I am lucky. I am a South Africa, living in London on a Working Holiday Visa.

Why is that luck you may ask? Well because as from October this year Working Holiday Visas will no longer be accepted from South African citizens.

This week the UK immigration minister, Liam Byrne, announced the intended provisions for the tier 2 and tier 5 systems that will replace many current UK immigration laws from autumn this year. Tier 2 visas refer to the sponsorship of skilled workers, while tier 5 is the temporary workers and youth mobility scheme. The Working Holiday Visa will be abolished outright and replaced by the tier 5. However it is not that easy.

Tier 5 permits, based on a points based system, will only become viable in countries that reciprocate the same conditions to youth and temporary workers coming from the UK to another country. South Africa does not have any kind of working holiday scheme; therefore tier 5 will not apply to South African citizens.

Each year thousands of South African school leavers and new graduates come to the UK to experience all that the island has to offer. The UK, especially London, is a popular choice for those seeking a gap year or two, mostly because of the strong pound and travel opportunities. This working holiday visa allowed young people, younger than 30, access to work and travel the UK for a period of 24 months.

This no longer happening has dashed the dreams of many South Africans wanting to embrace all that the UK has to offer with ease. Only South Africans with a high level of skills, experience and money or a job offer will be able to come to the UK via tier 1, (which replaces the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme) and tier 2.

I am going to thoroughly enjoy my time here in the United Kingdom on behalf of those who will not be as fortunate in the future. I am of course one of a dieing breed.

If you want to be part of this breed contact www.globalvisas.com NOW and start your Working Holiday application right away.