[ad_1]
Farmers will be able to hire foreign poultry workers to help fill staff shortages ahead of the Christmas turkey rush, the government has said.
Roles in the poultry industry have been added to the list of jobs eligible for a seasonal worker visa, immigration minister Tom Pursglove said.
Employers will now be able to hire staff from overseas to fill the roles – provided they are paid a minimum of £10.10 an hour and work for at least 30 hours a week.
Number 10 hints pensions triple lock could be abandoned – politics latest
In a written statement to parliament, published on Tuesday, Mr Pursglove said: “The seasonal worker visa route is being expanded to include roles in the poultry sector, to support a genuine seasonal labour need in the lead up to Christmas, not evident in other sectors.
“Poultry workers under occupation code 5431 (butcher) or 5433 (for example, processor) must be paid at least £25,600 each year. All other poultry workers must be paid £10.10 for each hour worked and receive at least 30 hours’ paid employment each week.
“These requirements are in place to discourage poor conditions often seen in the sector.”
Around 10 million turkeys are eaten in the UK every year at Christmas.
It is not yet clear how the current avian flu outbreak will affect the availability of turkeys this Christmas.
On Monday, Great Britain’s chief veterinary officers declared a prevention zone across the whole of the island.
It is now a legal requirement for all bird keepers in England, Wales and Scotland to follow strict biosecurity measures to protect their flocks from the threat of avian flu, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said.
Measures include keeping free-range birds within fenced areas and for keepers with more than 500 birds to restrict access for non-essential people on their sites, changing clothing and footwear before entering bird enclosures and cleaning and disinfecting site vehicles…
[ad_2]
Source : skynews
