The UK Seasonal Worker Visa: A Practical Solution for Short-Term Labour Needs

The UK Seasonal Worker visa is a temporary immigration route designed to support employers facing short-term, seasonal labour shortages. It is primarily used within the horticulture and poultry production sectors and has become increasingly important as other work routes narrow in scope.

For many agricultural businesses, it now represents the most viable and proportionate way to lawfully source overseas labour.

Overview of the Seasonal Worker route

Annual quota

For 2026, the Home Office has allocated 42,900 places under the Seasonal Worker route, divided as follows:

• 41,000 places for horticulture
• 1,900 places for poultry production

This capped allocation reinforces the importance of early planning for employers reliant on seasonal labour.

Approved scheme operators

Seasonal Workers must be sponsored by approved scheme operators. Individual employers cannot hold a Seasonal Worker sponsor licence, even if they are licensed under other immigration routes.

Scheme operators must:

• Hold a valid sponsor licence
• Be endorsed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
• Be licensed by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA)

Employers access labour through these operators rather than sponsoring workers directly.

Visa duration and conditions

The length and timing of permission depend on the sector:

Horticulture

Workers may stay for up to six months in any rolling ten-month period, at any time of year.

Poultry production

Workers may only work between 2 October and 31 December of the same year. Applications must be submitted no later than 15 November.

Key restrictions

• Dependants are not permitted under this route
• The visa does not lead to settlement
• It is, by design, a short-term and strictly controlled work route.

Why employers choose the Seasonal Worker route

For businesses with fluctuating or time-limited labour needs, including farms, nurseries, fruit and vegetable growers, and poultry producers, the Seasonal Worker visa offers several clear advantages when compared to longer-term sponsorship options.

Designed for short-term labour demand

The route is tailored to seasonal work, avoiding the complexity and commitment associated with long-term employment and sponsorship when demand drops outside peak periods.

No English language requirement

Applicants are not required to demonstrate English language ability. This widens the available labour pool and can significantly reduce delays in recruitment.

No sponsor licence for employers

Employers do not need to hold a sponsor licence themselves. By sourcing labour through approved scheme operators, businesses can reduce both administrative burden and compliance costs.

Employer responsibilities

Although scheme operators manage immigration sponsorship and oversight, employers remain responsible for complying with UK employment and immigration law.

This includes:

• Providing written employment contracts
• Ensuring lawful working hours, rest breaks, and health and safety standards
• Ensuring the operators have conducted right to work checks and workers are not employed beyond the expiry of their visa

While the scheme operator holds the sponsorship, employers retain accountability for their own legal obligations. Crucially, in 2026, this is anticipated to involve performing the right-to-work check, even where the employer is not sponsoring the migrant worker.

The impact of Skilled Worker route changes

Recent changes to the Skilled Worker route have significantly altered the immigration landscape for agricultural employers.

Since 22 July 2025, Skilled Worker roles must generally be skilled to RQF Level 6 (degree level). This effectively excludes most manual and seasonal agricultural roles.

Lower-skilled roles may still qualify if listed on the Immigration Salary List or Temporary Shortage List, but both lists are currently expected to end on 31 December 2026.

As a result, many agricultural and horticultural roles no longer qualify under the Skilled Worker route. The Seasonal Worker visa is also increasingly becoming the primary lawful route for overseas labour in these sectors and even where Skilled Worker sponsorship remains technically possible, higher salary thresholds and increased compliance costs often make it commercially unattractive

A route that reflects sector realities

Against this backdrop, the UK Seasonal Worker visa provides a cost-effective, flexible and sector-specific solution for employers with genuine seasonal labour needs.

As Skilled Worker eligibility continues to narrow, early strategic planning around Seasonal Worker recruitment, including engagement with approved scheme operators, is becoming essential for businesses seeking continuity and compliance.

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If you would like tailored advice on using the Seasonal Worker route, or need support navigating the wider UK immigration framework as workforce rules continue to evolve, our Business Immigration solicitors can help.

We work closely with employers across agriculture, horticulture and food production to provide clear, commercially focused immigration advice that supports compliance while protecting operational continuity.

Contact our team via the form below.