YMS to replace working holidaymaker visa
Citizens of Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Japan are eligible for the YMS
The biggest change to working holiday visas in decades comes into effect this Thursday. From November 27 the Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) replaces the working holidaymaker visa for foreigners coming to the UK.
Only citizens of Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Japan are eligible for the YMS, and there will be an annual limit on the number of YMS visas issued.
“The number of New Zealanders and Australians allowed into the UK on the YMS will be based on the number of British people going to each country on the equivalent schemes rounded to the nearest 500,” the Home Office told TNT.
New Zealand lets in a maximum of 9000 Brits on its working holidaymaker visa a year, while Australia (which has no quota) lets in about 30,000. This is far more than the approximately 5000 New Zealanders and 15,000 to 20,000 Australians who come to the UK each year for a working holiday. Therefore it is unlikely the annual limit on YMS visas will have a significant impact on Aussies or Kiwis. South Africa has not applied to join the new YMS.
This means that South Africans will no longer be able to come to the UK for a working holiday. However, applications posted or submitted online on or before November 26 will be considered under the existing working holidaymaker visa scheme.
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