UK Seasonal Worker visa

Seasonal Worker Visa

Temporary Work Visas are designed to allow work that is needed on a temporary basis only. e.g., in the case of the Seasonal Worker Visa. Seasonal farming work, allowing workers to come and complete the work for the required period.

Anyone can apply for a Seasonal Worker Visa if they qualify.

Types of Work:

• Horticulture: Harvesting, packing, and processing of fruit and vegetables, and other general farm duties. Poultry Production: This visa category permits workers to carry out poultry processing tasks for a defined period, from October 2nd through December 31st.

What the Seasonal Worker visa is and who it is for

The Seasonal Worker visa is one of the sub-routes inside the UK's Temporary Work category. It is designed for people coming to the UK to do seasonal jobs in specific sectors, rather than for long-term or permanent employment.

There are two eligible sectors. Horticulture covers work such as picking fruit, vegetables or flowers, and allows a stay of up to 6 months. Poultry covers seasonal poultry production work, which runs from 2 October to 31 December in the same year.

Applicants must have a confirmed job with a UK sponsor that holds the right sponsor licence before they apply. The visa is tied to that sponsored role.

• Horticulture: seasonal work such as picking fruit, vegetables and flowers (up to 6 months)
• Poultry: seasonal poultry production (2 October to 31 December)
• Requires a job offer and a certificate of sponsorship from an approved UK sponsor
• A temporary route only – it does not lead to settlement

Eligibility requirements

To qualify, applicants must meet all of the following requirements at the point of application.

You can submit an application for a Seasonal Worker Visa if you meet the following requirements:

To be eligible for a seasonal worker visa you must:

• Be 18 or over on the date you apply
• Have a certificate of sponsorship reference number from your UK sponsor (valid for 3 months and usable only once)
• Have a job in an eligible sector (horticulture or poultry)
• Have at least £1,270 in personal savings, usually held for at least 28 days in a row before you apply – unless your sponsor certifies they will cover your costs
• Have a job that pays at least the minimum wage and follows UK working-hours rules (your sponsor is responsible for this)

• You must have a job offer from a UK approved sponsor.
• You must meet the job's qualifications and skills requirements.
• You must meet the English language proficiency requirement.
• You must meet the financial requirement. You ought to be of good character and good health.
• Be at least 18 years old
• Have a job offer from a UK sponsor who is an approved scheme operator
• Have a valid passport
• Have a medical certificate

Costs and money requirements

The application fee is £340.

You must also show you can support yourself. This normally means having at least £1,270 available in your bank account, held for at least 28 days in a row, with the 28th day falling within 31 days of the date you apply. If your sponsor is A-rated, they can instead certify on your certificate of sponsorship that they will cover your costs, which removes the need to show the £1,270 yourself.

A healthcare surcharge (Immigration Health Surcharge) may also apply to your application – see the review note about the amount for this route.

Documents you must provide

When you apply you will typically need:

The documents you need to submit for a Seasonal Worker Visa include:

• A valid passport or other travel document showing your identity and nationality
• Your certificate of sponsorship reference number from your sponsor
• Proof of your personal savings (unless your sponsor is certifying maintenance), showing the money has been held for the required period
• A blank passport page for your visa, if you are asked to attend a visa application centre
• Additional documents may be required depending on your circumstances – check the confirmation you get from your sponsor and the gov.uk documents list
• Proof of your English language proficiency

How to apply

You apply for a Seasonal Worker visa online. Applications are made from outside the UK.

As part of applying you must prove your identity. Depending on where you are from and the type of passport you hold, you will either use the 'UK Immigration: ID Check' app to scan your identity document, or attend a visa application centre to give your fingerprints and photograph.

You can apply up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work. For poultry sector jobs, you must apply by 15 November each year. If you are approved, you can usually arrive in the UK up to 14 days before your job start date.

• Apply online from outside the UK
• Prove your identity via the ID Check app or at a visa application centre
• Apply up to 3 months before your job start date (poultry: apply by 15 November)

Processing times

Once you have applied and provided your biometrics or completed identity verification, you will usually get a decision within 3 weeks.

