Many young working holidaymakers dream of living and working in the United Kingdom, and thanks to its Youth Mobility Scheme visa they can do it, initially, for two years.
But did you know, there is the opportunity to extend your youth mobility visa for a third year?
This privilege has been available to all Aussie, New Zealand and Canadian citizens aged 18-35 since 31 January 2024, and for those having the time of their lives in Blighty, it is a fantastic opportunity to keep the good times rolling!
If you are currently in the UK on the Youth Mobility Scheme and want to extend it for another year, or are thinking of applying for it for the first time, this post will give you an overview of what the process involves.
What is the UK Youth Mobility Scheme?
The UK Youth Mobility Scheme is essentially the same thing as a working holiday visa. It allows young people aged 18 to 30 from several participating countries to live and seek employment in the UK for two years.
These countries are:
- Andorra
- Australia
- Canada
- Hong Kong
- Iceland
- Japan
- Monaco
- New Zealand
- San Marino
- South Korea
- Taiwan
- Uruguay
However, the good news for Australians, Canadians and New Zealanders is that nationals of their country are eligible to extend their stay for a third year.
UK Youth Mobility Scheme Visa Requirements
The process for applying for a UK Youth Mobility Scheme will differ depending on which of these countries you are applying from.However, if you are an Australian, Canadian or New Zealand citizen, you must meet the following requirements:- Be aged between 18-35 years old when you submit your application
- Have minimum savings of £2,530 (approx. AUD $5,000) in your bank account
- Have already lived and worked in the UK under this visa scheme
- Have dependent children who you are financially responsible for and/or live with you
How To Apply for a UK Youth Mobility Scheme Visa
Eligible individuals can apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme Visa up to six months in advance of their intended date of arrival in the UK. You can do this through the UK government’s website.Typically, it takes about three weeks for them to make their decision, so you’ll want to make sure you put your application in with plenty of time to spare. That said, you can pay an additional fee if you want a faster turnaround.Once your visa has been approved, you will need to have a photograph and your fingerprints taken at one of the VFS Global offices in your home country.Arriving in the UK
When submitting your visa application, you will have to advise of an expected arrival date within the United Kingdom.As soon as your visa has been granted, you must arrive in either England, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales within 90 days. Additionally, you will have to collect your biometric residence permit no later than 10 days after you arrive in any of those countries.If it does not feature on your biometric residence permit, you may also need to apply for a National Insurance Number, because you won’t be able to work or open a bank account in the UK without one.
Extending your Youth Mobility Scheme visa for a third year
As mentioned, the Youth Mobility Scheme visa runs initially for a period of two years.However, if you are from Australia, Canada or New Zealand (or any of the countries mentioned above), you can potentially extend this visa for an additional year – although you can only do this once.If this is something you would like to do, you can apply for the extension through the UK government’s website no later than 28 days before your current visa’s expiration date.At the time of writing, the cost of extending your visa for an extra year is £298. As this is becoming a very popular option among those already on the scheme in the UK, you would be well advised to request the extension as early as you can.Due to the sheer volume of applications they receive, the government could take a bit of time to respond, so it is best to give them plenty of time to grant your request to avoid the disappointment of missing out.It is worth noting that in the time between when you request your visa extension and receive a decision, you are not permitted to travel outside of the United Kingdom or to the Isle of Man, Channel Islands or Ireland.Also if your UK Youth Mobility Scheme visa has expired, or you previously held one and have left the United Kingdom already, you are not eligible to apply for a third year.We highly recommend getting in touch with our partners at Restless World if you have any visa-related questions or would like help to apply for yours.
If you’re ready to get going on your UK Working Holiday, take a look at our hospitality programs and apply today!
