Youth Mobility Scheme: Coronavirus
(asked on 12th May 2021) - View Source
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of covid-19 restrictions on life and work in the UK for people on a two-year Tier 5 Youth Mobility scheme visa; if she will make it her policy to accept applications to extend the period of validity for those affected and consider them on a case-by-case basis; and if she will make a statement.
The Government’s position on visa extensions in the early stages of this pandemic was to prevent people who were legally in the UK from being subject to enforcement action at a point when international travel was largely unavailable.
Since 1 September 2020 any individual who intends to leave the UK, is not able to do so as a result of Covid-19, and who holds an immigration status which expires before 30 June 2021 may request additional time to stay, known as ‘exceptional assurance’. More information can be found at:
Those who were unable to travel to the UK on their Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) visa because of travel restrictions are able to apply for another full 2 year YMS visa. Those currently in the UK on a YMS visa can switch to another visa from within the UK where they meet the conditions of the route.