In today’s blog update, we’ll talk about UK Extending its Seasonal Worker Visa to Address Labour Shortages in Food Supply Chain. So stay tuned and read the full blog so you don’t miss any updates.
In a significant move to tackle labour shortages in the food supply chain, the UK government has extended the Seasonal Worker visa route for another five years, until 2029. This extension aims to provide businesses with the time and certainty needed to invest in automation and reduce reliance on migrant labour.
New Measures to Support the Food Industry
In response to John Shropshire’s Independent Review into Labour Shortages in the Food Supply Chain, the government has announced several key initiatives:
Extension of the Seasonal Worker Visa Route: The visa route will now be available until 2029, allowing businesses to plan effectively and invest in long-term solutions.
Funding for Automation: Up to £50 million will be allocated to support new technology, including fully automated packhouses and robotic crop pickers that could match human efficiency in three to five years.
Skills Enhancement and Domestic Recruitment: A comprehensive strategy will be developed to enhance skills provision and attract domestic workers into the agriculture sector.
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Details of the Seasonal Worker Visa
The Seasonal Worker visa allows individuals to work in the UK in specific sectors:
Horticulture: For up to 6 months, involving activities such as picking fruit, vegetables, or flowers.
Poultry: From October 2 to December 31 each year, with applications for poultry visas required by November 15.
Applicants need a sponsor and must meet other eligibility requirements. The extension will see 43,000 visas available to the horticulture sector and 2,000 for poultry in 2025.
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Emphasis on Automation and Innovation
The government is committed to reducing reliance on migrant workers by ramping up support for automation. Immediate efforts will focus on fully automating major packhouses within the next 12 to 18 months. Additionally, collaboration with technology companies aims to develop robotic crop harvesters, potentially making them as effective as human pickers within three to five years.
Boosting the UK Food and Drink Sector
The announcement follows Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s earlier commitment to farming grants, with £427 million available to farmers to boost productivity. Environment Secretary Steve Barclay emphasized the importance of these measures, stating, “We have a world-class food and drink sector, and the measures announced today will strengthen this by boosting funding for cutting-edge technology that will reduce reliance on migrant labour in the long term.”
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Conclusion
The extension of the Seasonal Worker visa route until 2029, coupled with significant investments in automation and skills development, underscores the UK government’s commitment to addressing labour shortages in the food supply chain. These measures aim to provide stability for farmers and growers while fostering innovation and reducing dependency on migrant labour.
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