Seasonal Worker Visas increase to 45,000

20 Dec 2022

FPC have been involved in two roundtables to discuss the key issues relating to numbers and allocation of Seasonal Workers Visas. We continue to be involved to help the industry build capacity and manage future challenges in horticultural recruitment.

This current visa number will be kept under review with the potential to increase by a further 10,000 if necessary, and contingent on sponsors and growers improving and abiding by to worker welfare standards, including ensuring workers are guaranteed a minimum number of paid hours each week.

The first 4,000 visas will be made available to operators next week to ensure that daffodil growers have the labour available for their harvest at the start of the year.

Alongside expanding the number of visas available, the government will be appointing new scheme operators to help with the efficient operation of the visa route and help safeguard worker welfare. A new team will also focus on ensuring sponsors are abiding by workers’ rights by improving training and processes for compliance inspectors and creating clear policies and guidance for robust action for scheme operators where workers are at risk of exploitation.

Click on the links to access recent publications relating to both Seasonal Visas and also immigration within the horticultural sector:

An inspection of the immigration system as it relates to the agricultural sector May to August 2022

Seasonal Worker Visa and UK Agriculture