Young people are opting not to move to the United Kingdom, as many countries adopt favourable immigration policies to attract top tech talent as the AI race intensifies.
Although the UK’s Skilled Worker visa has maintained a steady 30,000 to 40,000 applications yearly in the last few years, the number of Youth Mobility Scheme visas issued in the year ending September 2025 was 11% lower, at 21,351, according to The Home Office.
Recent policy decisions have changed the shape of UK visa applications. Skilled Worker route now demands roles meet an RQF level six threshold, which instantly cuts down the range of eligible jobs.
Some exceptions remain through the Immigration Salary List and Temporary Shortage List, but those pathways come with limits, especially when it comes to sponsoring dependents. Employers are also absorbing a 32% rise in the Immigration Skills Charge, making sponsorship a more deliberate, and often more expensive, decision. For many young tech talent, that combination has turned what was once a challenging process into a far narrower gate.
For context, the Youth Mobility Scheme visa (subclass T5), not limited to tech talent alone, enables young adults (usually aged 18–30, or up to 35 for specific nationalities) from eligible countries to live and work in the UK for up to 24 months (or 36 months for Australia, Canada, and New Zealand). It requires £2,530 in savings, a visa fee, and a health surcharge, and often involves a ballot for certain nationalities.
Meanwhile, the UK Skilled Worker visa allows tech talent to live and work in the UK for an approved employer, requiring a skilled job offer, English proficiency, and generally a minimum salary threshold. It operates on a points-based system (70 points required), offers a pathway to settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain) after five years, allows dependants, and replaces the former Tier 2 (General) visa.
The effects of these policy adjustments are not hard to see, even with the standard three-week processing time. But as with any system under tighter scrutiny, delays and refusals have become more common.
A Home Office spokesperson said, “All visa applications are assessed on individual merit in line with immigration rules.
“Where further information or checks are required, decisions may take longer. This helps prevent abuse of the immigration system and non-genuine students, including individuals who attempt to use the student route to claim asylum in the United Kingdom.”
David Adubiina
