UK Seasonal Worker visa route extended for five years
20 May
The UK government has extended the Seasonal Worker visa program for five years until 2029 to help businesses transition away from relying on migrant labor and invest in automation.
This decision follows recommendations from the Independent Review into Labour Shortages in the Food Supply Chain led by John Shropshire. The government plans to allocate up to £50 million for new technology in packhouses and robotic crop pickers, aiming to match human pickers within three to five years. This move is part of a broader strategy to enhance skills training and attract domestic workers to the agricultural sector.
Under the Seasonal Worker visa, individuals can work in horticulture for up to 6 months or in poultry from October to December. The visa requires sponsorship and meeting eligibility criteria. The government aims to address immediate labor needs by offering 43,000 visas for horticulture and 2,000 visas for poultry in 2025.
The focus on automation is intended to reduce the sector's dependence on migrant workers while promoting opportunities for British workers. Immediate efforts will be made to automate major packhouses within 12 to 18 months, with a goal of developing robotic crop harvesters comparable to human pickers in the next few years.
These initiatives align with the government's broader investment in the farming sector, including significant grants to boost productivity.
Environment Secretary Steve Barclay emphasized that these measures will strengthen the UK's food and drink sector by encouraging technological advancements that reduce reliance on migrant labor and provide stability for farmers and growers to plan for the future.
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