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, a British Council-accredited English language centre in Cardiff, we teach English to over 1,200 students annually from more than 50 countries. I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to explore the promotion of Study & Work programmes in collaboration with our esteemed colleagues in the tourism sector here in Wales. Our 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.
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.
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.
The initial cohort of students is anticipated to arrive in the UK in April 2024, with apprentice training commencing in either July or October.
If your organisation would like to be part of this programme, please complete the following form.
