Farm organisations warn losing experienced overseas shearers could cause labour shortages and animal welfare concerns
Sheep shearers and agricultural contractors remain excluded from the UK's Temporary Shortage List, ministers have confirmed, leaving questions over how farmers will secure enough skilled workers for the 2027 shearing season.
The Home Office confirmed its position in two written parliamentary answers published on Wednesday (21 October), following questions from Labour MP Josh Newbury.
Mr Newbury asked whether the government would assess the merits of adding sheep shearers to the list and restoring agricultural contractors to it.
However, Home Office minister Jo White confirmed that neither occupation was included, reiterating the government's emphasis on developing the domestic workforce rather than relying on immigration.
"The Temporary Shortage List (TSL) does not include agricultural contractors or sheep shearers," she said.
Ms White explained that the list was restricted to occupations considered essential to the government's Industrial Strategy or critical infrastructure, where plans were in place to maximise recruitment from within the UK.
The response comes just months after the government permanently closed a long-standing immigration concession that allowed experienced overseas sheep shearers to work in Britain during the busy spring and summer months.
The concession, which had operated since 2011, closed for the final time on 30 June 2026 following a final visa extension for overseas sheep shearers secured earlier this year.
It previously enabled up to 75 shearers, predominantly from Australia and New Zealand, to help British contractors during the peak shearing season.
Farming organisations had warned that losing access to these specialists could leave sheep producers struggling to arrange timely shearing, with potential consequences for animal welfare.
The National Sheep Association (NSA), National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC), British Wool and NFU jointly raised concerns earlier this year about the availability of skilled workers.
The NSA had previously warned of a potential shortage of skilled sheep shearers, arguing that the loss of experienced overseas workers could have serious consequences for sheep welfare.
NSA policy manager Michael Priestley warned in February that the shortage of shearers threatened animal welfare and a long-established international exchange of skills.
The association argued that overseas professionals remained an important part of Britain's seasonal shearing workforce, helping domestic teams complete work within a relatively short window.
Timely shearing is essential for animal welfare, particularly during warmer weather, when excessive fleece growth can increase the risks of heat stress and flystrike.
However, the Home Office has maintained that the industry should now be capable of meeting demand through domestic recruitment and training.
In a separate parliamentary answer published in September, Ms White revealed that more than 4,000 people had undertaken shearing training since 2021.
She also confirmed that just 16 overseas shearers had used the special immigration concession during its final year.
The government argued that establishing a dedicated immigration route for such a small number of workers would not be practical or cost-effective.
However, farming organisations have previously stressed that learning to shear and developing the speed, stamina and experience required to work professionally are not the same.
The NAAC has highlighted the importance of experienced overseas shearers in supporting British contractors during the busiest periods of the year.
The latest confirmation also affects agricultural contractors, whose services range from specialist livestock work to machinery operations across the wider farming industry.
Both occupations remain outside the Temporary Shortage List, which allows certain eligible workers to access the Skilled Worker visa system under specific conditions.
The list is separate from the former sheep shearing concession, and its exclusions do not prevent overseas nationals with existing UK work rights from taking up agricultural employment.
The government's position nevertheless leaves the industry facing another shearing season without the dedicated concession that previously supported recruitment from overseas.
With the 2027 season approaching, attention will turn to whether domestic training and existing immigration arrangements can provide sufficient experienced workers to meet demand.
The Home Office has not announced plans to add sheep shearers or agricultural contractors to the Temporary Shortage List, although its latest parliamentary replies did not explicitly rule out a future review.