The seasonal workers pilot, announced by the Home Secretary
and Environment Secretary in September 2018, has now
opened.
The pilot will mean fruit and vegetable farmers are able to
employ up to 2,500 non-EU migrant workers for seasonal work
for up to 6 months.
Two scheme operators – Concordia and Pro-Force – have been
licenced to manage the pilot and will be responsible for
identifying suitable workers and matching them to UK
farmers. They will also be required to ensure the welfare
of the workers whilst they are in the UK.
The first workers will arrive on UK farms this spring,
subject to recruitment and visa application processes.
Commenting on the pilot, Immigration Minister said:
Visiting a fruit farm last year, I saw first-hand how
vital British produce is for our economy and listened
carefully to the powerful arguments from farmers about
the support they need.
The seasonal worker pilot shows this government not only
listens, but is willing to take the necessary action to
make sure our farms can continue to grow, sell and export
more great British food.
The Home Office and Department for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs (Defra) have worked closely to ensure the
successful delivery of this pilot.
Food Minister at Defra, said:
Our farmers and growers have been absolutely clear about
the need for additional sources of labour to work on
farms during the busy harvest months.
We have heard these concerns, which is why today we are
opening this pilot to boost the workforce on farms this
spring and summer and help farmers with their harvests.
This pilot, which will be closely monitored and reviewed,
will help inform future policy as we look at how best to
support the longer-term needs of the industry outside the
EU.
The pilot will test the effectiveness of our immigration
system at helping to alleviate seasonal labour shortages
during peak production periods, whilst maintaining robust
immigration control and ensuring there are minimal impacts
on local communities and public services.
The pilot will run until the end of December 2020. The
pilot will be reviewed before any decisions are taken on
running a future scheme.
