Landowners’ groups in England and Scotland have appealed to the government to commit to freedom of movement after it triggers Article 50 and begins the process of exiting the EU. Numerous farm sectors depend on overseas labour, and the prospect of Brexit is casting doubt on the future of workers from the EU and beyond, who are often employed seasonally on farms in Britain.

As yet, the government has not commented on the future of EU nationals living and working in Britain, and there has been no indication of what future immigration policy will look like. Landowners’ lobby groups Scottish Lands and Estates and the CLA have called on the home secretary to establish post-Brexit schemes that will guarantee their members access to EU labour after Britain has left the European Union.

The NFU has also previously warned that post-Brexit immigration policy could cause major problems for farming sectors, most prominently horticulture, as access to labour could dry up almost overnight. The NFU has called for a new scheme to be set up along the lines of the seasonal agricultural workers scheme (SAWS), which began in 1945 and and closed down in 2013, following the removal of restrictions on freedom of movement on workers from Romania and Bulgaria.

The CLA has called on the government to allay concerns by confirming the status of EU migrants already resident in the UK, ensuring that Britain’s R&D sector remains an attractive destination for researchers from abroad and committing to establishing sector-specific schemes for seasonal and skilled workers going forward.

According to a new briefing paper, released by the landowners’ groups, there are almost 100,000 permanent and seasonal workers from abroad employed on UK farms, the majority of whom come from Eastern Europe.  

Commenting on Tuesday, CLA President Ross Murray said, “Workers from the EU and beyond play a crucial role in the rural economy. Farms and other rural businesses need to know that after Brexit there will still be a flexible, skilled and secure workforce so they can plan for the future, invest in their businesses and secure or create jobs. We are asking the Home Secretary to commit to establishing sector based schemes that will ensure opportunities for seasonal and skilled workers from both the UK and overseas if free movement of labour is removed.

“This includes the introduction of a seasonal agricultural workers scheme post-Brexit enabling people to enter the UK for a specific job, for a set period of time without the right to remain afterwards. Similar schemes have worked well in the past in agriculture and will help farmers to keep producing the food we eat, to run viable businesses, and to continue creating job opportunities year in and year out. Similar schemes will be needed in other rural sectors such as tourism.”

Mr Murray added, “Government policy should ensure the UK continues to attract skilled and experienced people from across the world to farming and to the research and development sector, and encourages the brightest minds to come and learn at our world-class rural colleges and universities.”