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Inshore Industry Fishing Crews: Visas
25 May 2023
Lead MP
Jim Shannon
Strangford
DUP
Responding Minister
Robert Jenrick
Tags
ImmigrationEmploymentNorthern IrelandAgriculture & Rural Affairs
Word Count: 16829
Other Contributors: 5
At a Glance
Jim Shannon raised concerns about inshore industry fishing crews: visas in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
I ask the Minister to consider a practical solution that would allow existing foreign workers to successfully make the transition to skilled visas within weeks, by reducing the reading and writing elements of the English test from B1 level for the first year. This adjustment could help minimise economic losses due to restricted access to inshore waters and reduce safety risks. Mr Kinnock asked the Minister to provide an assessment of the extent to which domestic workers meet workforce requirements in the fishing industry, specific steps taken for training UK nationals, whether the impact was negligible as assumed previously, measures to monitor the transition effects and impacts on food security. He also requested details on applications received by Home Office from employers in the fishing sector and ongoing analysis of English language challenges for visa sponsors.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
The fishing industry in Northern Ireland supports about 1,400 jobs and relies heavily on foreign workers due to the difficulty of recruiting local UK workers. The current visa system is causing a significant financial burden for fishermen, with costs increasing by up to 40% as they transition from transit visas to skilled visas. This puts them at an unfair disadvantage compared to their counterparts in other parts of the UK and EU who can still operate on less restrictive visa arrangements. Mr Stephen Kinnock expressed concern about the potential loss of 600 jobs due to issues caused by the end of transitional arrangements. He highlighted that employers are having difficulty recruiting locally, and many businesses have raised concerns with the Skilled Worker Visa route as prohibitively expensive, slow, difficult to use, and requiring a high English language proficiency.
Alistair Carmichael
Lib Dem
Orkney and Shetland
I anticipate hearing from the Minister that we should be growing local labour, but my constituents tell me this labour is not available due to perceptions of decline in the fishing industry. Questions whether people who achieve the B1 English standard would want to take on the difficult, dangerous work in fishing. Alistair Carmichael emphasized the importance of fishing to Orkney and Shetland's economy, noting that it is one third dependent on the industry. He discussed past reliance on transit visas which led to exploitation issues. The MP criticized the promises made by politicians that were not delivered, particularly regarding the trade and cooperation agreement in 2020. Carmichael also addressed the English language requirement for crew members, arguing that it does not align with the practical skills required for fishing jobs. He provided two examples of local fishermen facing difficulties due to visa restrictions. Questions the hon. Member's ability to secure a meeting with the Minister, suggesting it may be due to political influence. Expresses concern that decisions affecting fishing crew visas could deter young skippers from taking on new boats in Shetland. I am never going to give up on this. I think we have made that very clear. However, the reason why I am particularly unhappy about this now is that this feels like it is the final word from the Home Secretary. The Fishermen's Welfare Alliance engaged with the Home Office in detail and at length. It explained everything in incredible detail that even the slowest of learners must have been able to pick up. At the end of the day, it just got told a straight no. Mr Alistair Carmichael questioned who had welcomed the changes in the fishing industry and if stakeholders truly did not realise their responsibility to upskill their own workforce. Questions why Sule Skerry was included within waters affected by the Act, expressing concern that it will put lives at risk and should not apply to uninhabited areas.
Anthony Mangnall
Con
Fylde
Supports the hon. Member for Strangford and emphasises the importance of visa arrangements for south Devon's fishing industry. Highlights the economic benefits and challenges faced by fishermen due to language requirements and training difficulties, urging the Government to reconsider the B1 English requirement. The arrangements for fishing crew visas should be reviewed to reduce bureaucracy and avoid inadvertently blocking people from entering the industry. Introducing health certificates could have implications for visa requirements. Urges Minister to encourage DEFRA to simplify access to funds, noting repeated failure in his patch due to complexity.
Brendan O'Hara
SNP
Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber
Mr O'Hara expressed frustration over repeated rejections by the Home Office regarding visa arrangements for inshore fishing industry crews. He highlighted the chronic shortage of professional seafarers and the impact on communities along the west coast of Scotland, noting that small fishing boats cannot venture far out into deep waters due to geography. The cost and stringent requirements of securing skilled worker visas were criticised, particularly the need for deckhands to achieve English language proficiency at level B1. Mr Brendan O'Hara inquired about the definition of a large fishing boat. States that a complete change in understanding of the 12 nautical miles is required for both west and east coasts, not just small tweaks.
David Duguid
Con
South Northumberland
The outcome of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement did not meet all expectations, but our negotiating power has become stronger as an independent coastal state. Our catching opportunities have increased, but without people to catch or process fish, these gains could be at risk. Discussed the complexity of using transit visas for fishing crews and welcomed recent Home Office announcements to include fishermen on the shortage occupation list. He highlighted issues with English language requirements, suggesting a differentiated approach for those not seeking permanent settlement. In my remarks, I asked for more constructive engagement. Would the hon. Member join me and others in seeking an actual meeting with Ministers and officials, and with key stakeholders from the industry who know the industry far better than we do? Asks the Department to provide details of any convictions of labour abuse if not currently under investigation. Suggests Rockall as another example of uninhabited areas where the 12 nautical miles definition should not apply.
Stephen Kinnock
Lab
Aberafan Maesteg
Asks for a timeline on implementing the Government's pledge to create a single integrated labour market enforcement authority.
Government Response
Robert Jenrick
Government Response
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Murray. I am grateful to the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) for securing the debate and for the constructive meeting that he and I had earlier in the year with representatives from the fishing sector. The Government fully recognise the importance of the fishing industry to the UK's economy. It has played an integral part in the UK's heritage and will play an important part in its future. In recognition of this, the Home Secretary and I are working to support the fishing sector in using the immigration system through a comprehensive package that includes guiding firms through visa and sponsor application processes, expediting applications, and having dedicated points of contact for the industry. The Government have decided to add further fishing occupations—share fishermen, trawler skippers and deckhands on large fishing vessels—to the shortage occupation list to ensure that the sector can continue to access talent at reduced cost. Building on this, the Government encourage the sector to engage with them to ensure firms can attract workers needed. DEFRA has provided £100 million through the UK seafood fund to help industry address recruitment and retention issues, and officials are playing an active part in the access to labour working group that includes representatives from various sectors across the United Kingdom. The Government also continue to run the fisheries and seafood scheme offering extensive support aimed at attracting new entrants, including apprenticeship schemes for new entrants. In terms of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022, the clarification of what has been a long-standing policy position that foreign workers working in UK waters need permission to do so is vital given evidence of labour abuse in some parts of the sector. The Home Office is taking a standard definition of UK waters as 12 nautical miles for the purposes of our immigration system, and it will continue to monitor and address any issues arising from this.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.