If you are a skipper of a fishing vessel in the UK, you will be familiar with the industry’s widespread engagement of foreign crew to serve on fishing vessels.
This has historically involved crew from EEA states who once enjoyed their rights to free movement before Brexit, and also non-EEA/EU states who were generally regulated under section 8 of the Immigration Act 1971.
Much has changed in how an employer has engaged foreign crew over the years, the most significant change of which took effect on 6 April 2021, when the government permitted the sponsorship of experienced deckhands on large fishing vessels under the Skilled Worker route.
Four years and 23 Statements of changes to the Immigration Rules later, we now see an almost total end to the eligibility of deckhands for sponsorship.
Following the Immigration White Paper issued by the current Labour government, a Statement of Changes (HC 997) took effect from 22 July 2025. One of the chief changes was the rise in minimum skill level for sponsorship roles being set at Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) level 6 or above. In short, the new minimum skill level for sponsorship is degree-level.
Whilst this is unwelcome news for an industry which routinely employs foreign crew to maintain the UK fishing fleet, all is not lost.
The 22nd July rule changes applies only to new applicants applying from outwith the UK.
So, if you have identified an individual who lives and works in the UK as a deckhand with a Skilled Worker visa, they continue to be a viable candidate for sponsorship. As do any current crew members currently sponsored before 22 July 2025.
It should be noted that a new Temporary Shortage List took effect on 22 July 2025, which will routinely introduce time-limited roles for sponsorship which are below degree-level. Though this list does not yet include deckhands, this may change in future. For more details on this, Grace McGill has helpfully summarised the position in an earlier blog article addressing concerns in the hospitality sector.
For employers with sponsored workers, please get in touch with the immigration, visa and global mobility team for assistance to review your current sponsorship requirements and for help in working through the transitional arrangements.
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