Student Immigration –Tier 5

Phill Wilcox and Tim Rhodes International Student Office

University of Leeds

Tier 5 – Youth Mobility Scheme

Tier 5 – Youth Mobility Scheme is available to nationals of certain countries, those are:

o Australia – 35,000 places availableo New Zealand – 10,000 placeso Canada – 5,500 placeso Taiwan – 1,000 placeso Japan – 1,000 placeso South Korea – 1,000 placeso Monaco – 1,000 placeso British National Overseas/BOC/BOTC – no limit on places

Tier 5 – Youth Mobility Scheme

• If you are from any country in the list, otherthan Taiwan or South Korea, all you require is your national passport to apply

• Taiwanese or South Korean nationals require a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from their country to be able to apply

Attributes – 40 points required30 points will be awarded if:

If you are a passport holder of one of the listed nations

Aged between 18-30 at the time you make your application

10 points will be awarded if:

You hold £1,800 in a bank account statement on the day you make your application (the 28 day rule does NOT apply)

Tier 5 – Youth Mobility Scheme• In addition, you should have no children under

the age of 18 living with you or that you are financially responsible for

• You have not previously spent time in the UK with a ‘Working Holidaymaker’ visa or under the Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme

• This is a one-off visa, which cannot be extended or applied for again

Tier 5 – Youth Mobility Scheme

A visa for 2 years will be granted subject to the following:

• No recourse to public funds• Registration with the police where required• No employment as a professional sportsperson,

sports coach or Doctor or Dentist in training• No self employment• Can apply for the visa anywhere in the world

(outside of the UK) not just from your home country

Tier 5 – Government Authorised Exchange (GAE)

This category is make up of three programmes:

1. Work experience programme – volunteering, job-shadowing, internships and approved work experience programmes – max stay 12 months

2. Research programme – working on specific scientific, academic, medical or government research projects at UK HEI/other research institution operating under the authority and/or financial sponsorship of a relevant government department – max stay 24 months

Tier 5 – GAE

3. Training programme – in receipt of formal, practical training in the fields of science and/or medicine. Includes training programmes for qualifying postgraduate students - – max stay 24 months

Tier 5 – GAE

• Needs to be sponsored by a licensed overarching* body and be issued with a Certificate of Sponsorship

• No switching in-country unless in specific circumstances

• Must not be used to fill job vacancies• Meet the maintenance requirement

Tier 5 GAE – Exceptions to Sponsorship

• HEI’s recruiting – ‘Sponsored researchers’:• sponsored researchers; or• visiting academic to give lectures/act as an

examiner/work on a supernumerary research collaboration, or

• where employer is a Government Department or an Executive Agency of a Government Department

Tier 5 – GAE Switching

• Switching in-country permitted from:• Work permit sponsored researcher, or• Student/Tier 4 (General) migrant, and- lawfully obtained a degree during last grant of leave- sponsorship is required to obtain a professional

qualification/registration in same field as degree- not filling a permanent vacancy

Tier 5 – GAE Sponsors

• 66 registered sponsors (*overarching bodies) under this sub-category list available at

• http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/workingintheuk/gae-list.pdf

• Sponsors split into two further sub-categories those running

• Work experience programme (49)• Research and training programme (17)

Tier 5 – GAE research & training programmes

• The Sponsored Scientific Researcher Initiative (SSRI) – for overseas postgraduate scientists who are:

• undertaking a fixed-term research project and/or collaboration in the United Kingdom within an internationally recognised host institute/laboratory

• RCUK Shared Services Centre Ltd is the over-arching sponsor

• http://www.ssc.rcuk.ac.uk/services/ssri/Pages/default.aspx

Tier 5 – GAE Internships example

GTI recruitment solutions – overarching sponsor• Specifically to allow non-EEA undergraduates and

graduates to gain experience working in UK industry• Employer needs to register with GTI• Position offered must be supernumerary• Positions must comply with all relevant UK and

European legislation, such as the National Minimum Wage Act

If you need further advice…..

Please see: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/working/tier5/ for further information on Tier 5 requirements and application process

Immigration Legal Advice Centre www.ilac.org.uk