The agricultural sector employs almost 500,000 people in the UK, of which 58,000 is seasonal or casual labour. Farms have formerly relied on workers from the EU to fill these seasonal roles and supplement their permanent workforce, since the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS). However, following the UK's departure from the EU and the end of EU freedom of movement, access to migrant labor has been limited, leaving many farms questioning the future of seasonal agricultural labor.
Following concerns from the agricultural sector about the end of EU freedom of movement, and consequent labor shortages, a new Seasonal Worker Pilot began in 2019. This was subsequently turned into the Seasonal Worker visa. The new Seasonal Worker Scheme (SWS) has aimed to address these concerns regarding labor shortages by providing UK farms access to migrant laborers.
Farms, once they pass several audits by the Home Office and the scheme operators who administer the scheme, are able to apply for as many workers as they need. Although the number of workers they get is not guaranteed, many farms in the sample expressed satisfaction with the SWS and a desire for it to continue. The prospect of their business closing was a very real possibility, should the SWS be withdrawn, among the employers interviewed.
Users of the Seasonal Worker Scheme (SWS) viewed it as a critical source of labor
Many farms within the sample faced considerable seasonal labor shortages due to the nature of agricultural work, their rural location, and challenges in attracting domestic workers.
The SWS has become a crucial source of labor for these farms to deal with their seasonal peaks.
The SWS was viewed as mutually beneficial for workers and farms
Farms using the scheme reported being largely satisfied with the quality and work ethic of seasonal workers coming through the SWS, and emphasised the desire to have as many returnees coming back for future seasons as possible.
Most farms within the sample reported feeling that the work was appealing to migrant workers, with many seeking to earn as much as they could during their time in the UK. Some highlighted that the money workers could earn in a season in the UK would go a long way in their home country, and saw workers' desire to return for future seasons as a testament to this.
Some farms in the sample were going beyond baseline expectations of the SWS to retain workers and incentivize them to return in the future
Many farms in the sample had implemented measures to improve worker welfare, including enhanced accommodation packages, organizing social events, and having designated welfare officers.
Ensuring worker satisfaction was a priority for many farms, recognizing its link to productivity and worker retention, as well as the likelihood that seasonal workers may want to return in the future.
Some farms in the sample were not reliant on the SWS, and others actively avoided it
Some farms were not reliant on the SWS due to their proximity to large labor pools, their ability to utilize local recruitment agencies, or their ability to flatten seasonal peaks either with automation or changes in the produce they chose to harvest.
A small number of farms within the sample opted not to use the SWS due to concerns about a lack of control over worker selection, and negative previous experiences with scheme operators.
Some elements of the SWS presented challenges to farms in the sample
Farms reported that the rigid time limits of the SWS, especially the six-month cooling-off period, did not always align with the unpredictability of agricultural seasons, making it difficult for farms to retain the right number of workers for the time periods they needed them.
There was sometimes confusion about who was responsible for enforcing some of the scheme rules, such as the minimum amount of money migrant workers should have when arriving to work on a UK farm.
Some farms described the reliance on third-party agencies for worker recruitment as a burden, both administratively and financially.
Farms desired greater flexibility in the scheme, including the ability for workers to transfer between sectors.
Most farms in the sample reported wanting clearer communication about the scheme's future.