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The UK Seasonal Worker visa 2026 offers 41,000 horticulture places and 1,900 poultry places to workers aged 18 and over — but there is one date you cannot miss. If you want poultry work, you must apply by 15 November.
This is a short, temporary visa. It is not a route to settlement, and it is not a Skilled Worker visa. For many workers, though, it is the simplest legal way to work in the UK for a season, earn at least £12.71 an hour, and return home with UK work experience.
This guide explains the quota, the pay, the six licensed scheme operators, and how to apply safely — without paying an agent or operator for a job.
UK Seasonal Worker Visa 2026 at a Glance
| Who it is for | Workers aged 18 or over, sponsored by an approved scheme operator. |
|---|---|
| Sectors covered | Horticulture, and poultry production only. |
| 2026 quota | 41,000 horticulture places, 1,900 poultry places — 42,900 in total. |
| Horticulture stay | Up to 6 months in any 10-month period. |
| Poultry stay | 2 October to 31 December only. |
| Poultry application deadline | 15 November. |
| Minimum pay | At least £12.71 an hour. |
| Minimum paid hours | At least 32 hours a week. |
| Visa fee | £340. |
| Savings needed | £1,270, held for 28 days, unless your sponsor certifies your maintenance. |
| Sponsor | An approved scheme operator only — not a farm directly. |
What Is the UK Seasonal Worker Visa 2026?
The UK Seasonal Worker visa 2026 is a Temporary Work visa for seasonal jobs in horticulture and poultry production. Horticulture means growing, picking, packing and handling fruit, vegetables, flowers and plants. Poultry production means work in poultry processing and production, mainly for the Christmas market.
You cannot use this visa for construction, hospitality, care work, driving or warehouse work. Those jobs need a different visa, if they sponsor at all.
You also cannot apply directly to a farm. A farm is not your sponsor on this route. Your sponsor is an approved scheme operator, which places you with a farm and issues your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). That single rule protects you. If anyone offers you a farm job directly and asks you to pay for a Seasonal Worker visa, walk away.
The 2026 Quota: 41,000 Horticulture Places and 1,900 Poultry Places – UK Seasonal Worker Visa 2026
The Home Office sets a yearly quota for the Seasonal Worker route and shares it between the scheme operators. For 2026, the quota is: Horticulture: 41,000 places. Poultry production: 1,900 places.
The same figures apply for 2027, according to the Home Office sponsor guidance published in October 2026.
A quota is not a guarantee. Places are shared between operators, and popular operators fill their allocation early. If you wait until the last week, your chosen operator may have no places left, even if the visa itself is still open.
Horticulture workers can be sponsored for up to six months’ employment in any 10-month period. Poultry workers can only work between 2 October and 31 December in the same year.
Poultry Applications Close 15 November — Do Not Miss It – UK Seasonal Worker Visa 2026
This is the most urgent part of the UK Seasonal Worker visa 2026. Poultry workers must submit their visa application on or before 15 November. No further Certificates of Sponsorship can be assigned for poultry work after that date.
That means the work itself is short — 2 October to 31 December — and the application window closes before the work ends. If you apply on 16 November for a poultry job, it is too late for this season.
Horticulture does not have the same 15 November deadline, because horticulture work runs through the growing season. Even so, do not leave a horticulture application until the last minute. Operators need time to check your documents, assign a CoS, and place you with a farm.
If you want poultry work in 2026, contact a licensed operator now and ask whether it still has poultry places. If it does not, ask about horticulture places, or plan for the next season instead of paying someone who promises to get you in after the deadline.
How Much Will You Earn? – UK Seasonal Worker Visa 2026
The UK Seasonal Worker visa 2026 has a clear minimum pay rule. Horticulture workers, and most poultry workers, must be paid at least £12.71 an hour. That is the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over from 1 April 2026. Your sponsor must also confirm that you will receive at least 32 hours of paid work each week.
At the minimum:
| Hours a week | Gross pay a week at £12.71 an hour |
|---|---|
| 32 hours | £406.72 |
| 40 hours | £508.40 |
| 48 hours | £610.08 |
The 40-hour and 48-hour rows are examples only. Your actual hours depend on the farm, the crop, and the weather. What is guaranteed is the minimum: £12.71 an hour, for at least 32 paid hours a week.
