The United Kingdom, without doubt, is the most popular country to live as a Working Holidaymaker. It is the dream destination of may wannabe Working Holidaymakers. The main reason is of course the strong pound rate; however, the UK itself is a great country with varied opportunities for the adventurous traveler. With a medley of attractions like seaside towns (Cornwall, Sti.Ives), quaint villages (Wales, the Shires), cosmopolitan cities (London, Manchester), and the Highlands (Edinburgh, Loch Ness), the UK attracts anybody with an ounce of travel lust in them.
Many travelers gravitate towards London, since the financial capital of the world has huge opportunities for the working traveler. You can find countless working travelers, mostly Australians and Canadians, enjoying life in London as a waitress or a bartender. They work for a few months, save enough money and then travel, either inside UK or to other European destinations. (Though UK is currently experiencing a recession and this has put a dampener on aspiring applicants).
The UK Working Holidaymaker visa is valid for 2 years, but visa holders can work for only 12 months. Eligibility requirements are more or les the same as listed in the first post of this blog. The visa is available to citizens of all Commonwealth countries, but this status will change soon, as the current WHM scheme will close on Nov 27, 2008.
A new WHM scheme, called Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS), will be activated on November 28, 2008. The YMS visa is valid for two years, and visa holders can work throughout those 2 years. This blog gives you information about applying to WHM visa in any country. However, if you want to know more about this Tier 5 UK visa for working holidays, extensive details can be found at this website:
http://www.intergate-immigration.com/uk-youth-mobility-scheme-tier-5-visa.php
As of now, Americans and South Africans are not eligible for the new scheme. Expect updates frequently in this blog.
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