The United Kingdom government is preparing to grant 43,000 seasonal worker visas to the agriculture sector and prolong the visa program for an extra five years, extending it until 2029.

This decision was made in response to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's announcement at the NFU Conference earlier this year of the largest-ever round of farming awards, with a total of £427 million available to farmers, doubling the amount invested in productivity projects.

UK is aiming to invest an extra 2,000 jobs in the poultry sector and 2,000 jobs in horticulture by 2025 in an effort to mitigate labour constraints in the food supply chain by reducing reliance on migrant workers.

UK has extended the seasonal worker visa route for an additional five years until 2029 to allow ample time to plan, adapt and also provide stability and clear guidance for farmers and businesses.

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said, “We have a world-class food and drink sector, and the measures announced today will strengthen this by boosting funding for the cutting-edge technology that will reduce reliance on migrant labour in the long term.

“Businesses do best when they can plan effectively for the future, which is why we’ve extended the seasonal worker visa route until 2029 to give farmers and growers the certainty they need to thrive.”