Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of transit visas for fishing operatives.

The Government’s longstanding position has been that foreign nationals need permission to work in UK waters and that transit visas, designed to cater for those intending to simply travel through UK waters, have never been an appropriate visa to use to work on a long-term basis in the UK.

The fishing sector is well catered for under the points-based-system, with a range of fishing roles eligible for the Skilled Worker visa. The sector have been able to access the Skilled Worker visa since April 2021 and we have offered a generous package of support to assist the industry.

Government expects the sector to be moving to full compliance with the immigration system as soon as possible, and to assist in this, a generous package of support has been provided, including enhanced visa support, adding some fishing occupations to the Shortage Occupation List this summer and engagement with the sector to drive up their usage of the skilled worker visa. Government encourages the sector to take up this generous package of support.