The UK government has released its official 2026 Youth Mobility Scheme visa allocations, detailing the exact number of places set aside for each of the 13 participating countries. The figures, drawn from the UK government's immigration rules for the Youth Mobility Scheme, show a striking range. Australia dominates the list with 38,500 allocated places, far ahead of Canada with 10,000 and New Zealand with 8,000.
Japan follows with 6,000 spots, and the Republic of Korea has been assigned 5,000. India, which gained access to the scheme through a bilateral agreement, received 3,000 places. Five countries sit at the 1,000-place mark: Hong Kong, Iceland, Monaco, San Marino, and Taiwan. These countries will have an equal number of opportunities for young people to live and work in the UK.
Uruguay received 500 places, and Andorra sits at the bottom with just 100. The UK Youth Mobility Scheme gives young people from qualifying countries the opportunity to live and work in the United Kingdom for up to two years, with some nationalities eligible to extend their stay to three years. The arrangement is reciprocal, meaning participating countries offer comparable opportunities to young British citizens in return.
One notable absence from the list is any African nation. Young people from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and across the rest of the continent currently have no access to this particular visa route. This exclusion may be a disappointment for many young Africans who had hoped to take advantage of the scheme.
The scheme remains restricted to countries that hold existing bilateral agreements with the UK, keeping the pool of eligible nations relatively small. The UK government has not announced any plans to expand the scheme to include African countries, but it is possible that this may change in the future.
The Youth Mobility Scheme is an important opportunity for young people to gain work experience and cultural exposure in the UK. For countries like Australia, which received 38,500 places, the scheme will provide a significant number of young people with the chance to live and work in the UK.
The full breakdown of 2026 Youth Mobility Scheme places is as follows: Andorra: 100 places, Australia: 38,500 places, Canada: 10,000 places, Hong Kong: 1,000 places, Iceland: 1,000 places, India: 3,000 places, Japan: 6,000 places, Monaco: 1,000 places, New Zealand: 8,000 places, Republic of Korea: 5,000 places, San Marino: 1,000 places, Taiwan: 1,000 places, Uruguay: 500 places.
Key points
- No African country is eligible for the UK's 2026 Youth Mobility Scheme.
- Australia received the most visa places with 38,500 allocations.
- The scheme allows young people to live and work in the UK for up to two years.
