In March 2023, major UK supermarkets, trade bodies, growers and civil society organisations established the “Seasonal Worker Scheme Taskforce”, following multiple reports of egregious rights abuses of migrant workers holding seasonal visas and employed on UK farms. A series of multi-stakeholder roundtables funded by the UK supermarkets preceded the launch of the taskforce. Stronger Together has taken on the Secretariat role at the Taskforce.

Our coverage of the alleged abuses can be read below:

• Indonesian workers on farms supplying to UK supermarkets allegedly charged illegal fees by unlicensed foreign brokers; Indonesian taskforce to investigate
• UK: Nepali & Indonesian migrant seasonal workers in the agricultural sector subject to exploitative working conditions, according to various reports

Supermarkets committed in March 2023 to fund audits on UK farms in an effort to tackle migrant worker exploitation. By July of that year the Financial Times reported an independent audit had started on only one of the six licensed recruitment companies in the UK; assessments were reportedly expected to take place in April/ May. In August 2023, five NGOs previously engaged with the Taskforce released a statement on leaving the group owing to the alleged lack of engagement from the Home Office and UK Visa Immigration; they state they remain open to further collaboration.

In February 2024, the Taskforce confirmed it will continue its mission throughout 2024.