Tier 5 (Temporary workers)

This Tier of the points based system provides two routes for people to come to the UK to work temporarily. The first sub category is youth mobility - the other sub category is for temporary workers.

Tier 5 (Youth Mobility)

Like the Working Holidaymaker route which it replaces this sub category enables people from Australia, Canada, Japan and New Zealand, as well as British Overseas Citizens, British Overseas Territories Citizens or British Nationals (Overseas) who are aged between 18 and 30 to experience life in the UK for up to two years. Successful applicants have unlimited access to employment in the UK during this period.

Nationals of the listed countries have to be sponsored by their national governments but this sponsorship is deemed to have taken place by an applicant's possession of a national passport. Fulfilling these criteria will get them the necessary points for Attributes under Appendix A of the Immigration Rules. There is no requirement for any command of the English language.

Tier 5 (Youth mobility) Migrants must show that they can support themselves. Currently the requirement under Appendix C is for savings of at least £1,600.

This sub category does not lead to settlement. It is not possible for people with leave as Tier 5 (Youth mobility) Migrants to apply to switch into any other area work or study route.

Tier 5 (Temporary Workers)

This sub category enables people to come to the UK for:

  • up to 12 months in order to work or to perform temporarily as sportspeople, entertainers or creative artists or as charity workers doing temporary and voluntary work for a charity
  • up to 24 months as a temporary religious worker, as part of a Government Authorised Exchange, or under contract to do work that is covered under various international agreements. This last category includes private servants in diplomatic households.

These periods of leave can be made up of consecutive shorter periods, each of which must be of not more than three months.

Family members of Tier 5 Migrants

The Immigration Rules do not provide for entry clearance or leave to remain to be granted to the family members of Tier 5 (Youth mobility) Migrants, but Tier 5 (Temporary Workers) Migrants are entitled to be accompanied by their family members, subject to their satisfying a maintenance requirement (Appendix E of the Rules).