Moving to the UK from North America: Complete Guide

Americans and Canadians sit outside several UK requirements: no tuberculosis test, no English test for either nationality, and no visitor visa. What differs between the two is the Youth Mobility Scheme and UK Ancestry, both open to Canadians and neither to Americans. This guide sets out each route and what it costs.

Checked 8 March 202612 min readWritten by the Rowan Editorial Team

Section: Moving to the UK From...
Reading time: 12 min
Last checked: 8 March 2026
Source: The published Immigration Rules and GOV.UK guidance, linked throughout this guide.
Rowan does not: Look at your own case, tell you which route to choose, or say what the Home Office will decide. This guide shows the published rules and where to read them.

In short

Canada and the USA are both on the majority English-speaking list, so neither nationality sits an English test.
Neither country is on the tuberculosis test list or the visa national list. A short visit takes a £20 Electronic Travel Authorisation.
Canada is on the Youth Mobility Scheme at 18 to 35: £340, up to 24 months, £2,530 in savings. The USA is not on it.
Canada is a Commonwealth country, so UK Ancestry is open to Canadians and not to Americans.
The health surcharge is £1,035 a year, or £776 on Youth Mobility and student routes, paid up front for the whole visa.
Settlement costs £3,226 per person and citizenship £1,709 plus a £130 ceremony fee.

Neither the United States nor Canada is on the tuberculosis test list or the visa national list, and both are on the Home Office list of majority English-speaking countries — Canada included, which some guidance gets wrong. The differences between the two nationalities come from the Commonwealth: Canada is on the Youth Mobility Scheme and Canadians can use UK Ancestry, while Americans have neither. The largest cost on most routes is the health surcharge, not the visa fee.

North America and UK Immigration

Americans and Canadians fall outside several requirements that shape applications from elsewhere. Neither country is on the tuberculosis test list. Both are on the Home Office list of majority English-speaking countries. And neither is on the visa national list, so a short visit takes a £20 Electronic Travel Authorisation rather than a visitor visa.

The two nationalities part company on the Commonwealth. Canada is a Commonwealth country and the United States is not, which is why Canadians can use the Youth Mobility Scheme and UK Ancestry and Americans cannot. Costs are the same on every other route, and the immigration health surcharge is usually the largest line in them.

What Neither Nationality Has To Do

No tuberculosis test

Neither the USA nor Canada is on the tuberculosis test list. The list turns on where you have lived rather than on your nationality, though: if you are coming to the UK for 6 months or more and you have lived in a listed country for 6 months or more, having been there within the last 6 months, the test applies whatever passport you hold.

No English language test — for either country

Canada and the United States are both on the Home Office list of majority English-speaking countries, so nationals of either country meet the English language requirement by nationality alone.

This is worth stating plainly because it is often got wrong. The full list is Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British overseas territories, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the USA. Ireland sits outside it, because Irish citizens do not need permission to be in the UK at all, but is treated as majority English-speaking for citizenship.

No visitor visa

Neither country is on the visa national list. A short trip needs an Electronic Travel Authorisation — £20, covering visits of up to 6 months, and needed only if you pass through UK border control. Changing planes airside does not require one. Neither it nor a visitor visa allows you to work in the UK.

Visa Routes

Youth Mobility Scheme (Canada Only)

The Youth Mobility Scheme is one of the most attractive routes for young Canadians. It allows Canadian citizens aged 18 to 35 to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years with no sponsor requirement and no restriction on the type of work.

The published conditions:

18 to 35 — you must be 18 or over when the visa starts and 35 or under when you apply
£2,530 in savings, held for 28 days in a row
£340 to apply, plus £776 a year health surcharge
Up to 24 months in the UK
You cannot apply if you have children under 18 living with you or children you are financially responsible for, or if you have already been in the UK under the scheme
A decision usually takes 3 weeks, and the earliest you can apply is 6 months before you travel

The USA is not on the Youth Mobility Scheme. The participating countries are Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Korea at 18 to 35; Andorra, Iceland, Japan, Monaco, San Marino and Uruguay at 18 to 30; and Hong Kong and Taiwan by ballot. India is not on it either — India has a separate scheme of its own.

Skilled Worker Visa

The Skilled Worker visa needs a job offer from a UK employer holding a sponsor licence, and a certificate of sponsorship from that employer, used within 3 months of being assigned. The English requirement is met by your nationality. The rest applies in full:

Salary. £41,700 a year or the going rate for the occupation code, whichever is higher. A lower threshold of £33,400 covers a defined set of cases, including new entrants and jobs on the Immigration Salary List — but the full going rate still applies to those too. The Immigration Salary List gives you the lower threshold and a reduced fee, not a discount on the going rate.
Skill level. Since 22 July 2025 a new applicant needs a job at graduate level (RQF 6). Jobs below that can only be sponsored where the occupation code is on the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List, and Temporary Shortage List roles cannot bring dependants.
Money. £1,270 held for 28 days, unless your sponsor certifies your maintenance or you have already been in the UK for 12 months.

