Explanation

The introduction of the UK tier visa structure is intended to simplify and rationalize outgoing UK immigration services into a more straightforward and transparent structure. As part of this process, visas for the fifth tier will replace a range of youth mobility schemes such as the Commonwealth Working Holidaymaker (WHM) and the Au Pair Programme with a single system which introduces a uniform set of requirements.

Tier five is available to applicants from participating countries aged 18-30 and will grant leave to enter the UK for a maximum period of 24 months. As with tier 3 visas and tier 4 visas, British immigration through this route is a temporary entitlement and applicants will be obliged to return to their home country at the expiry of the grant.

Unlike a tier 1 visa or a tier 2 visa, both of which are intended as routes to settlement in Britain, the fifth tier does not afford any benefits of permanent residence in the UK. Applicants may not be self-employed or function as professional sportspeople, and like tier 3 visas, they cannot bring dependents into the country or switch to any other tiers of the system.

Fifth tier immigration does not provide a route to settlement nor the opportunity to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) often known as permanent residency. UK visas for immigration at this level will not constitute a first step to those wishing to apply for British naturalization as a UK citizen. With this in mind, spouse immigration and dependent immigration are not permitted. Whilst the marriage visa, fiancé visa and De Facto visa or unmarried partner visa categories will function outside the new structure, they will not be relevant to applications of this kind.