Guidance

Recruit a poultry worker, pork butcher or HGV food driver with a temporary visa

Temporary visa scheme for poultry workers, pork butchers or heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers to transport food.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Department for Transport and Home Office
• Published: 7 October 2021
• Last updated: 1 January 2022
  Show all updates

  1. 1 January 2022

     The temporary visa scheme is now closed. Details of visa expiry dates and contact details are retained.

  2. 2 December 2021

     Temporary visa scheme for HGV food drivers is now closed for applications.

  3. 16 November 2021

     Update: temporary visa scheme for poultry workers is now closed for applications.

  4. 2 November 2021

     Added pork butchers (occupation code 5431) into the temporary visa scheme.

  5. 7 October 2021

     First published.

This guidance was withdrawn on 8 July 2022

You cannot apply for this scheme anymore.

The temporary visa scheme for poultry workers, pork butchers and HGV food drivers is now closed.

Temporary visas were available for 5,500 poultry workers, 800 pork butchers and 4,700 HGV food drivers.

Temporary visas for poultry workers

All temporary visas for poultry workers expired on 31 December 2021.

Temporary visas for pork butchers

Temporary visas for pork butchers will expire 6 months from the date of issue.

Temporary visas for HGV food drivers

All temporary visas for HGV food drivers expired on 28 February 2022.

Get help

If you need to get in touch, email accesstolabourfoodchain@defra.gov.uk

HGV drivers for fuel

The government has introduced temporary measures for HGV fuel drivers.