If you change employer or job, you apply to update your visa and wait for the decision before starting the new job. Do not start on the strength of a submitted application.

Intra-Company Transfer

The Senior or Specialist Worker visa replaced the Intra-company Transfer visa. It is for an existing employee of an organisation the Home Office has approved as a sponsor, moving to that employer's UK branch. You need a certificate of sponsorship, an eligible occupation, and a salary of at least £52,500 a year — higher than the standard Skilled Worker threshold. The visa lasts for whichever is shorter of 5 years or the time on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days. A separate Graduate Trainee visa covers graduate trainee programmes.

Spouse and Partner Visa

If your partner is a British citizen or has settled status, you can apply for a Spouse visa. The financial requirement applies, but the English language requirement is waived for US and Canadian nationals.

Global Talent Visa

The Global Talent visa is for people endorsed as exceptional talent or exceptional promise in science, engineering, humanities, medicine, digital technology, or the arts and culture. No job offer is needed. It costs £561 for the endorsement plus a £205 visa fee — £766 in total, and £766 for each dependant; a prestigious prize route pays the £766 in one payment. GOV.UK says settlement follows after 3 or 5 years, depending on the field and how you applied.

Ancestry Visa (Some Canadians)

Canada is a Commonwealth country, so UK Ancestry is open to Canadian citizens. American citizens cannot use it: the USA is not a Commonwealth country, and the route is limited to Commonwealth citizens, British overseas citizens, British overseas territories citizens, British nationals (overseas) and citizens of Zimbabwe.

The grandparent must have been born in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man; before 31 March 1922 in what is now Ireland; or on a ship or aircraft registered in the UK or belonging to the UK government. An Irish-born grandparent therefore can qualify, if the birth was before that date. You must also be 17 or over, able to support yourself and any dependants without public funds, and able and planning to work. Adoption does not break the line, and neither does your parents or grandparents not having married; a step-parent does not count. The visa costs £726, lasts 5 years, needs no sponsor and sets no minimum salary. A decision from outside the UK usually takes 3 weeks.

The Real Cost of Moving to the UK

While the visa process for North Americans is relatively straightforward, it is not cheap. The hidden costs can surprise first-time applicants.

Skilled Worker from outside the UK: £819 for up to 3 years, £1,618 for longer. £628 and £1,235 for a job on the Immigration Salary List — the list that replaced the shortage occupation list in April 2024.
Youth Mobility: £340, plus £776 a year health surcharge.
UK Ancestry: £726. Global Talent: £766 in all.
Family visa as a partner, parent or child: £2,064 from outside the UK, £1,407 from inside, per person.
Immigration health surcharge: £1,035 a year, or £776 a year for students, their dependants, Youth Mobility and under-18s. Over a 5-year visa that is £5,175 per person at the standard rate, paid up front.
Dependants: every family member pays their own visa fee and their own health surcharge, in full.
Settlement: £3,226 per person.
Citizenship: £1,709 plus a £130 ceremony fee — £1,839 for an adult. Registration as a British citizen costs £1,540 for an adult and £1,000 for a child.
Faster decisions: £500 for priority, £1,000 for super priority. Neither is available for citizenship applications.

See our UK visa fees guide for a fuller breakdown.

Practical Adjustment Tips

Moving from North America to the UK involves more than just getting a visa. Key practical differences include:

Banking. You will need a UK bank account. Some banks accept new visa holders with proof of address; others require a longer credit history. See our guide to opening a bank account.
Healthcare. Having paid the health surcharge, you register with a GP and use the NHS on the same basis as a UK resident. That is not the same as free: in England a prescription costs £9.90 and NHS dental treatment falls into bands of £27.90, £76.60 or £332.10. Prescriptions are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Tax. The UK tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April. United States citizens are taxed by the US on worldwide income regardless of where they live, so a move to the UK does not end a US filing obligation. Canadian tax residence turns on individual circumstances rather than on the fact of leaving. Neither is an immigration question, and both are worth putting to a tax adviser in the country concerned.
Driving. How long you can drive on a US or Canadian licence, and whether and by when you can exchange it for a British one, depend on the licence and on where in the UK you live. Check the GOV.UK tools for driving on a non-GB licence and exchanging a foreign licence; Northern Ireland runs a separate process. See our driving licence guide.
National Insurance. You will need a National Insurance number to work legally in the UK.

