Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following news that they have rejected an offer by the European Commission for a youth mobility scheme, what factors they considered when deciding to reject the offer.

The UK notes the publication by the European Commission on 18 April 2024 setting out a proposal to EU Member States and seeking their agreement to negotiate a UK/EU wide Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS). This is currently a matter for the EU and its Member States and the UK has not been formally approached.

The UK currently operates 13 successful bilateral YMS schemes with international partners, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand, and continues to believe bilateral schemes with international partners are the most effective and efficient way of facilitating opportunities for young people.