballot for the India Young Professionals Scheme. The ballot for Indian nationals is not open yet.
No date for the ballot has yet been given.
When the scheme does open, Indian Citizens will need to be aware that there are 3000 visas available per year (relatively few given the size of population) and Indian Citizens need to meet an extra requirement based on qualifications or work experience.
