By Aimee Mahony, NFU chief poultry adviser
At the time of writing, we are mourning the loss of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen carried out her duties through seven decades and was witness to huge changes. Her deep connection to the countryside means she will leave a legacy for generations to come and our thoughts at this very sad time are with the Royal Family.
During the period of national mourning the government cease from wider public announcements, however they have recently disseminated to us some further information regarding the seasonal poultry workers visa scheme.
Our main asks following the temporary visa scheme in 2021 were for a dedicated poultry scheme to be announced in a timely manner with manageable costs and for it to be operated by labour providers with relevant experience in the poultry sector. Therefore, we welcomed the announcement in mid-June as part of the government’s Food Strategy for 2,000 visas to be allocated to the seasonal poultry sector.
The two labour providers operating the scheme have now been announced as Pro-Force and RE Recruitment. Our current understanding is that the earliest visas can be issued is from mid-October and with businesses predominantly needing workers from November onwards, it is disappointing that we find ourselves once again in a tight window to make applications for the pre-Christmas season. However, now that the labour providers are in place and with the 2,000 poultry visas confirmed until 2024, hopefully the foundations are set for smoother proceedings in future years!
We also continue to monitor the demand for visas, and I’d like to extend a big thank you to those who have submitted evidence which helps our lobbying efforts. In the Conservative Party Leadership hustings with NFU members shortly prior to her appointment as Prime Minister, Liz Truss said she would be willing to look at the visa scheme numbers and the Shortage Occupation List. I know that there are many things for her to do as she settles into her new role but ensuring businesses have the workers they need to produce the food for our nation will be something we ensure is towards the top of her ‘to-do’ list.