Prospective Indian applicants for the United Kingdom’s India Young Professionals Scheme (IYPS) have until 13:30 IST on Thursday 23 July 2026 to submit their entries in the second – and final – ballot of the year. Guidance on the UK Government website confirms that the 48-hour window, which opened on 21 July, will allocate the remaining places of the 3,000-quota programme via a random draw. The IYPS, part of last year’s UK–India Migration & Mobility Partnership, grants successful candidates aged 18-30 a two-year work visa with no employer sponsorship requirement. Winners must lodge a full visa application, pay the £340 fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge within 90 days of receiving the invitation. Unsuccessful entrants will be notified by email within two weeks and may try again in 2027. Immigration lawyers report unprecedented interest: their monitoring tools show the ballot page receiving traffic peaks of more than 150,000 hits per hour on opening day. Corporates see strategic value in the scheme as a pipeline for graduate-level secondees who can work across roles without triggering the UK’s higher Skilled Worker salary thresholds. HR advisers caution that employers cannot legally sponsor IYPS holders directly into permanent roles, nor can participants bring dependants. However, time spent in the category counts toward the UK’s 10-year long-residence route to settlement, making it attractive for Indians seeking a medium-term European posting. Those aiming to beat the deadline must upload a passport scan, provide contact details and certify they have at least £2,530 in savings. Duplicate entries are filtered automatically and will invalidate the application. Results are expected by the first week of August, after which selected candidates can schedule biometrics at VFS centres across India.
Source: UK Gov Guidance – IYPS Ballot
