The Seasonal Worker Visa is for workers who have a job offer in the UK to do seasonal horticulture, viticulture or poultry farming work with a sponsor who is an approved scheme operator.
The scheme is subject to a quota and isn’t a route that allows you to bring family members to the UK. Applications for Seasonal Worker visas must be submitted from outside of the UK. There is no time limit on this type of visa, but the earliest you can apply is three months before the date on which you are due to start to work - this can be found on your Certificate of Sponsorship.
Latitude Law can provide you with expert support to ensure you provide the right documentation and submit the appropriate application.
Seasonal Worker visas allow individuals to come to the UK to work in an unskilled role for up to six months. You could be eligible for this type of visa if you:
The sponsor will need to be an A-rated approved scheme operator within the UK’s horticultural or poultry production sector and they must assign you a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS).
If your visa is accepted, horticulture workers can come to the UK for a maximum of six months. Poultry production workers can come to the UK for the period from 2 October – 31 December each year. You are only permitted to work in the role you are being sponsored for. If your application is refused, you may be able to make a fresh application or apply for an Administrative Review.
Work under the Seasonal Worker route must be within the horticulture or poultry farming sectors. To meet the requirements of this visa within horticulture, you must be working with one or more of the following products being farmed:
The poultry production sector roles include:
Each role has its own sponsorship code. You will be paid at least the UK’s National Minimum Wage (higher for poultry workers) and you are guaranteed at least 32 hours of paid work per week under Immigration Rules introduced in April 2023.
You are subject to a 6-month cooling off period, during which you are not permitted to return to the UK as a seasonal worker.
Seasonal Worker visa applicants should gather several types of evidence before they begin the application process. You will need the following documentation:
You will need to attend an appointment at a visa application centre to provide these documents and verify your identity. You will be invited to book an appointment when you fill out your visa application form.
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Latitude Law’s specialist lawyers can advise you about your individual requirements and ensure that the conditions of your sponsored work are compliant with the very latest immigration rules.
By choosing Latitude Law to handle your Seasonal Worker visa application, you will benefit from our team’s unrivalled understanding of Home Office policy, which will help to ensure your application is successful.
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You should receive a decision on your Seasonal Worker visa application within three weeks.
No, you cannot bring dependants on this temporary work route.
You will need to have at least £1,270 available to show that you can support yourself while in the UK. Funds will need to have been held for at least 28 consecutive days ending not more than 31 days before the date of your application.
It is not possible to switch into the Seasonal Worker visa route from inside the UK. The Seasonal Worker visa scheme offers only a temporary worker visa, which can be strictly limited in terms of how long someone can stay in the UK and the work they can do. Workers who have travelled to the UK under another visa route (such as the Skilled Worker visa) will typically be able to stay longer and enjoy other freedoms that a Seasonal Worker visa holder cannot. If you have concerns about your visa or the work you are doing, and think you would like to get a new job or change to a different visa route, speak to the team at Latitude Law for advice tailored to your specific situation.
If you have travelled to the UK under a visitor visa, you must leave the country before applying for a Seasonal Worker visa.
Under the Seasonal Worker visa, you are able to work in the job described in your CoS and study. To study, you will need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme Certificate. The UK Seasonal Worker visa is relatively limited in terms of the roles and industries to which it applies. As such, a different type of temporary worker visa or even a longer-term visa may better suit your needs.
Under the Seasonal Worker visa, you are not able to take a permanent job, work in a second job, work in a job that is not described in your Certificate of Sponsorship, receive public funds, or bring family members with you. You cannot work in a role outside the horticulture sector or the poultry production sector.
A scheme operator is endorsed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and licensed by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority. There are currently only five scheme operators in the UK - Agri HR, Concordia, Fruitful Jobs, HOPS Labour Solutions, Pro-Force.
No – only licensed sponsors under the Seasonal Workers Scheme are authorised to provide sponsorship. Obtaining a licence in this route is complex – normally you must be invited by the Home Office and Defra to apply. You require licensing by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority.
