Overseas sheep shearers granted UK work visas after govt u-turn
The UK government has announced that it will be extending its concession to allow entry for overseas workers to shear sheep for one more year.
This announcement reverses the British Home Office's decision earlier this year to not grant work visas to overseas shearers from countries such as New Zealand and Australia.
Over recent weeks, many farming organisations and MPs voiced concerns over the potential impact of the concession's closure on the UK's sheep industry.
According to the UK's National Sheep Association (NSA), the concession has facilitated the entry of 75 overseas shearers each year since 2011, who have been responsible for shearing roughly 1.5 million sheep annually in the UK.
The NSA warned that, without the additional workforce, shearing will likely be delayed for many farmers this year, increasing the risk of heat stress, flystrike, and maggots among flocks.
MPs
The chair of the UK's agriculture committee, Alistair Carmichael noted that the government's u-turn is not only "good news for farmers and crofters", but also for "the 1.5 million overheating sheep which stood to suffer from this government misstep".
However, Carmichael also voiced concerns that the visa extension will only apply to this year.
He said: "It is concerning that the government plans to reignite this same issue in 2027.
"There is no good cause to block the minuscule number of visas needed for sheep shearers and it suggests that ministers do not understand the industry they are working with.
"Reciprocal arrangements for shearers work well for our farmers – now is not the time to mess with them."
NSA
The decision to extend the concession for one more year was outlined by Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Mike Tapp in a letter to the chair of UK's home affairs committee, Dame Karen Bradley.
The letter was published on Monday, March 9 this week.
Speaking on the extension, NSA chief executive Phil Stocker commended Minister Tapp for recognising "the importance of overseas shearers coming to the UK for sheep welfare."
"The UK, and other sheep producing nations, have long relied on a small global community of shearers and NSA will work with Defra and other industry organisations to identify ways forward that work for our industry," Stocker added.