Some workers are paid by piece rate — by how much they pick. Even then, your pay must still work out to at least £12.71 an hour on average. If it does not, the operator is not following the rules.
Your pay is gross pay, before tax and any lawful deductions. Ask your operator, before you travel, what deductions will be taken for accommodation, transport or meals, and get it in writing. Accommodation costs vary by farm and operator, so do not assume a weekly pay figure is the same as the money you will take home.
The Only 6 Licensed Scheme Operators – UK Seasonal Worker Visa 2026
You can only apply for the UK Seasonal Worker visa 2026 through one of these six approved scheme operators, listed on GOV.UK:
- AGRI-HR (Horticulture)
- Concordia (UK) Ltd (Horticulture)
- Fruitful Jobs (Horticulture)
- HOPS Labour Solutions Ltd (Horticulture)
- Pro-Force Limited (Horticulture and poultry)
- RE Recruitment (Poultry only)
Check the operator against the official GOV.UK list before you share any personal details. Licences can change, and a name that looks similar to a real operator is not the same as the real operator.
A licensed operator will never ask you to pay for a job, a placement, a Certificate of Sponsorship, or a visa. The only official visa cost is the £340 fee, paid to the UK government when you apply on GOV.UK. You may also need to pay for biometrics at a visa application centre, if that applies in your country.
If an operator, agent or Facebook page asks for a recruitment fee, a placement fee, or payment by WhatsApp, bank transfer or crypto, it is a scam. Report it and do not send money.
How to Apply for the UK Seasonal Worker Visa 2026
Follow these steps, in order:
- Choose a licensed operator. Pick one of the six operators above. Check its official website — not a social media post — and see whether it is recruiting from your country.
- Apply to the operator, not to a farm. The operator will check your age, your documents, and whether it has a place for you. If it accepts you, it will assign you a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). A CoS is a reference number, not a paper document. You use it once, in your visa application.
- Check your savings. You need at least £1,270 in your bank account, held for 28 days in a row, unless your sponsor certifies your maintenance. If your sponsor certifies it, you do not need to show the £1,270 yourself. Ask your operator which applies to you before you apply.
- Apply online on GOV.UK. You can apply up to three months before your job start date. You will need your CoS number, your passport, and proof of your savings if your sponsor has not certified your maintenance.
- Pay the £340 visa fee. Because the visa is for six months or less and you are applying from outside the UK, you do not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge on this route.
- Prove your identity. Depending on your country, you will either use the UK Immigration: ID Check app or attend a visa application centre to give your fingerprints and photo.
Do not book a flight until your visa is granted. A CoS is not a visa, and a job offer from an operator is not a visa either.
Who Can Apply — and What You Cannot Do – UK Seasonal Worker Visa 2026
You can apply for the UK Seasonal Worker visa 2026 if you are aged 18 or over, you have a CoS from an approved scheme operator, and you meet the savings requirement above.
You cannot bring dependants with you on this visa. Your partner and children cannot come as your dependants on a Seasonal Worker visa.
You cannot take a second job, take a permanent job, or work in a role outside the one on your CoS. You cannot access public funds. And you cannot switch from a Seasonal Worker visa to a Skilled Worker visa from inside the UK — if you want a longer-term sponsored job, you normally need to apply from outside the UK under that route.
The Seasonal Worker visa also does not count towards settlement (indefinite leave to remain). It is a temporary work visa, not a settlement route. That matters if your long-term goal is to live in the UK permanently — seasonal work will not get you there on its own.
For the wider picture on UK sponsorship, including which jobs can sponsor you for longer, see our guide to Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Canada, UK and USA 2026.
What If Seasonal Work Is Not for You? Skilled Worker and NHS Jobs – UK Seasonal Worker Visa 2026
Seasonal work suits people who want a short, paid season in the UK. It does not suit everyone, especially after the UK’s Skilled Worker rules changed in July 2025.
Since 22 July 2025, most new Skilled Worker applicants need a job at degree level — RQF 6 — paying at least £41,700 a year, or the going rate for that occupation if it is higher. New applicants also need English at B2 level in reading, writing, speaking and listening from 8 January 2026, up from B1 before.
