The Home Office has confirmed that the second ballot of 2026 for the Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) will run from 14 to 16 July. The 48-hour window allows eligible nationals aged 18-30 from Hong Kong (SAR) and Taiwan to register their interest in securing one of the remaining 1,000 places allocated to each territory for the year.
![Second Youth Mobility Scheme ballot opens 14-16 July for Hong Kong and Taiwan]()
Prospective applicants who would like expert help navigating the ballot and the subsequent visa paperwork can turn to VisaHQ. Its UK specialists can guide you through every stage—from checking eligibility and gathering bank statements to completing online forms and booking biometrics—making the process faster and less stressful. Find out more at https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/
Under the YMS, participants can live and work in the UK for up to two years (three for some nationals), take up most employment without sponsorship and exit and re-enter the country multiple times. Unlike Japan and South Korea—whose citizens may now apply at any time—Hong Kong and Taiwan remain subject to a lottery because demand significantly exceeds the annual quota. Applicants enter the ballot by emailing the British consulate with personal details. Successful entrants will be notified by 30 July and have 90 days to lodge a full visa application, pay the £298 fee and the discounted £776-per-year Immigration Health Surcharge, and provide biometrics. Employers should note that YMS visa holders have the right to switch into sponsored Skilled Worker status from inside the UK, making the route an increasingly valuable pipeline for junior talent. HR teams with offices in Hong Kong and Taipei are advising interested staff to prepare supporting documents—such as bank statements showing at least £2,530 in savings—before the ballot opens. All YMS entrants will receive a digital eVisa rather than a physical vignette. They must therefore open a UKVI account and travel on the passport linked to that account or risk delays at the border.
Prospective applicants who would like expert help navigating the ballot and the subsequent visa paperwork can turn to VisaHQ. Its UK specialists can guide you through every stage—from checking eligibility and gathering bank statements to completing online forms and booking biometrics—making the process faster and less stressful. Find out more at https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/
Under the YMS, participants can live and work in the UK for up to two years (three for some nationals), take up most employment without sponsorship and exit and re-enter the country multiple times. Unlike Japan and South Korea—whose citizens may now apply at any time—Hong Kong and Taiwan remain subject to a lottery because demand significantly exceeds the annual quota. Applicants enter the ballot by emailing the British consulate with personal details. Successful entrants will be notified by 30 July and have 90 days to lodge a full visa application, pay the £298 fee and the discounted £776-per-year Immigration Health Surcharge, and provide biometrics. Employers should note that YMS visa holders have the right to switch into sponsored Skilled Worker status from inside the UK, making the route an increasingly valuable pipeline for junior talent. HR teams with offices in Hong Kong and Taipei are advising interested staff to prepare supporting documents—such as bank statements showing at least £2,530 in savings—before the ballot opens. All YMS entrants will receive a digital eVisa rather than a physical vignette. They must therefore open a UKVI account and travel on the passport linked to that account or risk delays at the border.
