United Kingdom•Europe

Open

Seasonal Worker Visa

Work

At a Glance

Processing Time

2–3 weeks

Estimated Cost

GBP £340

Stay Duration

6 months

Not renewable

Renewal

Not renewable

Family

Not specified

PR Pathway

None

Sponsor

Job offer required

Work

Remote not required

Apply Now Official Information

Living in United Kingdom

Cost of Living

2% cheaper than United States

Avg Salary£31,000

Quality of Life

174/200

Full Country Guide

Overview

For temporary work in UK horticulture or poultry processing sectors.

The UK Seasonal Worker visa permits temporary work in horticulture (fruit, vegetable, and flower picking) or poultry production. Open to any adult aged 18+, it requires a Certificate of Sponsorship from one of ~7 licensed scheme operators — no English test or formal qualifications needed.

Holders may stay up to 6 months in any 10-month period (horticulture), or within the fixed poultry window of 2 Oct to 31 Dec. The fee is £340 with no Health Surcharge. No dependants are permitted, there is no settlement pathway, and in-country category switching is not allowed. The 2026 quota is 42,900 places.

This visa is ideal for adults worldwide seeking paid seasonal farm or food-processing work in the UK without needing qualifications, English proficiency, or long-term immigration intentions.

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Stay & Extensions

Initial grant

6 months

Annual Cap & Quota

42,900 places in 2026 (41,000 horticulture + 1,900 poultry); distributed via licensed scheme operators

Requirements

PUBLISHED REQUIREMENTS

Must be aged 18 or over

Valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number from a licensed UK scheme operator

Work must be in horticulture (fruit, vegetable, flower picking) or poultry production

At least £1,270 in personal savings held continuously for 28 consecutive days (ending within 31 days of application), OR sponsor certifies maintenance on CoS

Role must pay at least £12.71/hour (National Living Wage) and guarantee minimum 32 paid hours per week (or £15.88/hour and £38,700/year for poultry butchers/dressers)

No English language test required

No minimum qualification or skills threshold

KEY CRITERIA

Min. Savings

1,270 GBP

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Valid passport or other national identity document.

Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number.

Bank statements or financial evidence proving sufficient personal savings.

Tuberculosis (TB) test results (if applicable).

Certified translations for any documents not in English or Welsh.

Advantages & Considerations

Key Benefits

Low application fee (£340) with no Immigration Health Surcharge
No English language test required
No qualifications or skills threshold — open to any adult aged 18+
Minimum 32 guaranteed paid hours per week
Entry permitted up to 14 days before job start date
Repeatable — workers can reapply for subsequent seasons; experienced returnees often prioritised by operators
Priority processing may be available
Study permitted during stay

Worth Knowing

No route to settlement or Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)
Switching to another visa category from within the UK is not permitted
No dependants permitted — family members cannot accompany or join
Tied to the specific employer and role on the Certificate of Sponsorship
Mandatory 6-month cooling-off period between visa stays
Sector-restricted: horticulture and poultry only
Poultry sector has a narrow fixed window (October–December) with application deadline of 15 November
Annual quota distributed through ~7 licensed scheme operators; workers cannot apply independently
No access to public funds
No secondary employment outside the sponsored role