That change closed many roles that used to qualify, including most care worker jobs. Overseas recruitment of care workers and senior care workers closed on 22 July 2025. If a recruiter abroad offers you a UK care worker job with sponsorship now, it cannot lead to a visa under the current rules.
NHS clinical roles are different. Nurses, doctors and allied health professionals can still be sponsored through the Health and Care Worker visa, and that route does not charge the Immigration Health Surcharge. That is why, for qualified nurses, the comparison is not seasonal farm work versus care work — it is seasonal work versus a sponsored clinical role.
If you are a nurse, compare the real take-home pay before you choose. Our comparison of Nurse Salary in UK vs Canada vs Australia vs Dubai 2026 looks at NHS Band 5 pay, tax, pension and rent, so you can see what is left after living costs in each country.
| Route | Who it is for | Length | Leads to settlement? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonal Worker | Workers 18+, short farm or poultry season | Up to 6 months (horticulture); 2 Oct–31 Dec (poultry) | Does NOT lead to settlement |
| Skilled Worker | Degree-level job, £41,700+, B2 English | Up to 5 years | Leads to settlement after 5 years under current rules |
| Health and Care Worker | NHS nurses, doctors, allied health staff | Up to 5 years | Leads to settlement after 5 years under current rules |
The settlement rules themselves are also under review. The government proposed in November 2026 to move the standard settlement period from 5 years to 10 years for most routes, but that is a proposal, not yet law. The current 5-year route still applies today. Our explainer on UK Settlement 10 Years 2026 sets out who would still get 5 years, who would wait 10, and what has actually been decided so far.
Scam Warning: Never Pay for a Seasonal Worker Job – UK Seasonal Worker Visa 2026
Seasonal farm work attracts scams every year, because the jobs are real, the pay is clear, and people are in a hurry.
Remember these rules: Only the six licensed operators above can sponsor you. A real operator never charges you a recruitment, placement or CoS fee. A real farm does not sponsor you directly on this route. No one can guarantee you a visa, a farm, or a place after the 15 November poultry deadline. Never send money by WhatsApp, bank transfer or crypto to a person who says they can get you a UK farm job.
If you are unsure, stop and check the operator on GOV.UK first. A few minutes of checking is cheaper than losing a fee you will never get back.
Final Checklist Before You Apply – UK Seasonal Worker Visa 2026
- You are 18 or over.
- You have chosen one of the six licensed scheme operators.
- You have a CoS from that operator.
- You have £1,270 held for 28 days, or your sponsor has certified your maintenance.
- You know your job, your start date, your pay, and your accommodation costs.
- For poultry work, you are applying on or before 15 November.
- You have not paid anyone for the job itself.
If you can tick every box, you are ready to apply. If you cannot, do not pay anyone to fix it — ask the operator, or wait for the next season.
FAQs: UK Seasonal Worker Visa 2026
1. What is the deadline for the UK Seasonal Worker visa 2026 for poultry work?
Poultry workers must submit their visa application on or before 15 November. Poultry work itself runs from 2 October to 31 December, and no further Certificates of Sponsorship can be assigned for poultry after 15 November.
2. How much does a Seasonal Worker earn in the UK in 2026?
At least £12.71 an hour, for at least 32 paid hours a week. That is at least £406.72 a week gross at the minimum. Your actual pay depends on your hours and your role, and piece-rate pay must still work out to at least £12.71 an hour.
3. Can I apply for a UK Seasonal Worker visa directly to a farm?
No. You can only apply through one of the six approved scheme operators: AGRI-HR, Concordia (UK) Ltd, Fruitful Jobs, HOPS Labour Solutions Ltd, Pro-Force Limited, or RE Recruitment (poultry only). A farm cannot sponsor you directly on this route.
4. Does the UK Seasonal Worker visa 2026 lead to settlement in the UK?
No. It is a temporary visa for up to six months in horticulture, or 2 October to 31 December in poultry. It does not count towards settlement, and you cannot bring dependants on it. If you want a settlement route, you need a visa such as Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker.
5. Can I still get a UK care worker visa with sponsorship from overseas?
No. Overseas recruitment of care workers and senior care workers closed on 22 July 2025. NHS clinical roles, such as nurses and doctors, can still be sponsored through the Health and Care Worker visa, but care worker roles cannot be sponsored from overseas under the current rules.