Britain has averted a sheep shearing crisis after a relaxation of rules which had threatened to block shearers from New Zealand and Australia going to work there.
The British Wool Marketing Board warned last month that not all UK sheep would get shorn due to a shortfall of shearers.
New Zealand and Australian shearers were told they had to apply for an new biometric card requiring them to travel to personally to give fingerprinting and photographic identity details.
Work permit regulations have now been reviewed, lowering the waiting time from up to nine weeks to 15 days.
