Tier 5 - UK's Youth Mobility Scheme Changes
28/02/2008 by Liam Clifford
The UK Government believes that the Youth Mobility Scheme can play a significant role in encouraging future trade and tourism with other countries.
The past few months has seen the UK immigration system changing into what will be known as the 5 Tier Systems or the Point Based System (PBS). The first leg of the PBS which is Tier 1 will be implemented on the 29th of February 2008.
Tier 5 of the Points Based System is designed to assist young people who want to work and travel to the UK on temporary bases. Many of the young people who come to the UK under the YMS will enjoy the benefits of travelling within in the UK while earning some extra money. The Government stats that these temporary migrants will contribute to the economy by working, paying taxes and spending on goods and services which will boost the economy.
The Border and Immigration Agency\'s introduction of the UK tier visa structure is intended to make UK\'s immigration services transparent and uncomplicated for applicants, however mixed reactions and panic has risen within commonwealth and global travellers who will be affected by these changes.
Tier 5 will replace the Commonwealth Working Holidaymaker (WHM) and the Au Pair Programme with a single system which introduces a single set of requirements. The WHM is very popular amongst South Africans, new Zealanders and Australians; this will undoubtedly cause some easiness between the immigration authorities of the UK and these countries.
The latest changes under the Youth Mobility scheme are set out to benefit not only applicants from other countries who come over to the UK to work, live and travel but the new changes state that the YMS has to be in line with the number of young UK national benefiting from the same opportunities overseas.
As a cultural exchange scheme, the Government says it is only fair to use the YMS to generate more global opportunities for young UK nationals. This will mean that the number of foreign youth permitted to enter the country under the Youth Mobility Scheme will be set in line with the numbers of young UK nationals benefiting from such opportunities overseas. The government states that this way they can ensure that the impact of YMS migrants in the UK is largely neutral.
Under the Tier system candidates require sponsoring whether it\'s from a university or a UK based organisation. In terms of the Youth Mobility Scheme, the national government of the participating countries will be the sponsor and will be automatically licensed by the BIA to sponsor their nationals under the Scheme. For the YMS, government sponsorship will act as a pledge from that government that it will accept responsibility for its nationals participating in the Scheme.
The PBS is intended to simplify the current immigration system. Six existing youth mobility type schemes will be abolished when the points Youth Mobility Scheme is introduced:
Working Holidaymaker rules
Applicants for Tier 5 should be between the ages of 18-30 to participate in this scheme. The maximum duration under this temporary visa is two years. Once the two years expires, candidates are required to return back home just like tier 3 and tier 4 visas which are also temporary visas.
To be eligible for settlement within the UK, candidates under tier 1 visa or a tier 2 visa, are routes that offer their holders an opportunity towards settlement in Britain, the fifth tier does not afford any benefits of permanent residence in the UK. Candidates are not encouraged to be self employed and they are not allowed to bring dependents into the country or switch to any other tiers.
At the moment no specific date has been assigned to when the changes to the Youth Mobility Scheme will take effect. Global Visas news will keep you posted on any new developments.
As a specialist UK immigration consultancy, we offer complete UK visa services for all tiers of the new system and can help you to establish which is the most suitable for your needs. Take our online assessment test and a consultant will be in touch with you.
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