UK's India Young Professionals Scheme ballot opens on July 21-How it works

For eligible Indians aged 18-30, the July ballot represents the last opportunity in 2026 to secure one of the remaining places under a visa route that offers two years of work and living rights in UK.

Young Indians hoping to live and work in the UK for up to two years have one final opportunity this year. The UK government has announced that the second and final ballot for the India Young Professionals Scheme (IYPS) will open on July 21 and close on July 23, with the remaining places for 2026 to be allocated through a random draw.

 

The scheme, launched under the UK-India Migration and Mobility Partnership, allows eligible Indian citizens to live, work, study and travel in the UK for up to 24 months without first securing a job offer.

 

Here's everything you need to know.

   

What is the India Young Professionals Scheme?

 

The India Young Professionals Scheme is a visa route that gives young Indian citizens an opportunity to live and work in the UK for up to two years.

 

Unlike the UK's Skilled Worker visa, applicants do not need a sponsoring employer or a job offer before applying. However, because demand exceeds the number of available places, applicants must first enter a free online ballot. Those selected are then invited to apply for the visa.

 

When is the ballot?

 

The 2026 second and final ballot will:

 

Open: 1:30 pm IST on July 21, 2026

Close: 1:30 pm IST on July 23, 2026

 

Applicants can enter the ballot at any time during this period through the official UK government website. Successful applicants will be informed by email within two weeks after the ballot closes.

 

Who is eligible?

 

To qualify, applicants must:

 

• Be an Indian citizen
• Be 18 to 30 years old
• Hold a bachelor's degree or a higher qualification
• Have at least £2,530 (around ₹2.9 lakh) in savings
• Not have children under the age of 18 who live with them or are financially dependent on them
• Meet all other immigration requirements for the scheme.

 

How many visas are available?

 

The UK has allocated 3,000 places for Indian citizens under the scheme in 2026.

 

Most of these places were allotted during the February ballot, while the remaining slots will be filled through the July ballot.

 

How much does it cost?

• Entering the ballot: Free
• Visa application fee (if selected): £340 (about ₹39,000)
• Applicants must also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) as part of their visa application, in addition to the visa fee.

 

If selected, applicants have 90 days to:

 

• submit their visa application,
• pay the required fees,
• and complete biometric formalities.

What can you do on this visa?

 

Successful applicants can:

 

• Live in the UK for up to 24 months
• Work for most employers
• Be self-employed in certain circumstances
• Study during their stay
• Travel in and out of the UK while the visa remains valid.
• What happens if you are not selected?

 

There is no appeal against an unsuccessful ballot result.

 

However, applicants can enter future ballots, provided they continue to meet the eligibility requirements.

 

How is it different from the UK's Youth Mobility Scheme?

 

The India Young Professionals Scheme (IYPS) is modelled on the UK's broader Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS), which allows young people from several countries and territories to live and work in the UK. However, there are some key differences.

 

Unlike the YMS, the IYPS is exclusively for Indian citizens and requires applicants to hold at least a bachelor's degree. Most applicants under the Youth Mobility Scheme are not required to meet any educational qualification, although eligibility conditions vary by country.

 

Another major distinction is the application process. Under the India Young Professionals Scheme, eligible applicants must first be selected through a ballot before they can apply for a visa. By contrast, most eligible nationals under the Youth Mobility Scheme can apply directly without going through a ballot, although a few participating countries and territories, such as Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan, also use a ballot system.

 

The two schemes also differ in the number of visas available. The UK has allocated 3,000 places for Indian nationals under the IYPS in 2026, while quotas under the Youth Mobility Scheme vary depending on the participating country or territory.

 

Is there a similar scheme for UK citizens coming to India?

 

Yes.

 

The arrangement is reciprocal, but the process differs.

 

While Indian applicants must go through a ballot, eligible UK citizens can apply throughout the year for India's corresponding route—known as the Employment Visa (E-1)—without participating in a lottery-style selection process. This reflects the reciprocal mobility arrangement agreed between the two countries.

 

Why was the scheme introduced?

 

The India Young Professionals Scheme forms part of the UK-India Migration and Mobility Partnership, signed in 2021.

 

The partnership aims to:

• promote legal mobility between the two countries,
• strengthen educational and professional exchanges,
• facilitate cultural ties,
• and improve cooperation on tackling illegal migration and immigration violations.