United Kingdom: India Young Professional Scheme Ballot to Open Shortly

The situation 

The Home Office has announced that the second (and final) ballot of 2026 for the India Young Professional Scheme (IYPS) will open on July 21, 2026, and close on July 23, 2026. Under the scheme, successful applicants can live, work and study in the United Kingdom for a period of 24 months.  

A closer look

• • Ballot period. The second ballot for the 2026 IYPS will open at 1:30pm Indian Standard Time on July 21, 2026, and will close at 1:30pm Indian Standard time on July 23, 2026.  
  • Program details. The ballot is open to Indian nationals between 18-30 years old, or those who would be 18 at the date of travel under the scheme, who have a bachelor’s degree level or above, savings of at least GBP 2,530 and who have no children below 18 with whom they live or support. Individuals selected by ballot then have 90 days to apply for a visa under the scheme, pay the visa application fee (including immigration health surcharge) and provide biometrics.  
  • Quota. In 2026, the United Kingdom is making 3,000 places available under the scheme, with most spots already allocated in the February 2026 ballot. The remaining 2026 places will be issued in this July ballot.
  • Costs. Entering the ballot is free but it costs GBP 340 to apply under the Scheme. Those who are not chosen in the upcoming ballot can submit another application in future ballots.  
  • Reciprocal arrangement. The reciprocal Indian program does not use a ballot system. Instead, eligible individuals can apply throughout the year through applying for the so-called ‘Employment Visa – E 1’.  

Background 

When the application window opens, interested applicants will be able to submit a ballot for the program online.  

The scheme provides a specific entry pathway for qualifying Indian nationals with a relatively short processing time as compared to other schemes.  

Impact

• • Previous ballots. In 2024 and 2025, the United Kingdom held IYPS ballots in February and July.  
  • Other youth mobility schemes. The IYPS is similar to the UK’s Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) which also allows a person from a participating country or territory to experience life in the United Kingdom. Nationals of some countries eligible under the YMS, such as Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan, are also selected under a ballot process. But in contrast to the IYPS, applicants under the UK YMS scheme do not need to evidence any educational qualifications.
  • UK-India migration partnership. The IYPS is part of the UK-India Mobility and Migration Partnership, signed in May 2021, which includes commitments to enhance migration arrangements and efforts to strengthen cooperation around immigration violations between India and the United Kingdom. 

Looking ahead 

Further immigration related concessions between the United Kingdom and India were also included as part of an India-UK trade agreement that went into effect today. 

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.