A faster decision may be available for an extra fee (priority service), though availability depends on where you are applying from.

The processing time for a Seasonal Worker Visa will vary depending on the type of visa you are applying for and the country you are applying from. However, the UK government website states that the average processing time for a Seasonal Worker Visa is 3 weeks.

If you need your visa processed more quickly, you may be able to apply for a priority service. However, there is an additional fee for this service.

• The availability of staff at the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
• The current demand for visas.

What you can and cannot do

The Seasonal Worker visa allows you to do only the sponsored seasonal work in your sector. Study is generally permitted, though some courses require an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate.

• Can: do the seasonal job you are sponsored for
• Can: study (some courses need an ATAS certificate)
• Cannot: take a permanent job
• Cannot: do a second job outside your sponsored work
• Cannot: bring family members as dependants
• Cannot: claim public funds (benefits)

Bringing family

Family members cannot join you as dependants on this route.

If you have a child while in the UK, they do not automatically become a British citizen. You would need to apply online for the child's visa as your dependant, using their full UK birth certificate showing both parents' names.

Extending, switching and settlement

The Seasonal Worker visa is strictly temporary. It cannot be extended into a longer stay in the same way as longer-term work visas, and time spent on it does not count towards settlement (indefinite leave to remain).

If you want to stay in the UK for other work after your seasonal job, you would generally need to make a fresh application under a different, eligible route (for example a route that leads to settlement), subject to meeting that route's separate requirements.

What is a Seasonal Worker Visa?

A seasonal worker visa is a type of visa that allows foreign workers to come to the UK to work in seasonal jobs, e.g., horticulture or poultry farming. Seasonal worker visas are only for a duration of 6 months, and they do not lead to settlement in the UK.

Benefits of working in the UK on a seasonal worker visa

There are a number of benefits to working in the UK on a seasonal worker visa, including:

• The opportunity to earn good wages
• The experience of working in a foreign country
• The chance to learn new skills and knowledge
• The opportunity to meet people from all over the world

Seasonal Work Types

There are 2 types of seasonal work that you can apply for: Horticulture work and Poultry work.

Horticulture

Horticultural work is the cultivation of plants for food, ornamental, or medicinal purposes. It encompasses a wide range of activities, including:

Horticulture is a diverse and rewarding career with many opportunities for employment and advancement. It is a great career for those who like to work outdoors and who are interested in plants and the environment.

• Planting, watering, and fertilizing plants
• Pruning and weeding plants.
• Pest and disease management.
• Harvesting of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
• Landscaping design and maintenance.
• Propagating new plants.
• Conducting research on plant growth and development.

Poultry

Poultry work is the raising and care of poultry birds, such as chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese. Poultry workers are responsible for a variety of tasks, including:

Poultry workers can work in a variety of settings, including poultry farms, slaughterhouses, processing plants, hatcheries, and research institutions.

• Feeding and watering the birds
• Cleaning and maintaining the poultry houses
• Collecting eggs
• Monitoring the health of the birds
• vaccinating and treating diseases
• Slaughtering and processing the birds (in some cases)

Seasonal Worker Visa Length

You can stay in the UK:

You can enter the UK as soon as your visa is valid (up to 14 days before the start date of your job).

• up to 6 months for horticulture work
• from 2 October to 31 December each year for poultry work

What to bring to your appointment

On the day of your appointment, you must bring the following documents with you:

• A valid passport
• Your Seasonal Worker Visa application form
• A copy of your job offer from a licensed sponsor in the UK
• Proof of your skills and qualifications
• Proof of financial support
• A medical certificate
• A police clearance certificate

Can you be rejected for a Seasonal Worker Visa?

Yes, you can be rejected for a seasonal worker visa. The most common reasons for rejection include:

If you are rejected for a seasonal worker visa, you will be given a written explanation of the reason for rejection. You may be able to appeal the decision, but this is a complex process and it is important to seek legal advice first.

• Not meeting the eligibility requirements, such as not having a job offer from an approved sponsor or not having enough money to support yourself in the UK.
• Providing incomplete or inaccurate information on the visa application form.
• Having a criminal record.
• Being a risk to public safety or national security.