Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of a long term, dedicated visa route for overseas shearers to ensure timely shearing and protect livestock welfare.

The Government recognises the importance of safe and timely shearing to protect animal welfare. The sheep shearing concession has been operating for 15 years and it is reasonable to expect that over this period a long-term sustainable solution had been found to identify this workforce gap. Therefore, having considered the potential merits, and in line with the plans set out in the White Paper “Restoring Control over the Immigration System,” published in May 2025, the Government does not consider a long-term route is required.

The Government expects the sector to meet these needs through the domestic workforce and individuals with existing general work rights, including dependants or Youth Mobility Scheme visa holders, who are free to take up work as a sheep shearer subject to the relevant visa restrictions.