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<p>The Home Office sponsor licence regime places a broad range of responsibilities
on the operators of the Seasonal Workers visa route to safeguard migrant workers under
the scheme, including protecting their rights and ensuring effective enforcement of
UK employment laws.</p><p> </p><p>The Government keeps these protections under close
and ongoing review. A new team within the Home Office compliance network focuses on
ensuring sponsors are abiding by workers’ rights by improving training and processes
for compliance inspectors and creating clear policies and guidance for robust action
for scheme operators where workers are at risk of exploitation. Should any of the
selected operators fall short in these duties action will be taken, up to and including
the revocation of their sponsor licence.</p><p>The Home Office and Defra maintain
regular contact with scheme operators to ensure that they adhere to the stringent
requirements set for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the seasonal workers. All
Seasonal Worker visa route operators are also required to hold a Gangmasters Labour
Abuse Authority (GLAA) licence, as a condition of maintaining their role as a scheme
operator. The responsibilities and remit of the GLAA are set out on their website.</p><p>Defra
continues to speak regularly with the agricultural sector including on matters relating
to the welfare of seasonal workers. Defra also conducts an annual survey of workers,
providing them with a route to provide direct feedback to us on their experience while
working here including their living and working conditions. In addition, Defra officials
engage with the industry and non-profit organisation led Seasonal Worker Taskforce,
which focuses on practical actions to improve the responsible recruitment and employment
of migrant workers into UK farms.</p>
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