UK Seasonal Worker Visa Guide 2026
The Seasonal Worker visa lets you come to the UK for seasonal farm work: horticulture for up to 6 months, or poultry from 2 October to 31 December. The application fee is £340, you need a sponsor, and decisions usually arrive within 3 weeks. Verified against the GOV.UK Seasonal Worker visa page, October 2026.
The two seasons and the deadlines
| Horticulture | Up to 6 months — for example picking fruit, vegetables or flowers; apply at any time of year |
| Poultry | From 2 October to 31 December, in the same year |
| Poultry deadline | Apply by 15 November each year |
| Application fee | £340 |
| When you can apply | Up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work |
| Decision time | Usually within 3 weeks |
| Sponsor | Required |
| Replaces | Temporary Worker — Seasonal Worker visa (T5) |
The official page states the conditions verbatim:
You can apply for a Seasonal Worker visa to come to the UK and work in: horticulture for up to 6 months … poultry from 2 October to 31 December, in the same year. You need to apply for poultry Seasonal Worker visas by 15 November each year. … The application fee is £340. … This visa has replaced the Temporary Worker - Seasonal Worker visa (T5).
Applying and timing
You can apply up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK; that start date is listed on your certificate of sponsorship. As part of the application you prove your identity and provide your documents, and you may need to allow extra time if an appointment is required. Once you have applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you will usually get a decision within 3 weeks.
You must have a sponsor and meet the other eligibility requirements, and you will need to prove you have enough personal savings. You can enter the UK as soon as your visa is valid — up to 14 days before your job's start date — and stay up to 6 months for horticulture, or 2 October to 31 December for poultry.
What you can and cannot do
You can work in the job described in your certificate of sponsorship and study (some courses need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate). You cannot take a permanent job, work in a second job or one not described in your certificate of sponsorship, get public funds, or bring family members with you.
Preparing your application? Use the UK Seasonal Worker visa documents checklist, check your UK passport photo, and confirm a compliant photo with the free passport photo checker.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the UK Seasonal Worker visa cost?
The application fee is £340. You must also prove you have enough personal savings, and you need a sponsor.
How long can I stay on a Seasonal Worker visa?
Up to 6 months for horticulture work (for example picking fruit, vegetables or flowers). For poultry work, you can stay from 2 October to 31 December each year.
When do I have to apply for poultry work?
You must apply for poultry Seasonal Worker visas by 15 November each year. Horticulture Seasonal Worker visas can be applied for at any time of year.
How early can I apply?
You can apply up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK — that date is listed on your certificate of sponsorship.
How long does a decision take?
Once you have applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you will usually get a decision within 3 weeks.
Did this visa replace the T5 Seasonal Worker visa?
Yes. This visa has replaced the Temporary Worker — Seasonal Worker visa (T5).
UK Seasonal Worker documents → Passport photo checker →
Browse all passport and visa guides or the photo size chart.
Source note: the horticulture (up to 6 months) and poultry (2 October to 31 December) seasons, the 15 November annual poultry application deadline, the £340 application fee, the ability to apply up to 3 months before the certificate-of-sponsorship start date, the usual 3-week decision time, the sponsor requirement, the savings evidence, the up-to-14-days-early entry, the work/study permissions and the permanent-job, second-job, public-funds and family restrictions, and the replacement of the Temporary Worker - Seasonal Worker visa (T5) are from the GOV.UK page “Seasonal Worker visa (Temporary Work)” (gov.uk/seasonal-worker-visa), checked October 2026.