On June 23, 2026, the government announced that the second and final ballot for the 2026 Youth Mobility Scheme will open at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, and close at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, July 16, 2026.
As in previous years, there are a total of 1,000 places available to Taiwanese youth for 2026 and 1,000 places for Hong Kong youth.
Most places are allocated during the first ballot in February, while the remaining places are made available in a second ballot in the summer. Those who are successful in the ballot and go on to make an application and be issued a visa will be able to live, work and study in the UK for up to two years.
Once the ballot closes, allocations will be chosen at random by UKVI. Successful applicants will receive an email by Thursday, July 30, 2026, confirming acceptance and providing further instructions on how to start the online application, along with the documentary evidence required to apply for entry clearance.
Applicants then have 90 days to submit a completed application, pay the visa fee, and attend a visa application center biometrics appointment.
Those who are unsuccessful in the ballot will receive an email within two weeks of the ballot closing. The results of the ballot are final. Unsuccessful applicants cannot appeal but can enter future ballots if they continue to meet the eligibility requirements.
Background
Applications for the Youth Mobility scheme visa can be submitted by nationals of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Korea aged 18 to 35, and nationals of Andorra, Hong Kong SAR, Iceland, Japan, Monaco, San Marino, Taiwan, and Uruguay aged 18 to 30.
Applicants from Hong Kong or Taiwan must be selected in the Youth Mobility Scheme ballot before they can apply for their visa. Japanese and South Korean nationals no longer need to enter the ballot and can enter at any time online.
There is a separate ballot for the India Young Professionals Scheme for Indian nationals aged between 18 and 30 years.
Erickson Insights and Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue monitoring developments and sharing updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or if you have case-specific questions.