This section explains what the working holidaymaker scheme is and how you can apply to come to the United Kingdom as a working holidaymaker.

The working holidaymaker scheme allows nationals of participating Commonwealth countries, British overseas citizens, British overseas territories citizens, or British nationals (overseas) who are aged between 17 and 30 to come to the United Kingdom for a holiday of up to two years. You will be allowed to work, but the holiday must be the main reason for your stay in the United Kingdom and the work you do must be a minor part of this. See eligibility for details of the requirements you must meet to qualify for a working holidaymaker visa.

You may work for a total of up to 12 months during your stay. You may choose when to work and when to take your holiday breaks, but if you work for a total of more than 12 months you will be breaking the conditions of your working holidaymaker visa. Your visa will be valid for up to two years from the date you arrive in the United Kingdom, and any time you spend outside the United Kingdom during that time will count as part of your permitted stay here.

While you are in the United Kingdom on a working holidaymaker visa, you can take most types of work, including voluntary work. However, you may not establish any type of business or to provide services as a professional sportsperson. Any other type of professional work is permitted.

The working holidaymaker visa is a short-term immigration category. If you come to the United Kingdom on a working holidaymaker visa, you will be allowed to stay for a maximum of two years. When your visa expires, you will be expected to return to your home country. You will not be allowed to extend your visa as a working holidaymaker. You may be able to stay longer by switching to a different category of visa. See extending for more information about this. However, we do not view the working holidaymaker visa as mainly an employment category of visa, so there are restrictions on your ability to switch to another category while you are still living in the United Kingdom and you should not expect to be able to do so.

If you have previously come to the United Kingdom on a working holidaymaker visa, you will not be eligible for further entry clearance in this capacity.

Please note the working holidaymakers scheme is due to be deleted later this year when the new points-based system Youth Mobility Scheme of Tier 5 is launched.