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UK Immigration Rules Part 4: Work Experience Categories Deleted

🇬🇧 United KingdomWork Permits1 recorded versionLast change 27 Aug 2026
ConfidenceVery high · 100%

Current rules

All specific provisions and paragraphs related to 'au pair' placements, 'working holidaymakers', 'seasonal agricultural workers', 'teachers or language assistants under an approved exchange scheme', and associated dependant categories (spouses, civil partners, and children) within Immigration Rules part 4 have been deleted. This includes paragraphs 98, 99, 100, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, and 127, as well as unnumbered sub-categories. The current rules instead deal with comparable forms of temporary mobility through modern immigration routes elsewhere in the Rules. For example, the Youth Mobility Scheme is now the UK's dedicated route for eligible young people from participating countries and territories who want to live and work temporarily in the UK. The Government Authorised Exchange route provides another mechanism for eligible people coming to the UK for approved work-experience programmes, internships, training and exchanges.

Overview

Effective 3 August 2026, the United Kingdom Home Office has removed specific work experience and related family categories from Part 4 of the Immigration Rules. This instrument deletes the provisions for 'au pair' placements, working holidaymakers, seasonal agricultural workers, and associated dependent routes (spouses and children of certain work experience visa holders), signifying a full abolition of these particular immigration pathways.

Who is affected by the latest change

  • Individuals seeking to enter or remain in the UK for 'au pair' placements
  • Individuals seeking to enter or remain in the UK as 'working holidaymakers'
  • Individuals seeking to enter or remain in the UK as 'seasonal agricultural workers'
  • Individuals seeking to enter or remain in the UK as 'teachers or language assistants under an approved exchange scheme'
  • Dependants (spouses, civil partners, children) of persons previously admitted under work experience routes (paragraphs 110-121)

What changed in the latest version

Before

Paragraphs in Immigration Rules Part 4 allowed people to come to or stay in the United Kingdom. This was for 'au pair' jobs, as 'working holidaymakers', or for 'training or work experience'. These rules included specific sections for 'seasonal agricultural workers' and 'teachers or language assistants under an approved exchange scheme'. They also included sections for their dependants (family members).

After

All specific rules and paragraphs in Immigration Rules Part 4 are now deleted. These cover 'au pair' jobs, 'working holidaymakers', 'seasonal agricultural workers', 'teachers or language assistants under an approved exchange scheme', and linked dependant categories. Dependant categories include spouses, civil partners, and children. The deleted paragraphs are 98, 99, 100, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, and 127. Unnumbered sub-categories are also deleted. The current rules now handle similar temporary travel through modern immigration routes in other parts of the Rules. For example, the Youth Mobility Scheme is now the UK's main route. It is for eligible young people from certain countries and territories. They use it if they want to live and work temporarily in the UK. The Government Authorised Exchange route offers another way for eligible people. They can come to the UK for approved work experience programmes, internships, training, and exchanges.

This policy change significantly alters several ways people could previously seek temporary work or work experience in the UK. People who thought about coming to the UK as an au pair, working holidaymaker, or seasonal agricultural worker will find these routes no longer exist under Immigration Rules Part 4. Employers who used these categories for staff, especially in farming or for educational exchange programmes, must now find other immigration routes. People currently in the UK on these routes, or their dependants (family members), will not be able to extend their stay under the deleted rules. They must check their immigration status.

Explained simply

Imagine you wanted to go on a special working trip to the UK as an 'au pair' or a 'working holidaymaker'. There used to be a specific set of instructions, like a recipe book, that told you exactly how to do that. But now, the UK government has taken those pages out of the recipe book. So, if you want to come to the UK for work experience, you'll need to find a different 'recipe' or type of visa that's still in the book.

Frequently asked

Version history

  1. v11Effective 3 Aug 2026EffectiveCritical impact
    UK Immigration Rules Part 4: Work Experience Categories Deleted

    The United Kingdom's Immigration Rules, Part 4, deals with work experience. It has had important sections removed. All specific rules about 'au pair' jobs, 'working holidaymakers', 'seasonal agricultural workers', and 'teachers or language assistants under an approved exchange scheme' are gone. This includes removing all related paragraphs. These paragraphs covered things like extending a stay and applications for family members — legally called dependants — of people on these routes. The changes were published on 3 August 2026. They are part of wider updates to the Immigration Rules.

Other routes in this country

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