The UK Home Office has opened the first 2026 ballot for the India Young Professionals Scheme (IYPS). Between 17 and 19 February, Indian citizens aged 18-30 with a degree and at least £2,530 in savings can register free of charge for one of 3,000 places. Successful entrants receive an invitation to apply for a two-year visa allowing work, study and multiple entry—essentially mirroring the UK’s Youth Mobility route but as a reciprocal, quota-limited arrangement negotiated under the UK–India Migration and Mobility Partnership.
Unlike points-based work routes, the IYPS does not require employer sponsorship or a minimum salary. That flexibility makes it attractive to graduates who want UK experience before returning to India’s booming tech, consulting and start-up sectors. According to Home Office statistics, 96 per cent of the 2025 cohort secured skilled employment within six months, with software development, life sciences and fintech the top destinations.
VisaHQ can help successful ballot entrants navigate the subsequent visa application with ease. Through its dedicated UK portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/), the service provides step-by-step guidance, document verification and real-time status tracking—crucial support for hitting the 30-day submission deadline and avoiding costly errors that could forfeit a coveted IYPS place.
![India–UK Young Professionals Scheme ballot reopens, 3,000 two-year visas up for grabs]()
For British employers the programme is a fast-track pipeline to highly educated STEM talent with minimal HR overhead. Global mobility managers should, however, note key compliance points: IYPS holders cannot bring dependants, must pay the immigration health surcharge (£776 per year) and are limited to two cumulative years. At the end of that period they must switch into another visa category—usually Skilled Worker—or depart.
Indian authorities, for their part, welcome the scheme as a brain-circulation tool. Participants retain strong ties to India and often return with upgraded skills and professional networks. The ballot’s popularity—more than 38,000 applications for 3,000 slots last year—underlines pent-up demand for short-term, flexible mobility pathways.
Corporates recruiting on campus in India should flag the ballot dates to eligible candidates immediately. Experience shows that candidates who win a place but miss the 30-day visa-application window lose their slot. HR teams may also want to run internal lotteries if multiple divisions are interested in sponsoring the same individual, given the cap on places.
Unlike points-based work routes, the IYPS does not require employer sponsorship or a minimum salary. That flexibility makes it attractive to graduates who want UK experience before returning to India’s booming tech, consulting and start-up sectors. According to Home Office statistics, 96 per cent of the 2025 cohort secured skilled employment within six months, with software development, life sciences and fintech the top destinations.
VisaHQ can help successful ballot entrants navigate the subsequent visa application with ease. Through its dedicated UK portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/), the service provides step-by-step guidance, document verification and real-time status tracking—crucial support for hitting the 30-day submission deadline and avoiding costly errors that could forfeit a coveted IYPS place.
For British employers the programme is a fast-track pipeline to highly educated STEM talent with minimal HR overhead. Global mobility managers should, however, note key compliance points: IYPS holders cannot bring dependants, must pay the immigration health surcharge (£776 per year) and are limited to two cumulative years. At the end of that period they must switch into another visa category—usually Skilled Worker—or depart.
Indian authorities, for their part, welcome the scheme as a brain-circulation tool. Participants retain strong ties to India and often return with upgraded skills and professional networks. The ballot’s popularity—more than 38,000 applications for 3,000 slots last year—underlines pent-up demand for short-term, flexible mobility pathways.
Corporates recruiting on campus in India should flag the ballot dates to eligible candidates immediately. Experience shows that candidates who win a place but miss the 30-day visa-application window lose their slot. HR teams may also want to run internal lotteries if multiple divisions are interested in sponsoring the same individual, given the cap on places.
