The Youth Mobility Scheme is a short-term UK work visa route for young adults from a small number of countries, including Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan. For these nationalities, access to the route is controlled through a competitive ballot held once or twice each year rather than a direct application. The next ballot opens in February 2026 and selection only gives permission to apply, not a guaranteed visa.
Key Youth Mobility Scheme dates for 2026
For Hong Kong SAR passport holders and Taiwanese nationals, the Youth Mobility Scheme operates very differently from most other UK work visas. There is no open application route. Instead, access is rationed through a ballot system run by UK Visas and Immigration, with far more interest than available places.
The ballot is not a simplified visa application. It is a gatekeeping mechanism that determines who is even allowed to apply.
For 2026, the Home Office has confirmed the first ballot window early in the year, with further dates typically announced later.
February 2026 ballot window
The first Youth Mobility Scheme ballot for 2026 opens at 00:01 on 10 February 2026 and closes at 00:01 on 12 February 2026, Hong Kong SAR time. Entries submitted outside this window are not accepted. The system does not allow late submissions and there is no discretion to reopen the ballot for applicants who miss the deadline.
Applicants should also factor in time zone differences and avoid submitting entries at the last moment, as formatting errors or technical issues can result in exclusion.
Selection notifications
Selection notices are issued by email after the ballot closes. There is no fixed publication date for results and applicants are not contacted if they are unsuccessful. As such, applicants who do not receive a selection email should assume they were unsuccessful.
Receiving a selection email does not mean the visa has been approved. It only confirms that the applicant may proceed to the application stage.
Application deadline after selection
Successful applicants have 90 days from the date of selection to submit a full Youth Mobility Scheme visa application. This 90-day window includes completing the online application, paying the visa fee and Immigration Health Surcharge, and providing biometric information. Failure to complete all steps within the deadline results in the loss of the place, with no extension available.
Later ballots in 2026
A second Youth Mobility Scheme ballot is usually held later in the year, although dates are confirmed by the Home Office closer to the time. Applicants approaching the age limit should be cautious about relying on a later ballot. Turning 31 before submitting a visa application will remove eligibility entirely, even if a ballot entry was made while still aged 30.
Stage one: the ballot is an expression of interest, nothing more
The ballot stage exists solely to manage demand. It does not test eligibility, assess documents or consider personal circumstances. No evidence is reviewed and no visa decision is made at this point.
Applicants submit a single email entry during a short window set by the Home Office. Entry is free, strictly time-limited and format-driven. One entry per person is permitted. Errors, duplicate submissions or missed deadlines can result in exclusion without warning.
For 2026, the first ballot opens at 00:01 on 10 February and closes at 00:01 on 12 February, Hong Kong SAR time.
Does entering early improve selection chances?
No. Entries are not processed on a first-come basis. Selection is random once the ballot window closes. Submitting earlier does not improve the odds, although leaving submission until the final hours increases the risk of technical or formatting failure.
Can you improve your chances of being selected?
There is no lawful way to increase the probability of selection. The ballot does not consider qualifications, work history, finances or intentions. Anyone claiming to offer a strategy to boost selection odds is misunderstanding how the system operates.
The only control an applicant has at this stage is to submit one valid entry, in the correct format and within the deadline.
Stage two: the legal assessment happens after selection
Once selected, the process shifts from demand management to legal assessment. At this point, the Immigration Rules apply in full and the application is scrutinised in the same way as any other UK visa.
Strict application deadline
Selected applicants have 90 days from the date of selection to submit a complete visa application. Missing this deadline results in automatic loss of the place, with no extension or discretion.
This deadline often catches applicants out. Selection creates urgency, not flexibility.
Age eligibility is assessed at application stage
Applicants must be aged 18 to 30 inclusive on the date they submit their visa application. Turning 31 before the application is filed will result in refusal, even if the applicant was selected in the ballot.
Applicants close to the age limit need to ensure that documents, funds and biometrics can all be completed in time.
Financial and personal requirements
At application stage, applicants must demonstrate at least £2,530 in personal savings. The funds must be held in the applicant’s own account for a continuous 28-day period, ending no more than 31 days before the application date.
Applicants must also confirm that they do not have children under 18 who are financially dependent on them. These requirements are binary. Falling short leads to refusal.
Annual limits and what selection actually means
Each of the eligible nationalities currently has an annual allocation of 1,000 Youth Mobility Scheme places. Where applications exceed this number, selection is random.
Being selected does not confirm eligibility and does not protect against refusal. Selection simply unlocks the right to submit a full visa application within a fixed timeframe.
Applicants who are not selected are not refused and are not recorded as having made a failed application.
What the Youth Mobility visa grants and what it does not
A successful application grants permission to live and work in the UK for up to two years. The route allows work in most roles without sponsorship, study and limited self-employment within the scheme rules.
The visa cannot be extended and the Youth Mobility Scheme can only be used once. There is no route to settlement through the scheme itself. Switching into another immigration route may be possible if eligibility is met, but this depends entirely on the alternative route and should not be assumed.
If you are not selected or lose a place
Applicants who are not selected in the February ballot are not disadvantaged and may enter future ballots if they remain eligible. A second ballot is usually held later in the year, with dates announced by the Home Office.
Applicants who lose a place by missing the 90-day application window are treated differently in practical terms. While this is not recorded as a refusal, the opportunity is gone and age limits may prevent re-entry in a later ballot.
