UK Immigration - Working Holiday Makers

There were major changes in the working holidaymaker visa category on 20 June 2003 and 25 August 2003. You can now take up any type of employment as a working holidaymaker.

This is welcome news for many UK businesses who need to employ working holidaymakers, and also changes a situation where many working holidaymakers were working in breach of their conditions of entry.

Requirements for Working Holidaymaker Visa category

• You have to be a Commonwealth Citizen between the ages of 17 and 30 years of age.
• You can come to the UK for an extended holiday for up to two years and can take up any form of work.
• You will be expected to be on holiday for at least part of your time in the UK over two years.
• You should have planned your employment so that it is an integral part of your working holiday. For example, you may have decided that you wish to spend some time in London and so also wish to find work in London.
• You should be single, or are married to someone who also qualifies as a working holidaymaker and wish to both be working holidaymakers.
• You do not have any dependent children who are aged five years or over, or who will be five before the end of the two years as working holidaymaker.
• You should have enough funds to support yourself until you find work without requiring public funds. You should probably have enough money to support yourself for the first month.
• You are able to pay for a return ticket or have at least enough money to go onto another destination.
• You intend to leave the UK at the end of your working holidaymaker status. It should be noted that if while in the UK you decide to change your mind and stay longer there may be a number of different options. You may be able to come under the work permit scheme or some other category under the immigration rules.

Working Holidaymaker can spend up to two years in UK

• You can spend up to two years in the UK as a working holidaymaker. This two year period starts as soon as you enter the UK on this status and will last exactly two years. For example, if you enter the UK for six months and then decide to spend the following one and half years outside the UK you will have used up your two years as a working holidaymaker.
• If after spending two years in the UK you may be in a position to stay longer. There are many working holidaymakers who remain in the UK on an UK work permit, on the basis of marriage, as an unmarried partner, as a student, etc.

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