Open Doors, Open Futures
The UK Government is currently negotiating a Youth Experience Scheme and rejoining ERASMUS+ with the EU. We must ensure any proposed arrangement delivers for young people in the UK, and restores some of the rights, which are still enjoyed by our European peers.
When the UK left the European Union, we didn’t just lose access to the single market, the customs union and the free trade agreement – we also lost valuable opportunities for young people in the UK. We lost Youth Mobility, which allowed young people from the UK to freely live, work and study in Europe, and for young European people to do the same in the UK. We also lost Erasmus+, which provided funding and opportunities for our young people to access education and training abroad and at home. Post-Brexit, the UK has closed doors and dismantled the future that we, as young people, expected to have.
But there is hope on the horizon…
The UK Government has agreed in principle to rejoining Erasmus+, and to establish a Youth Experience Scheme for UK and European youth. We must now keep up the pressure to lobby for those same rights afforded to European youth, and restore the opportunities we once had.
Since the UK-EU Summit in May 2025, with the introduction of the Common Understanding between the EU and the UK, there has been a commitment to work towards a UK-EU youth experience scheme. It is time that this progressed.
We know the UK public support the creation of a new UK-EU scheme for young people. YouGov research conducted in 2025 found that 76% of UK citizens supported the creation of a youth experience scheme with the EU.
Let’s make the right decision: let’s open doors, and open futures.
How can you support our campaign?
- Write to your MP using our campaign tool, to demand their support for a meaningful Youth Opportunity Scheme and the UK rejoining ERASMUS+ as a full member.
- Sign the European Movement’s petition to bring back ERASMUS+.
- Join YEM as a member, or (if you are aged over-35) become a Friend of YEM and make a donation to support our campaign.
What is a Youth Mobility Scheme?
The Youth Mobility Scheme permits people from specific countries to be able to come to the UK for two to three years on a temporary visa. It is a reciprocal arrangement, meaning that UK citizens are able to acquire similar temporary visas in those other countries.
YMS schemes aim to promote cultural exchange, as well as provide a source of workers in the labour market.
In the UK, under current YMS visa requirements, individuals who hold a YMS visa are usually able to study, work, or travel as they want to. They can work in any job or sector, and are not confined to specific types of employment. They do not have access to social security support and cannot bring family members into the UK. The number of YMS visas are capped, and they are held on a temporary basis, usually around two – three years, depending on the country of origin. If the individual holding a YMS visa is subsequently eligible to apply for a different visa, such as a study or skilled work visa, they are able to apply for the new visa.
If a YMS deal negotiated between the UK and the EU had the same characteristics as the current YMS visa requirements in the UK, the arrangement would be different from free movement.
Free movement and YMS both allow people to work in any job. However, free movement does not have a limit on numbers, age, or length of residence, and it also allows access to social security support in some circumstances.
What are the benefits of a Youth Experience Scheme?
- Cultural exchange: the principle of cultural exchange, both within and outside of its borders, is important to the EU. The EU has been advised to support culture and cultural heritage, particularly to foster a sense of belonging and togetherness in Europe and advancing European shared values and identity. A youth experience scheme would be an excellent means of realising this vision for the EU and for EU youth. The UK has also long recognised the benefits of cultural exchange to showcase its cultural heritage through its participation in exchange programmes.
- Resetting of UK-EU relations: the resetting of UK-EU relations is critical. Following the May 2025 summit, the UK and the EU agreed to continue their efforts to support travel and cultural exchange as part of their relations reset. Developing a youth experience scheme between the UK and the EU can ensure a crucial development in the relations reset, particularly from a generational perspective.
- Labour Market benefits: it has been proposed that the expansion of a youth mobility scheme may be beneficial for the labour market. The labour market will benefit from the movement of skilled workers, who in turn can access greater employment opportunities and stronger wages. The Migration Advisory Committee has posited that expanding the youth mobility scheme to more countries, and particularly countries located near the UK, would be beneficial to sectors with a “more fluid” labour market, such as hospitality.
- Possible reduction of labour exploitation risks: The Migration Advisory Committee has identified that the YES may help reduce the risks of labour exploitation, especially in low-wage employment, as they do not link the YMS visa to the employer.
