UK Seasonal Worker Visa 2026: Farm & Poultry Jobs, Pay and How to Apply

The UK Seasonal Worker visa 2026 lets you come to the UK for up to six months to do farm and food-production work, mostly fruit and vegetable picking and packing. You do not need a degree, and you do not need to speak English fluently. But there are important rules for 2026 — and a lot of scams to avoid. Here is exactly how the route works and how to apply the safe way.

What is the UK Seasonal Worker visa 2026? It is a temporary UK work visa for the horticulture and poultry sectors. In 2026 there are 42,900 places, you can work up to six months, the application fee is £340, and you must be sponsored by a Home Office–approved scheme operator. There is no English test and no fee should ever be charged to you for the job.

What is the UK Seasonal Worker visa?

The Seasonal Worker visa is part of the UK’s Temporary Work route. It replaced the old “T5” seasonal worker visa. It covers two kinds of work:

• Horticulture — picking, packing and processing fruit, vegetables and flowers, plus vineyard (viticulture) work. This is the biggest part of the scheme.
• Poultry — work in poultry production before Christmas. This is a short, busy season only.

You must have a job offer from an approved scheme operator before you can apply. You cannot apply on your own without one, and a single farm cannot sponsor you directly. [internal link: Apply For Work Visa Abroad 2026]

UK Seasonal Worker visa 2026: key facts

Detail	2026 position
Total places	42,900 (41,000 horticulture + 1,900 poultry)
Confirmed by	DEFRA, November 2025
Work length	Up to 6 months (horticulture) in any 10-month period
Poultry window	Around early October to 31 December only
Application fee	£340 (from 8 April 2026)
Health surcharge (IHS)	None (visa is 6 months or less)
Minimum age	18
English test	Not required
Family/dependants	Not allowed

The 2026 quota is slightly lower than 2025 (which had 43,000 + 2,000). The government says it is slowly reducing numbers to push farms toward more automation and local hiring. So places are limited, and a visa is never guaranteed.

Who can apply

The rules are simple, but you must meet all of them:

• You are 18 or older.
• You have a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from an approved scheme operator.
• You have enough money to support yourself — usually £1,270 in your bank account, unless your sponsor agrees to cover your first month.
• You will only do the job written on your CoS.

There is no strict country list. Operators recruit from many countries. But which countries they hire from changes each year, so availability depends on the operator — not on where you are from alone. [internal link: Work Visa For Freshers 2026 – No Experience Jobs]

How much can you earn?

Pay is protected by law, which is one of the best things about this route.

• You must be paid at least the UK National Living Wage — £12.71 per hour from 1 April 2026.
• You must be given at least 32 paid hours per week.
• Some farms pay piece rate (paid per box or basket picked). Fast, experienced pickers can earn more than the minimum. But by law your pay cannot fall below the minimum wage over a pay period, even if you pick slowly.
• Specialist poultry butcher and dresser roles have a higher pay rule (at least £15.88 per hour), but most workers are on the general rate.

Be realistic about costs, too. Accommodation is usually provided but not free — shared rooms or cabins, with rent often deducted from your wages. It is worker housing, not a hotel. The work is physical, and your hands and back will ache for the first week or two.

How long can you stay?

• Horticulture: up to 6 months within any rolling 10-month period. This rule was relaxed in November 2025 (it used to be a 12-month period), which helps returning workers.
• Poultry: only between about early October and 31 December each year. Poultry applications must be submitted by 15 November.
• Cooling-off: after your stay you must wait 4 months outside the UK before you can apply again.

This visa cannot be extended, and you cannot switch to another visa from inside the UK. When it ends, you must go home.

Approved scheme operators — the only legal way in

This is the most important part. Only a small number of Home Office and DEFRA-approved scheme operators, regulated by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), can sponsor you. They place you with farms.

Commonly named operators include Concordia, Fruitful Jobs, HOPS Labour Solutions, Pro-Force and Agri-HR for horticulture, and AG Recruitment for poultry. But the official list changes, so always check the current, complete list on the government’s Seasonal Worker visa page before you deal with anyone. If a “recruiter” is not on the official list, walk away. [internal link: Top Hiring Countries For Foreign Workers 2026]

⚠️ Avoid the recruitment scams

Because this route is popular with people who need work, scammers target it heavily. Protect yourself with these rules:

• You should never pay a fee to get the job. Under the Employer Pays Principle, charging workers recruitment or “visa processing” fees is illegal. A real operator will not ask you for money to be hired.
• Only trust operators on the official gov.uk list. Fake websites and fake “agents” copy real operator names.
• Be suspicious of WhatsApp offers, upfront “deposits,” and guaranteed jobs. No one can guarantee a capped visa.
• Never send your passport or money to someone you cannot verify.
• If something feels wrong, you can report it to the GLAA.

The visa itself is genuine and safe. The scams sit around it. If you only work through an official operator and pay no job fee, you avoid almost all of them.

How to apply, step by step

1. Find a legitimate scheme operator from the official gov.uk list and apply for a role through them (or through a farm that works with them).
2. Get your Certificate of Sponsorship. The operator issues your CoS once you have a placement. It is valid for three months and used once.
3. Apply online from outside the UK on gov.uk. You must apply from your home country — you cannot apply from inside the UK.
4. Pay the £340 fee and show your maintenance funds (£1,270) unless your sponsor certifies maintenance.
5. Prove your identity and give biometrics at a visa application centre.
6. Wait for a decision — usually within 3 weeks. You can enter the UK up to 14 days before your job start date.

Apply no earlier than three months before the start date on your CoS. Always confirm the current fee and rules on gov.uk, as they change during the year.

What this visa does not allow

• No bringing family or dependants.
• No second job or work outside your sponsored role.
• No access to public funds (benefits).
• No permanent residency pathway — it is temporary only.
• No switching to another visa from inside the UK.

Key Takeaways

• The UK Seasonal Worker visa 2026 offers 42,900 places for farm and poultry work, up to 6 months.
• Pay is protected: at least £12.71/hour and 32 hours/week; no English test; minimum age 18.
• You must be sponsored by an approved scheme operator — check the official gov.uk list.
• Never pay a fee for the job. Charging workers is illegal under the Employer Pays Principle.
• The fee is £340, you apply from outside the UK, and decisions usually take about 3 weeks.

Also Read: https://visa.jobzriz.com/science-teacher-jobs-australia-2026-eligibility/

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