The Path to Settlement and Citizenship

Most work and family routes lead to settlement, or indefinite leave to remain, after 5 years. It costs £3,226 for you and the same for each dependant, you can apply from 28 days before the 5 years is up, and the decision usually arrives within 6 months of giving your fingerprints and photograph. Global Talent is the exception, at 3 or 5 years depending on the field and how you applied. A change from 5 years to 10 years has been proposed but is not law, so the qualifying period may change.

After settlement you can apply for British citizenship once you have held it for 12 months, or straight away if you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, where the residence requirement is 3 years rather than 5. It costs £1,709 plus a £130 ceremony fee and usually takes up to 6 months; the faster decision services are not available for citizenship. You will need the Life in the UK test — £50, 24 questions in 45 minutes, pass mark 75%, and no test if you are under 18 or 65 or over. The English requirement is met by your nationality.

British nationality law allows dual citizenship, so becoming British does not by itself cost you your American or Canadian citizenship. Whether your own country lets you keep it is a question for that country; both the United States and Canada permit dual citizenship.

Next Steps

For official information, visit the GOV.UK visa checker and the GOV.UK Youth Mobility Scheme page.

Questions and answers

Do Americans or Canadians need a TB test for a UK visa?

No. Neither the United States nor Canada is on the tuberculosis test list, so no certificate is needed on that basis. The list works on where you have lived rather than on your nationality, so if you have been living in a listed country for 6 months or more within the last 6 months, and you are coming to the UK for 6 months or more, the test applies whatever passport you hold.

Are Americans and Canadians exempt from the English language test?

Both are. The Home Office list of majority English-speaking countries includes Canada as well as the United States, so a national of either country does not sit an approved English test on routes that have an English requirement. Some guidance published elsewhere gets Canada's position wrong: it is on the list. The full list is Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British overseas territories, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the USA.

Can Canadians get a Youth Mobility visa for the UK?

Yes. Canada is on the Youth Mobility Scheme at ages 18 to 35, the same band as Australia, New Zealand and South Korea. The visa costs £340, lasts up to 24 months, needs £2,530 in savings held for 28 days in a row, and carries a £776 a year health surcharge. There is no sponsor and no restriction on the type of work. You cannot apply if you have children under 18 living with you or children you are financially responsible for, or if you have already been in the UK under the scheme. A decision usually takes 3 weeks.

Can Americans get a Youth Mobility visa for the UK?

No. The United States is not on the Youth Mobility Scheme, and anything saying otherwise is wrong. The participating countries are Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Korea at 18 to 35; Andorra, Iceland, Japan, Monaco, San Marino and Uruguay at 18 to 30; and Hong Kong and Taiwan by ballot. British overseas citizens, British overseas territories citizens and British nationals (overseas) can also apply at 18 to 30. American citizens use the other routes: Skilled Worker, Senior or Specialist Worker, Global Talent, Student, or a family visa.

How much does the Immigration Health Surcharge cost for North Americans?

The immigration health surcharge is £1,035 per person per year on most routes, and £776 a year for students, their dependants, Youth Mobility applicants and under-18s. Over a 5-year Skilled Worker visa that is £5,175 per person, paid up front with the application. Health and Care Worker applicants and their dependants do not pay it at all. It buys NHS care on the same basis as a UK resident, which is not the same as free: in England a prescription costs £9.90 and NHS dental treatment falls into bands of £27.90, £76.60 or £332.10. Prescriptions are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Do Americans and Canadians need anything to visit the UK for a short trip?

Yes, but not a visa. Neither the United States nor Canada is on the visa national list, so a short visit needs an Electronic Travel Authorisation instead. It costs £20 and covers travel of up to 6 months per visit. You only need one if you pass through UK border control, so changing planes airside does not require it. Neither an Electronic Travel Authorisation nor a visitor visa allows you to work in the UK.

Can I use my US or Canadian healthcare in the UK?

No. US and Canadian healthcare coverage does not extend to the UK. Paying the immigration health surcharge puts you on the same footing as a UK resident, which covers GP appointments, hospital treatment and emergency care. It does not make everything free: in England a prescription costs £9.90 and NHS dental treatment falls into bands of £27.90, £76.60 or £332.10, and sight tests and glasses are charged unless you fall into an exempt group. Prescriptions are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

This guide is general information about published immigration rules. It is not advice about an individual application under s.82 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and Rowan is not regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority. Immigration rules change several times a year. For advice on a particular situation, contact an adviser authorised by the Immigration Advice Authority or an immigration solicitor. Always check GOV.UK for the authoritative current rules.

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