UK Seasonal Worker Visa - Validity, Eligibility, Documents & Application Process

The Seasonal Worker route, which has replaced the Temporary Worker - Seasonal Worker visa (T5), is for those wanting to come to the UK to do seasonal work in horticulture or poultry production. A person on the Seasonal Worker visa working in a role in the horticulture sector can stay for a maximum period of 6 months in any 10-month period. On the other hand, if they are a poultry production worker, they can stay in the UK for a period starting from 2 October and ending on 31 December of the same year. 

Only approved scheme operators can sponsor workers on this route. 

The Seasonal Worker visa is subject to an annual quota, divided between the horticulture sector and the poultry production sector. 

For the year 2026 quota for the horticulture sector has been set to 41,000, and for the poultry production sector has been set to 1,900.

A partner and children cannot apply as dependants on this route.

This route does not lead to ILR or settlement in the UK.

Seasonal work means jobs that fluctuate or are restricted according to the season or time of the year. 

Who is a seasonal worker? 

This means a person who is either applying for, or has been granted, entry clearance on the Seasonal Worker visa, or in other words, a licensed sponsor is sponsoring, or intends to sponsor, a worker on this route.

What is the horticulture work?

Horticulture means those growing: 

1. Crop Harvesting & Field Work

• Picking fruit, vegetables, or flowers

• Harvesting soft fruits like blackcurrants, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries

• Orchard work with apples, apricots, cherries, and plums

• Field vegetables like vegetables, potatoes, leafy salads, and herbs

• General outdoor crop picking and collecting produce

2. Plant Cultivation & Maintenance

• Preparing land for planting

• Planting/sowing seeds and seedlings

• Crop maintenance (weeding, pruning, trimming)

• Tunnel or polytunnel setup, irrigation work

• General crop husbandry and field support tasks

3. Greenhouse / Indoor Horticulture

• Working with ornamental plants, shrubs, roses, and Christmas trees

• Tree and forest nursery tasks for young stock

• Bulbs and cut flowers (planting, picking, preparing flowers)

• Pot plants/bedding plants in nurseries or greenhouses

4. Nursery & Ornamental Plant Work

• Working with protected vegetables (grown in greenhouses)

• Maintaining mushrooms (usually grown indoors)

• Seasonal care work for ornamental stock

What is the poultry production sector work?

This means work in one of the following occupation codes

• Butcher (5431) - Meat cutting/preparation role in poultry production.

• Bird/game dresser (5433) - Part of the poultry processing chain.

• Killer and plucker (5433) - Slaughtering & defeathering birds.

• Plucker (5433) - Removing feathers.

• Poulterer (5433) - Poultry preparation in processing.

• Poultry processor (5433) - General processor on the production line.

• Poultry sticker (5433) - Labelling product.

• Trusser (5433) - Tying/finishing processed products.

• Food operative (8111) - General food production/processing tasks.

• Poultry catcher/handler (9111) - Handling live birds within facilities.

• Poultry vaccinator (9119) - Administering vaccines to poultry.

• Poultry meat packer (9132) - Packing poultry meat products for distribution.

Validity requirements for a Seasonal Worker

The applicant seeking entry clearance to the UK as a Seasonal Worker must apply online on gov.uk using the specified application forms. 

EEA (European Economic Area) nationals with a chipped passport (also called an e-passport or biometric passport) will have to apply as a temporary worker using the "UK Immigration: ID Check” app or the “Temporary Worker visa” form.

Other applicants applying from outside the UK will have to apply using the “Temporary Worker visa” form.

An application for obtaining entry clearance as a Seasonal Worker must meet all the following requirements:

(a) The applicant must be 18 or over when they apply

(b) Any visa fee must have been paid

(c) The applicant must have provided their biometrics when required

(d) The applicant must have given a valid passport/other travel document to establish their nationality and identity

(e) The applicant must have a CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship) issued to them no more than 3 months before the date of their application

(f) If the CoS confirms that the role is for poultry production work, the application date must be on or before 15 November in each year.

An application that fails to fulfil all the validity requirements for the Seasonal Worker route (mentioned above) may be rejected as invalid and not considered.

Suitability requirements for a Seasonal Worker

The applicant must not fall for refusal under the Immigration Rules - Part Suitability. Their suitability will be checked mainly against the following:

• Criminal convictions (especially serious or recent ones)

• False information or fake documents

• Previous immigration breaches (overstaying, illegal work)

• Unpaid NHS costs or fines

• Deception in past or current applications

Eligibility requirements for a Seasonal Worker

The applicant seeking permission to come to the UK as a Seasonal Worker must have applied for and obtained entry clearance as a Seasonal Worker before they travel to the UK. They must not have been present in the UK as a Seasonal Worker during the 4 months immediately prior to the date of their application for entry clearance.

