Visa Rules From End of 2026 Bar Most Foreign Crews at Kilkeel While Government Seeks More Domestic Hires

New visa rules taking effect at the end of 2026 will bar most foreign workers from crewing fishing vessels at Kilkeel in Northern Ireland, according to statements in Parliament reported by GB News. Alison Hume, the MP for Scarborough and Whitby who chairs a parliamentary group on coastal communities, said the restrictions leave jobs at Whitby Seafood at risk.

The company operates what it describes as the world's largest scampi factory and supplies frozen and chilled products to supermarkets and caterers across Britain.

Hume stated that around 70 percent of crews operating out of Kilkeel catch nephrops, or scampi, and will no longer qualify under the rules. GB News reported that approximately three-quarters of the port's fishing workforce currently hold foreign worker visas. She noted that domestic recruitment efforts continue but called for a limited number of tailored seasonal visas to sustain the industry.

Jim Shannon, the DUP MP for Strangford near Kilkeel, has called for a permanent solution to allow fleets at Portavogie, Ardglass and Kilkeel to keep operating. He confirmed discussions with immigration ministers. Northern Ireland minister Matthew Patrick said Secretary of State Hilary Benn visited Kilkeel earlier in 2026 and wrote to the Home Secretary.

Patrick stated that the immigration changes aim to give domestic workers access to good jobs. A similar warning came in 2023 when Sir Robert Goodwill, Hume's predecessor, highlighted risks to a business reliant on Filipino crew members after earlier visa changes.