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UK FARM WORKER VISA

The UK announces a farmworker visa pilot scheme for Non-EU immigrants. No doubt the UK has a great role in providing jobs in the farming sector to international farm workers but this was mainly limited to only eastern European countries. After Brexit, UK has no need of great number of farmworkers to settle down this issue as farm owners have been criticizing UK government policies to fulfill the worker’s shortage in farming labor sector after eastern European citizens can no more really come to do such jobs.

On 06.09.2018 UK home secretary, Mr. Sajid Javed announced that the government is going to launch a new visa system that has been designed for farmworker needs. As a testing time period, initially, 2500 workers will be hired from Non-EU countries. So this is clear now that farmworkers from Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and other countries will be able to take part in this program.

Basic requirements for farmworker visa

There may be asked certain requirements for farmworker applicant to be fulfilled such as:

  • Farm working experience proof
  • Health report
  • The minimum level of English language
  • Farmworker job offer from a UK employer
  • Labor market report (provided by a UK employer)
  • Details of salary and duration of the contract
  • Visa application fees
  • Visa application form (online)
  • Previous visa details
  • Family information
  • Commitment to show that you will leave the UK after 6 months time of contract

How to get a certificate of sponsorship?

UK government has authorized in December 2018 two organizations that will provide a Certificate of Sponsorship to those who are interested to apply. Without this certificate, no one can apply for this visa. These two organizations are as under:

1- Concordia UK Ltd Registered office: 19 North Street, Portslade, East Sussex, BN41 1DH. Ph: 0044 1273 422293 Email: farms@concordia.org.uk

2- Pro-Force Limited Registered office at Hunstead House, Nickle Farm, Chartham, Canterbury, Kent CT4 7PE Phone: 0044 333 335 6262 Email: enquiries@pro-force.co.uk

There may be a possibility in the future that these 2 organizations will also be able to provide job offers on farms. The process works in a way that farm owners will be first letting these 2 organizations know what type of labor force they need. Then they will provide sponsorship to the applicants. Or alternatively, the employers will be able to get sponsorship on behalf of their proposed employers.

How to get a job offer?

The main thing for this work permit scheme is to get a job offer from a designated UK employer and be assured that not every farm worker can sponsor you for this program. Only licensed owners of these programs will be able to sponsor you. The details of such owners can be found in registered sponsors register. You can apply for jobs online since you live in your home country and this is the only possible way to do it. There are many job portals of the UK that provide such types of job offers from designated UK farm workers (the final process is not yet decided). Some of these websites are as follows:

Job offer requirements

In order to apply for a job, you need to arrange certain documents to let the employer know what you can bring to his team after getting a job. Following are the main items to apply for a job:

  • Write an email to the chosen employer 
  • Send him CV through attachment with email 
  • Send him Cover Letter through attachment 

What to do next?

After a successful job offer, the employer must send you a contract of 6 months that must include the type of information such as working hours, salary details your rights, duties, bonus, allowances, and any other required information.

How to apply for a UK farmworker visa?

Well, this is too early to say how to apply for this program but surely it will be online and on paper-based application systems. Applicants will be able to apply in local British High Commissions or in Visa application centers. There will be a certain amount of visa fees to be paid. Visa application can be submitted after completing set aside a list of documents with a due appointment date.