Warner News
11/06/2010
Migrants marrying UK citizens must now learn English
Compulsory English language tests will be introduced for non-European migrants.
01/10/2009
Two new policy announcements for Tier 4
New policy for Tier 4 sponsors
Youth Mobility
The Youth Mobility Scheme, formally known as the Working Holidaymaker visa, allows young people to live in the United Kingdom for up to two years to experience the wonderful delights the UK has to offer. Young United Kingdom nationals will also be able to benefit from similar opportunities in participating countries.
At present only following countries are in the scheme:
- Australia
- Canada
- Japan, and
- New Zealand
If you meet the criteria to participate in the scheme, you will be free to do whatever work you like during your stay in the UK, except for business and professional sport, or work as a doctor in training.
You will also need to be aged between 18 and 30 years of age and have sufficient funds to support yourself from when you first enter the United Kingdom until you start earning.
You may not participate in the youth mobility scheme if you have dependant children or have previously spent time in the United Kingdom as a working holidaymaker.
You can score points by:
- holding a valid national passport for a participating country and, where necessary, a certificate of sponsorship issued by your government; or
- being a British overseas citizen, a British overseas territories citizen or a British national (overseas)
- meeting the age requirement for the scheme; and
- showing you have sufficient funds to maintain yourself in the United Kingdom.
The youth mobility scheme will be open to all countries that meet the qualifying criteria we set and each participating country will receive an annual allocation of places on the scheme. Our criteria will relate to:
- level of immigration risk
- returns arrangements; and
- reciprocal opportunities for United Kingdom nationals.
The British Government will publish a list of the countries that qualify together with the number of places they have allocated to each country. This will be reviewed every year. The number of places allocated to the country will depend on the level of immigration risk and the number of United Kingdom nationals entering that country under similar arrangements. There will be a minimum of 1000 places allocated to each country.
Previous entry clearance to the United Kingdom
If you have previously spent time in the United Kingdom under the working holidaymaker scheme or a youth mobility scheme you are not entitled make a new entry clearance application to the youth mobility scheme.
Points assessment
You must score 50 points from the sponsorship, age and maintenance categories.
Sponsorship
You must score 30 points in this category.
You can score these points in the following ways:
- you have a valid national passport for a country with Deemed Sponsorship status. These are countries we deem to be lowest risk, or
- you have a valid national passport of a country that meets the qualifying criteria for the youth mobility scheme and have been issued a certificate of sponsorship by that country, or
- you can show you are a British overseas citizen, British overseas territories citizen or British national (overseas). If you fall into this category, you will not need any formal sponsorship.
Age
You must score 10 points in this category. You will be awarded these points if you are aged between 18 and 30 at the time your entry clearance becomes valid of use.
Maintenance
You must score 10 points in this category. You must show that you have at least £1600 that you can use to support yourself while in the United Kingdom.
NOTE: Unfortunately, the South African government has not signed a mutual agreement with the UK; therefore, South African citizens will not be able to come to the UK at present under this visa. Watch this space!