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WYSE Travel Confederation and IAPA urge EU to support reciprocal UK Youth Mobility Scheme
Experiencing a different culture through an exchange programme allows young people to gain a deeper understanding of the world, themselves, and those around them. Participants of such cultural exchange programmes develop language and leadership skills, self-confidence and empathy, strengthening international relationships.
As a member of the EU for the last 25 years, the UK has actively been promoting and participating in the inbound and outbound mobility of students and young people. However, since 1 January 2021, EU citizens looking to embark on a cultural exchange programme in the UK must comply with domestic immigration laws, due to the curtailing of free movement following Brexit. This means that EU citizens keen to immerse themselves in British culture and learn English, through, for example, an au pair stay, do not have any visa route.
Despite the immense value of cultural exchange programmes, the UK Home Office has not provided a viable route for EU nationals to enter the UK.
WYSE Travel Confederation and its members, representing the global youth, student and educational travel industry, strongly believe in and support youth mobility and freedom of travel as a means to access vital exchange programmes and foster relationships between cultures.
Together with The International Au Pair Association (IAPA), and in support of all European au pair associations, WYSE Travel Confederation urges the EU to start negotiations with the UK regarding a reciprocal Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS). A mobility agreement would enable young Europeans between the ages of 18 and 30 to participate in au pair and other cultural exchange programmes in the UK, allowing them to obtain the same benefits as citizens in other parts of the world, such as Australia, Canada, Japan and New Zealand.
We request the support of the EU Commission and national governments in lobbying for a British visa option for young people in Europe to travel to the UK for an au pair experience or other cultural exchange programme.


Signatories
Name | Job title | Organisation |
---|---|---|
Alain Maboge | Finance Director | WEP |
Alessandro Martello | General Manager | Anda Venice |
Alex Thompson | CEO | Legaroo.com |
Alexander Rivers | Managing Director | Astor Hostels |
Andrew Barnett | Head of Sales and Development | YHA England and Wales |
Andries Bonneur | CEO | Stage-Global |
Anette Slot Larsen | Managing Director | InterStudies |
Ann-Kristin Cohrs | Managing Director | AuPairWorld |
Anne Dolan | Co-founder | Clink Hostels |
Anne Meijers | Program Director High School Holland | Travel Active |
Bastian Weinberger | Board Chair | Smaller Earth |
Beth Hamilton | CEO | Global Secutive LLC |
Carye Duffin | Vice President, External Relations | CIEE |
Christine La Monica-Lunn | President & CEO | InterExchange Inc |
Corey Kirkham | Managing Director | Moose Travel Network |
Daniel Hernadez | Administration | Au Pair Global |
Darryl Newby | Co-founder | Welcome to Travel |
Darya Modestova | Director | Global Friends, Inc |
Dave O'Malley | Partnerships Manager | World Nomads |
Didier Destexhe | Co-founder | WEP |
Edward Lane | VP Sales | Compass Student Insurance |
Emma English | Executive Director | BETA |
Frank Hoerl | Regional Director & Managing Director | Azure Hotels Ltd. |
James Catterall | Managing Director | Gapforce |
Jimmy Wong | Chief Executive | Hong Kong Student Travel Limited |
Joaquim Capdevila | Managing Director | Bracap Global Tours |
Jorene Letofsky | CEO/Founder | CNL Global Access |
Juan Pablo Moreno | CFO | SHE Herencia |
Linda James | Senior Vice President | Au Pair in America |
Louise Garner | Commercial Director | Clink Hostels |
Marco Coppola | CEO | Yellowsquare |
Marina Seet | Manager | Speedwing Training (Asia) |
Mark Maasdam | CEO | Travel Active | Educational Exchange |
Martin Vogt | SVP International Operations | AuPairCare Europe GmbH |
Matthew Buczek | CEO | IENA |
Melissa Torres | President & CEO | The Forum on Education Abroad |
Murray Roberts | Managing Director | Beds and Bars |
Nick Pound | Strategic Partnerships | World Nomads |
Nick Steiert | CEO | Invasion |
Olivier Joris | CEO | WEP |
Patricia Brunner | Managing Director | IAPA |
Pranas Bruzga | Director/ CEO | Lithuanian World Center for Work Experience and Studies Abroad |
Robyn Walker | Executive Director | Cultural Exchange Network (Cenet) |
Roger Charles | President | EBI Consulting |
Rosana Lippi | Product Manager | STB Student Travel Bureau |
Ross Morgan | Reservations Manager | Smart Space (UK) Ltd |
Sascha Dimitriewicz | CEO | Wombats City Hostels |
Sheelagh Daly | Head of Operations & Customer Success | USIT |
Vivian Bouwmans | Program Manager | Travel Active |
Wendi Aylward | Managing Director | AIFS |
Anna Houben | Business Development Manager | CareMed GmbH |
Enrique Leon Collados | Managing Director | SHE Herencia S.L. |
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