Northumberland farmers fear impact as government ends sheep shearer visas
Northumberland farmers have raised concerns after the government announced the end of an agreement for international sheep shearers to work in the UK.
From April 2011, the Home Office operated an annual Immigration Rules concession for non-visa sheep shearers to come to the UK to work during the shearing season.
In 2025 it is estimated that 75 shearers used the concession, mainly from New Zealand and Australia.
The concession was renewed last year however, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) have been informed that it will not be renewed again.
A government spokesperson commented: “We recognise the importance of British agriculture and the value it brings to the economy.
“Temporary arrangements were in place for several years to allow international sheep shearers to work in the UK while the domestic sector strengthened its own workforce. Those arrangements have now come to an end.”
in a letter to North Northumberland MP David Smith and MP Joe Morris, Rothbury Cllr Steven Bridgett urged them to challenge the decision following concerns from local farmers.
He wrote: “As principal Members of Parliament for rural Northumberland, and as members of the Government responsible for implementing this proposal, I urge you to consider carefully the serious implications this change would have on our farming communities.
“This concession has been in place since 2011 and has worked exceptionally well for both the visiting shearers and the farms they support.”
“They are an invaluable asset in addressing the significant workforce gap in shearing. Their contribution ensures that livestock are shorn in a timely manner, safeguarding sheep welfare by preventing heat stress and reducing the risk of fly strike."
Steven highlighted that the shearers collectively shear between 1.5 and 2 million sheep during the 90-day period they are permitted to work in the UK each year.
He added: "More broadly, this proposal is being viewed by many within our rural communities as yet another example of policies that feel disconnected from, and at times detrimental to, the realities of rural life.”
A National Farmers Union spokesperson said: “Sheep shearers who travel to the UK play a vital role in supporting the sheep sector and wool industry in this country helping farmers through what is a very busy summer season.
"They benefit our food production and exemplary standards of animal welfare.”