Seasonal Worker visa: who can apply, what it costs and how long you can stay

The Seasonal Worker visa lets you come to the UK to work in horticulture for up to 6 months, or in poultry from 2 October to 31 December in the same year. GOV.UK says you need a sponsor, you must be 18 or over, and the application fee is £340. You cannot bring family members.

Who is this visa for?

It is for people who want to come to the UK and work in:

• horticulture for up to 6 months, for example picking fruit, vegetables or flowers
• poultry, from 2 October to 31 December in the same year

It replaced the Temporary Worker - Seasonal Worker visa (T5).

Can I apply?

You can apply to come to the UK to do the work above. The rules are:

Requirement	Detail
Age	18 or over when you apply
Sponsor	A certificate of sponsorship reference number from your UK sponsor
Money	Enough money to support yourself in the UK, usually at least £1,270 (unless exempt)

Applications for the poultry visa must be made by 15 November each year. You can apply for the horticulture visa at any time of year.

You can apply up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK. The start date is on your certificate of sponsorship.

What do I need?

A sponsor and a certificate of sponsorship

You must have a sponsor and meet the other rules.

A certificate of sponsorship is not a paper document. It is a reference number with details about the job and about you. You add the reference number to your visa application form. You can only use it once. It is valid for 3 months from the day it is assigned to you.

The job and pay

Your employer must make sure your job pays at least the minimum wage and follows UK rules on the number of hours you work each week. If your employer does not do this, your application will be refused. GOV.UK’s Seasonal Worker pages do not set an occupation code or a salary threshold.

English language

GOV.UK’s Seasonal Worker pages do not say anything about an English language requirement.

How much does it cost?

Cost	Amount
Application fee	£340
Savings to support yourself	At least £1,270 (unless exempt)

You must have had the £1,270 for at least 28 days in a row. Day 28 must be within 31 days of the day you apply.

You do not have to show the savings if your sponsor can cover your costs during your first month in the UK, up to £1,270, and confirms this on your certificate of sponsorship.

GOV.UK’s Seasonal Worker pages do not mention a healthcare surcharge.

How long can I stay?

You can stay in the UK:

• up to 6 months for horticulture work
• from 2 October to 31 December each year for poultry work

You can enter the UK as soon as your visa is valid. That is up to 14 days before the start date of your job.

Once you have applied online, proved your identity and given your documents, you will usually get a decision within 3 weeks. You may be able to pay for a faster decision.

With this visa you can:

• work in the job on your certificate of sponsorship
• study (some courses need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate)

You cannot:

• take a permanent job
• work in a second job, or in a job that is not on your certificate of sponsorship
• get public funds (most benefits)
• bring family members with you

Can I bring my family?

No. GOV.UK says you cannot bring family members with you.

If you have a child while you are in the UK, the child does not automatically become a British citizen. GOV.UK says you can apply online for the child’s visa as your dependant. You must do this if you want to travel in and out of the UK with your child. You need a full UK birth certificate for each child, showing the names of both parents.

Can I extend or switch?

GOV.UK’s Seasonal Worker pages used for this guide do not say whether you can extend this visa or switch to it from another visa.