Banff and Buchan MP calls for visa concessions to support fishing and seafood sector
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Conservative MP David Duguid is to meet with the UK rural affairs secretary to discuss what impact new visa rules will have on the fishing and seafood sectors.
The Banff and Buchan MP has been in discussions with organisations including the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation and the Scottish Seafood Association to hear their views about the changes to UK visa requirements.
He will now feed these to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Steve Barclay MP, and call for concessions to be made for industries such as fishing and seafood processing.
Temporary workers such as fruit pickers and poultry workers are covered by seasonal worker visas and exempt from the plans.
For 2023 and 2024, there are between 45,000 and 55,000 seasonal worker visas available, plus another 2000 for poultry workers.
Mr Duguid’s meeting comes after net migration, the difference between the number of people coming to live in the UK and those leaving, reached a record 745,000 last year.
To be eligible for a skilled worker visa to come to the UK, your job offer must meet a minimum salary requirement.
At the moment, this is whichever is highest out of £26,200 per year, £10.75 per hour or the “going rate” for your job. From next spring, it has been announced that this will rise to £38,700 per year.
Mr Duguid has also been in contact with the newly appointed Minister for Legal Migration, Tom Pursglove MP, to discuss the impact of plans for reducing immigration.
Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid said: “I have asked the UK Defra Secretary, Steve Barclay, to meet with me and members of the seafood and fisheries sectors to discuss ways of helping with food security amid concerns raised about the changes on skilled worker visa rules.
“I welcome measures taken to combat the abuse of our legal migration systems, but I want to make sure key parts of our north-east economy are not impacted through unintended consequences.
“During the meeting, I will also discuss offshore spatial planning for renewable energy as well as the impact of HPMAs and other marine conservation measures.
“I also welcome the announcement that the responsibility of UK Immigration Minister is to be split between two roles covering illegal and legal migration respectively - something that I've long since called for.
“It needs to be recognised that industries such as seafood and fisheries have already put a lot of work into transitioning away from foreign labour.
“Similarly to the energy transition away from oil and gas, we must have a pragmatic and realistic approach to making that transition a success.”
