Horticulture: Seasonal Workers

(asked on 13th October 2023) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) enforce working conditions for workers employed via the horticultural seasonal worker scheme and help ensure workers (i) have enough breaks and (ii) are not required to work excessive hours at the end of their pay period in order to achieve their minimum number of paid hours.


Answered by
Robert Jenrick Portrait
Robert Jenrick
This question was answered on 20th October 2023

UKVI have implemented a specific seasonal workers team as recommended by the 2022 ICIBI report. They have interviewed an extensive number of migrant workers this year and requested evidence of pay rates from the scheme operators. These visits, often undertaken with GLAA, seek evidence of salary paid to ensure requirements are met. Any breach of Sponsor guidance identified is dealt with as per published Sponsor Guidance.

As such, UKVI can take action against a Sponsor licence when it is identified workers are being incorrectly paid or there is a failure to comply with employment law.

UKVI have inspected and assured the complaints procedures put in place by the operators for workers to report treatment and conditions on farms.

Regular engagement with the licensed scheme operators is in place and UKVI assure that the operators monitor conditions on farms.

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