Eligibility

This page explains our planned eligibility criteria for the youth mobility scheme within Tier 5 of the points-based system. The information is based on our statements of intent published on 6 May 2008. The information in this section will be updated as we continue to develop the policy over the next few months.

To be eligible to apply to come to the United Kingdom under Tier 5 - youth mobility scheme you will need to be:

• a national of a country participating in the scheme; or
• a British overseas citizen; or
• a British overseas territories citizen; or
• a British national (overseas); and
• pass a points assessment.

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.

We will publish a list of the countries that qualify together with the number of places we 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. We will publish the list of countries with Deemed Sponsorship status before Tier 5 opens in autumn 2008; 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.