Visas: Seasonal Workers

(asked on 18th February 2022) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to make available the additional 10,000 visas under the seasonal worker visa scheme.


Answered by
Kevin Foster Portrait
Kevin Foster
This question was answered on 28th February 2022

The Seasonal Worker visa route has been extended until the end of 2024, at which point the position will be reviewed. This does not mean we expect there to be no reliance on overseas labour at this point, but the sector cannot be in the same position as it is now.

The number of visas will begin to taper down from 2023, as the government is encouraging all sectors to adapt and make employment more attractive to UK domestic workers through offering training, career options, wage increases and to invest in increased automation technology.

To help with these efforts, Defra is working with industry and DWP to raise awareness of career opportunities within the horticulture sector among resident workers.

This year will see up to 30,000 temporary visas available, but this will be kept under review with the potential to increase by 10,000 if there is strong evidence to do so. Releasing additional quota places does not require a legislative change.

There are no plans to extend the grant period for Seasonal Workers to nine months.

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