Youth Mobility Visa schemes and working holiday visas

The Celtic English Academy are keen to share a remarkable development on the horizon, one that holds great promise for both our industry and Wales as a whole. The UK and Japanese governments have jointly announced a significant increase in the quota of Youth Mobility Visa schemes and working holiday visas, from the current 1,500 to an impressive 6,000 annually, commencing in 2024. Although the UK government's official statement is pending, you can find the detailed announcement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan here: Japan's MOFA Announcement. For reference, the English version of the original Memorandum of Cooperation related to this announcement can be accessed here: Memorandum of Cooperation (English).

This expansion primarily focuses on the Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) visa, which is currently available to specific nationalities, including Japan, South Korea, Taiwanese, Hong Kong, and enables individuals aged 18 to 30 to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years.

At Celtic English Academy (CEA), a British Council-accredited English language centre in Cardiff,they teach English to over 1,200 students annually from more than 50 countries. The CEA want the opportunity to explore the promotion of Study & Work programmes in collaboration with  colleagues in the tourism sector here in Wales. Their vision involves offering a 3 to 6-month English language course at Celtic in Cardiff, followed by 6 months of apprentice work placements at various tourism attractions, accommodations, and other hospitality sectors, with the potential for an additional 12 months of work.

Shoko Doherty, Chief Executive Officer - CEO:-

'I kindly request your consideration in participating in this initiative by providing 6 months of apprentice training in tourism and hospitality-related roles such as Housekeeping, Business Administration, Customer Service, Hospitality, Retail, and Accommodation Services. We aim to ensure that these apprentices receive the Real Living Wage (£12 per hour) for a minimum of 20 hours per week and that assistance is provided in locating suitable accommodation in their respective areas of residence.

We will ensure that each apprentice meets the minimum English language requirements for their specific roles, with B1 level for basic work such as housekeeping and kitchen assistant and B2 level for positions like receptionist and business administration.

Over the past two years, English UK, the umbrella organisation for accredited English language teaching centres in the UK, has actively lobbied in collaboration with tourism organisations, including UKInbound and Tourism Alliance, to expand the Youth Mobility Scheme visas.

While the UK government has not yet officially announced the expansion of the YMS to include other nationalities, there is a strong possibility that such an announcement may occur in the near future. If this indeed becomes a reality, we are eager to extend our Work & Study programme to additional nationalities.

This initiative holds the potential to serve as a valuable workforce solution for the tourism and hospitality sectors in Wales while simultaneously fostering opportunities for the growth of the inbound tourism economy in our region.

To explore this exciting opportunity further, I invite you to participate in our Zoom meeting at 1pm on the 14th of November (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83053767277?pwd=RWVTR3NMa1VPWlVocnA1aXozMG9IZz09). Alternatively, you may provide me with the following information by completing an online form (https://forms.gle/397j1oyZD3yGH67J9)

• A brief description of your business or organisation
• Main point of contact for this programme (Name, job title, email and telephone number)
• The types of roles you can offer for apprentice training
• The expected weekly hours of paid apprentice training
• A brief description of the location where apprentice training will take place
• The types of accommodation you can assist in finding
• An approximate monthly cost of accommodation

The initial cohort of students is anticipated to arrive in the UK in April 2024, with apprentice training commencing in either July or October.

I'm currently frequently travelling abroad, so communication via email may experience some delays. To ensure a more efficient and timely connection, I hope to meet many of you at the above proposed Zoom meeting or through your completion of the form. This way, my team can follow up with you individually.

I eagerly await your response and the possibility of embarking on this exciting journey together. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or require further information'.

Diolch yn fawr

I look forward to hearing from you soon. 

Best regards,
 
Shoko Doherty
Chief Executive Officer - CEO
[email protected] | +44 (0)2920 828287

+44 (0)7765 678189