Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the immigration status of those seafarers working on UK-international routes who are paid below the National Minimum Wage.

It is the Government’s policy that all migrants coming to work in UK territorial waters (i.e., 12 nautical miles), or on the UK landmass, need permission to work unless exemptions apply. Conversely, if they are working outside of UK territorial waters then permission to work is not required.

Seafarers who earn a living by working on a ship such as seamen or crew members do not need permission to work if they are in transit (under contract) to join a ship or are in transit as part of a crew, subject to entry requirements. Entry requirements may include a transit visa or an International Labour Organisation compliant seafarer identity document.

A seafarer who can be regarded as “ordinarily working” in the UK is entitled to receive the UK national minimum wage. More information can be found at: Minimum wage: seafarers and other people working at sea - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

We do not collect the data on seafarers entering the UK without a work visa. This cohort should be entering the UK for short periods of time and leaving by air or ship.