The UK Seasonal Worker route lets horticulture businesses bring in workers from overseas for short, seasonal jobs. For 2027 the government has set 41,000 places for horticulture, the same level as 2026. Growers cannot apply for these places directly. They must work through a scheme operator that the government has approved and licensed, and the worker stays for up to six months in any ten-month period.
This guide covers who is eligible, who can sponsor, what you must pay, how long people can stay and what to do next. The rules are set by the Home Office and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and they change, so check the official guidance before you commit to anything.
How many visas are there?
The Home Office confirmed the 2027 caps in late August 2026, after lobbying from the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and other industry groups. The figures are:
| Year | Horticulture places | Poultry places |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 43,000 | 2,000 |
| 2026 | 41,000 | 1,900 |
| 2027 | 41,000 | 1,900 |
The NFU wants multi-year allocations, running to 2029, so growers can plan ahead. The sources I checked do not show a government commitment beyond 2027, so treat the scheme’s future as uncertain.
Who can be sponsored
The route is for people aged 18 or over who live outside the UK and are not settled here. Most EU, EEA and Swiss nationals who arrived after 31 December 2020 need a visa. Most Irish citizens and people with EU Settlement Scheme or settled status do not. Dependants cannot come on this route.
The work must be seasonal, so year-round or office-based roles do not qualify. Horticulture covers a wide range of growing, including protected vegetables (grown under cover), field vegetables, soft fruit, top fruit, bulbs, cut flowers, pot plants and nursery stock.
Who can sponsor
This is the point most growers miss. An individual employer cannot sponsor a seasonal worker, even if it already holds a sponsor licence for another visa route. Only scheme operators can do this. They must be endorsed by Defra and licensed by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), and no new operators are being licensed without prior approval.
So the practical question is which approved operator you work with, and what they charge. Ask each operator to show its current licence and endorsement before you sign anything.
Pay and conditions
The minimum rate for the listed horticulture and poultry role codes is £12.71 an hour, with at least 32 paid hours a week. That is the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over, which took effect on 1 April 2026. Check the role code for your job against the list in the gov.uk sponsor guidance.
Some points that catch growers out:
- Overtime, bonuses, shift allowances, accommodation and equipment costs do not count towards the minimum.
- Workers must be paid under National Minimum Wage and holiday pay rules.
- Contracts must be given in the worker’s first language as well as English.
- Zero-hours contracts are not allowed.
- Housing must be hygienic, safe and in good repair.
- You cannot hold workers’ passports, and you cannot charge them beyond the cost of running the scheme.
- Since April 2025, you must not pass on the Certificate of Sponsorship fee, the licence fee or related admin costs to the worker.
The guidance also says placements should be with employers actively recruiting UK workers through Jobcentre Plus, so keep a record of your recruitment efforts.
How long people can stay
For horticulture, a worker can stay up to six months in any ten-month period. The permission period is the role’s length plus up to 14 days either side, or the six-month limit if that is shorter. A worker cannot extend their stay or move onto the route from inside the UK. They must apply for entry clearance from abroad.
A worker who has already been a seasonal worker in the UK in the four months before a new Certificate of Sponsorship starts cannot be sponsored again on that basis, so plan rotations carefully.
How the process works
- Check the worker is eligible. Confirm their nationality, age and right to work status, including the financial requirement, before you assign anything.
- Assign the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). Your scheme operator does this through its sponsor management system. You will need the worker’s personal and passport details, start and end dates, weekly hours, work address, job title, role code, salary and duties.
- The worker applies for a visa. They must apply within three months of the CoS being assigned, and no more than three months before the start date.
- Plan the arrival. Confirm the travel dates, accommodation and transport, and make sure the induction covers safety, breaks and time off.
- Keep records. Hours, pay, housing inspections and any change of employer should be documented, because scheme operators can lose their licence for breaches.
Costs to budget for
The sponsor must pay a fee for each CoS. The amount is not fixed in the guidance I checked; it is listed on the UK visa fees page on gov.uk, so check the current figure there. Include the scheme operator’s charges, transport, accommodation and the wage bill in your budget.
Key points
- For 2027, horticulture has 41,000 seasonal worker places, the same as 2026.
- Only approved scheme operators can sponsor workers, not individual growers.
- Stays last up to six months in any ten-month period.
- The minimum rate for listed roles is £12.71 an hour, with at least 32 paid hours a week, from 1 April 2026.
- Workers cannot be charged for the visa fees or admin costs.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sponsor a seasonal worker directly? No. You need to work through an approved scheme operator. Being a licensed sponsor for other visa routes does not allow you to sponsor on this one.
Does a glasshouse or polytunnel count as horticulture? Yes, if you grow protected vegetables under cover. The guidance lists protected vegetables among the eligible horticultural activities, so check the full list for your crop.
How long can someone work here in a year? Up to six months in any ten-month period, with the permission period tied to the role dates.
Is the scheme going to continue after 2027? The government has committed to continuing the scheme, but I could not find confirmed allocations beyond 2027. The NFU is asking for certainty to 2029.
Do I have to pay the visa fees? You pay the Certificate of Sponsorship fee, but you cannot pass it on to the worker. Check the current fee on the UK visa fees page.
Where to go for help
Start with a scheme operator that holds a current GLAA licence and Defra endorsement. For rules on pay, contracts and housing, the gov.uk sponsor guidance is the primary source. If you are unsure about a specific role or your duties as an employer, a qualified employment adviser or solicitor can check the detail.
Fertile Land Ltd, a London-based agricultural consultancy, says on its website that it offers greenhouse and crop management consulting, plus business planning for greenhouse projects. It is not a scheme operator, so for visas and employment duties you still need an approved operator and proper legal advice.