1. Certificate of sponsorship

The applicant must have got CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship) from their employer, who must be an approved A-rated sponsor, have an endorsement from DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) in relation to the Seasonal Worker route, and be licensed by the GLAA (Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority).

CoS is a reference number that holds information about the job offered to the applicant (for example, job start date and the salary) and their personal details. 

The applicant will need their CoS reference number from their employer. This reference number needs to be added to the Seasonal Worker visa application form. The applicant can only use it once.

A CoS stays valid for 3 months from the date of being assigned to the applicant.

2. Financial requirements for a Seasonal Worker

The applicant must have £1,270 or more (held for a 28-day period) on the date of application, or their A-rated sponsor must confirm on the CoS that they will, if it is necessary, maintain and accommodate the applicant for the first month of their employment for at least £1,270.

3. Salary requirement for a Seasonal Worker

The applicant’s sponsor must ensure they pay the applicant at least the minimum wage for the job offered (as per the National Minimum Wage Regulations) and follow the UK rules for how many hours a week the applicant works (as per the Working Time Regulations). If the applicant’s employer does not do this, the applicant will have their application refused.

If the seasonal worker is being sponsored for a job in the horticulture sector or under the occupation code 8111, 9111, 9119, or 9132 in the poultry production sector, their sponsor will pay them a minimum amount of £12.21 for each hour they have worked and receive at least 32 hours' pay each week; or

If the seasonal worker is being sponsored under the occupation code 5431 or 5433 in the poultry production sector, their sponsor will pay them a minimum amount of £15.88 for each hour they have worked and £38,700 a year.

Please note that the hourly rate to be paid only includes guaranteed basic gross pay (before income tax and including employee pension and NI (National Insurance) contributions), and does not include other types of pay and benefits.

Documents Required

The applicant will be required to provide:

• Their CoS reference number – this will be given by their sponsor 

• Their valid passport (with a blank page in it) or other travel document showing their identity and nationality

• Evidence such as bank statements that shows the applicant has sufficient savings to support themselves in the UK (unless their CoS shows their employer/sponsor can support them)

The applicant may be asked to submit extra documents by the UKVI. 

Any documents that are not in English or Welsh must be submitted with a certified translation.

Applying for a Seasonal Worker visa

The applicant must apply online, and no more than 3 months before the day they are due to start work in the UK. This date is listed on their CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship).

They will have to prove their identity as part of their Seasonal Worker visa application. Depending on where they are from and what type of passport they hold they will have their biometric information (fingerprints and facial photograph) taken at a VAC (Visa Application Centre) or they can use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan their identity document – they will also create their UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) account or sign into their existing UKVI account.

On the appointment date, the VAC may need to keep their passport and documents while it processes the application.

Pay the application fee

The applicant will need to pay the visa application fee of £319.

Provide the documents

The applicant can upload their documents along with their online application or have them scanned at the VAC (if attending an appointment to enrol their biometrics).

Getting a decision on an application as a Seasonal Worker

After having applied online, proving identity, and providing the documents, the applicant will normally get a decision on their visa within 3 weeks.

Getting a decision on an application as a Seasonal Worker

If the decision maker is completely satisfied that the applicant has fulfilled all the suitability and eligibility criteria for a Seasonal Worker route, the application will be approved; otherwise, the application will be refused.

Those granted the visa can stay in the UK:

• for horticulture work – up to 6 months in any 10-month period or the period of the job on the CoS, plus 14 days before and 14 days after that period. Whichever is shortest

• for poultry production work - from 2 October to 31 December each year or the period of the job on the CoS, plus 14 days before and 14 days after that period. Whichever is shortest

The applicant can enter the UK as soon as their visa is valid (up to 14 days before their job’s start date).

If the UKVI refuses the application, the applicant can apply for an Administrative Review.

How can Visa and Migration help?

Our business immigration lawyers have expertise and experience in assisting UK-based employers and migrant skilled workers across a variety of industries and in companies of all sizes. If you are an employer, we can help you with applying for and obtaining a Seasonal Worker sponsor licence, and if you are already an approved sponsor, we make sure that you meet the requirements as a sponsor before, during, and after sponsoring a seasonal worker.

On the other hand, if you are an applicant, we help in assessing and ensuring you fulfill the eligibility requirements for this visa, meet your job’s start date, and ensure that your career progression will align with your immigration goals.

For expert advice and queries, you can call us at +44 (0)20 3411 1261 or write at info@visaandmigration.com