Tier 4 visa to Tier 5 (Youth Mobility) visa

[isobel]

Dear all,

I am an Australian currently studying for a Master's degree in London. I have a Tier 4 visa which does not allow me to work in the UK. My course will finish in September 2019, while my visa will expire in January 2020. As I am unable to work while I have a Tier 4 visa, I would like to apply for a Tier 5 (Youth Mobility) visa before the course finishes. I understand I will have to go back to Australia to apply for it.

1. I was just wondering, will it be a problem if I get a Tier 5 visa a couple of months before I finish studying?
2. I was able to find information about how long the visa will take (15 working days from Australia), but not whether there was an express option. Does anyone know how long it would take, and how much it would cost, to get an express visa.
3. I am in the process of completing my visa form and they ask for "Travel Information (UK)". If I have been in and out of the UK since I've been here, should I list each time I've come back to the UK as a separate "visit"?
4. Is there anyone I can contact to ask these questions?

Many thanks,
Isobel

[Frontier Mole]

The Tier 5 visa allows you to study so technically you could switch and return with your aim of having a right to work.
Your single biggest issue is your uni - they could take action to remove you from your course if they become aware of the fact that you no longer have a tier 4 visa. So dependent on the attitude and checking regime that could be your biggest barrier.
As for help and advice - the place that usually is best for that is an immigration lawyer or in your case you may have access to the international student service at your uni.
I would check with your uni that they will continue to let you study under tier 5 YMS, some can have a very risk adverse approach.

[sah10406]

Your single biggest issue is your uni - they could take action to remove you from your course if they become aware of the fact that you no longer have a tier 4 visa.

I would check with your uni that they will continue to let you study under tier 5 YMS, some can have a very risk adverse approach.

Sorry, but this is not correct. A university would have no reason to "take action and remove you from your course", nor is there any risk attached to studying on a Tier 5 (Youth Mobility) visa either for the student or the university,

OP, once you speak to your university immigration compliance person, you will see that this answer is not correct.

[Frontier Mole]

Sah - unfortunately the risk adverse position I have seen from some universities is beyond any reasonable or sensible position. The reasons that they have withdrawn sponsorship or removed students from courses defies any normal conventions. They reason sited is they fear action from UKVI, which is equally strange as the guidance does not point them or even suggest that they take action against their tier 4 students.

I am hoping the uni the OP attend is not one of the above but I have asked her to make sure.

[sah10406]

the risk adverse position I have seen from some universities is beyond any reasonable or sensible position. The reasons that they have withdrawn sponsorship or removed students from courses defies any normal conventions.

To reassure OP, in a decade working in second-tier immigration advice and compliance jn universities I have never heard of a university that has a problem with someone studying with a Tier 5 (Youth Mobility) visa, or with any other kind of visa that does not restrict study. On the contrary, the fewer students a university needs to sponsor, monitor and report under its Tier 4 sponsor duties the bette1 Some types of visa do restrict study and require caution when enrolling: Tier 4, short-term student, Standard Visitor, Parent of a Tier 4 Child and some forms of transit visa or temporary permission. But otherwise anyone with any type of visa can study as they wish.

They reason sited is they fear action from UKVI, which is equally strange as the guidance does not point them or even suggest that they take action against their tier 4 students.

I assume you mean Tier 5, not Tier 4.

[isobel]

Thank you for all your advice. I really appreciate it. I have spoken to my university and it will be fine to have a Tier 5 visa, and I have cleared up a couple of my other questions.

I just have one last question...

When I fill in the "travel history" section of the visa it asks how many times I have visited the UK recently.

I arrived in September to study, although I have been in and out of the UK to visit different countries. Should I say I've visited the UK once or multiple times?

Many thanks in advance.