Nearly 100 seasonal workers from Uzbekistan have been informed they cannot enter the United Kingdom as the government revoked the Ethero operator’s licence earlier this month.
In a document seen by the Grocer, immigration authorities told applicants that their certificate of sponsorship is no longer valid.
Applicants in question can now withdraw applications and receive reimbursement for the cost of applications. On the contrary, their applications will most likely be denied, VisaGuide.World reports.
If you do not wish to withdraw, the application will be decided and is most likely to be refused.
If workers do not withdraw their applications and their visa is denied, they will not be entitled to reimbursement.
‘Workers Made Significant Sacrifices to Arrive in the UK’
One of the affected workers claims that he applied for a visa in May 2024, and his passport has been in the system since then. Furthermore, he told the newspaper that he quit his previous job as he was preparing to come to the UK.
Some workers’ representatives have voiced concerns regarding this issue, noting these foreigners’ sacrifices to secure a job in the UK.
Many of these workers have made significant sacrifices to migrate, including leaving jobs, family and borrowing money.
Meanwhile, the executive director of the Worker Support Center, Caroline Robinson, said that in addition to the visa costs, these workers also spent money on other services, such as medical checks, biometric services, and travel.
She further noted it is not the worker’s fault that their scheme operator’s licence has been stripped and that they should not be penalised.
If the responsibility for a scheme operator losing its licence falls on the shoulders of workers, this will ultimately have a chilling effect on people coming forward to raise concerns about their treatment.
NGOs Urge Government to Reevaluate Visa Scheme for Better Protection of Migrant Agricultural Workers
Meanwhile, several Uzbek workers in the UK are confused about their future in the country following the revocation of their operator’s license.
The Worker Support Center, FLEX and some other NGOs urged the government to reconsider how it manages the seasonal worker visa scheme to guarantee better protection of foreign agricultural workers.
Meanwhile, members of the Seasonal Worker Interest Group said the UK should learn from past experience, referring to the case when the government revoked a scheme operator’s licence in 2023.