- Economic impact:
The UK Government, and other political actors, have regularly asserted claims in the last year that net migration figures to the UK are too high. However, businesses and companies operating across most sectors of the UK economy have actually argued for more overseas workers to join the UK labour market to help boost the UK’s economic growth.
Analysis by the Centre for European Reform suggests that introducing the new UK–EU Youth Experience Scheme could increase UK GDP by between 0.4% and 0.45% over the next decade. - Promoting innovation and creativity: the UK , with among the best universities in Europe, can benefit from a scheme which will concentrate intellectual talent in our top institutions, similar to California’s success in the USA. It has been found that youth mobility schemes can lead to improved student outcomes: students who participate in such schemes are more likely to achieve stronger degree results, secure professional-level jobs, and can report higher earnings compared to their non-mobile peers.
- Supporting wider efforts to tackle inequality: we know that there is a steep economic divide in the UK. Income inequality is strongly negatively correlated with social mobility, and the IFS has previously concluded that it is “likely to be very hard to increase social mobility without tackling inequality”. By providing young people with the opportunity to study and gain employment abroad, a youth experience scheme between the UK and EU may help enhance skills and experience. Providing access to such an opportunity can therefore develop marketable skills and ensure enhanced employment prospects, and so help with progression in the labour market.
- Civic engagement and resilience: it has been found that youth mobility exerts a positive influence beyond the individual, extending to institutions, communities, and workplaces. The impact of mobility can be found in organisational innovation, community activity, and civic resilience. Mobility encourages the development of critical reflection, adaptability, and outward-looking engagement, empowering the individual to become an active citizen. It has been suggested that individuals returning from mobility schemes introduce changes or launch new initiatives which are shaped by insights, skills, and knowledge acquired from abroad, such as through the start of new enterprises, social ventures, or grassroots engagement in their communities.
What is necessary for the success of the Scheme?
- Four year stays: European employers and educational institutions are far less likely to offer opportunities to young UK citizens if they are only able to stay for two years. Under a four year stay, young UK citizens will be offered serious professional opportunities that will allow them to develop their careers.
- Full Mobility within the EU: Similarly, young UK citizens must able to move within the EU rather than single EU member states on a bilateral basis, to ensure they are able to fully engage with the interlinked professional and academic networks within the EU.
- An uncapped, reciprocal number of places: The more the scheme sees use, the more successful it will be. To ensure use of the scheme is fair, whilst promoting the highest possible numbers of UK youth travelling abroad, we propose a ‘one in one out’ scheme, without an arbitrary cap.
- Lowered visa costs to ensure equity of access – The Immigration Health Surcharge makes up the majority of visa costs. With a one in one out scheme, immigration to the UK and EU will be neutral, meaning neither party has a greater strain on its healthcare system. This should be reflected in a lowered Surcharge, and thus lower costs to apply for the visa, making the opportunity of work and study in Europe available to economically disadvantaged youth in the UK.
What are the benefits of Erasmus+?
- Inclusive experience: 16% of Erasmus+ participants came from backgrounds with fewer opportunities, such as those with special needs and disadvantaged backgrounds.
- Skilled staff: The UK received 4964 incoming staff members as a part of the Erasmus+ program in 2017/18, allowing for their skills to be shared with our participants.
- Economic benefits: The UK made a net gain of £234 million per year from its participation in Erasmus+ thanks to an increase in spend for the higher education, services, and hospitality sectors.
- Active participation: In 2020, 55 681 people from the UK participated in Erasmus+. This active participation shows the demand present in the UK for Erasmus+.
- Diverse participation: While 39% of participants were from higher education in 2023, 19% were from vocational education and training, and 25% were from schools.
- Funding and grants: The UK received €114.25 million in grants towards Erasmus+ in 2020, which provided access to educational and cultural experiences for a wide range of participants.
- Free Transport: 35 000 young Europeans benefitted from a free rail pass in 2023 as a part of Erasmus’ DiscoverEU Travel Pass.
The UK Government must rejoin Erasmus+ and agree on a comprehensive Youth Experience Scheme with Europe alongside allowing 4 years abroad for the Youth Experience Scheme.
A vast amount of those affected by these lost opportunities never had a say in the matter, as they were too young to vote in the Brexit referendum. Let’s make the right decision for them, let’s open doors, and open futures.