Narrative:

I was watching a trainee in the local control position when ground/flight data/clearance delivery passed inbound information from ZZZ ARTCC of aircraft X two miles south east of the airport for a visual approach to runway xx. This was an extremely late inbound as our LOA reads center will inbound aircraft at least 10 miles out. We had several VFR aircraft in the rectangular pattern to runway xx with aircraft on final to runway xx with almost no time to build a hole. We coordinated with center to not descend aircraft X below 4;000 and requested control which he was at 5;000. Center descended aircraft X to 4;000 and cleared the aircraft for the visual approach to runway xx and switched the aircraft to us. We had to move at least two aircraft out of aircraft X way with little to no notice to accommodate the IFR arrival. Because we were advertising runway xx/xy in use and aircraft X was so high (5;000); I thought since we didn't get an inbound that center was vectoring the aircraft around potentially for spacing. Never did I think aircraft X was going to be cleared a visual approach to runway xx at the altitude the aircraft was at. Common practice is center inbound aircraft outside of 10 miles for the IFR approach and descends them to 3;000 feet before switching them to us. This created a dangerous situation with very little time to react or plan; especially with a trainee who was on day 4 of re-entering training after six months plus of not working local due to covid and me not training anyone for just as long if not longer due to covid.follow the LOA between ZZZ ARTCC and ZZZ tower.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Tower Instructor and Developmental reported overlying Center not complying with the two facilities' LOA.

Narrative: I was watching a trainee in the Local Control position when ground/flight data/clearance delivery passed inbound information from ZZZ ARTCC of Aircraft X two miles south east of the airport for a visual approach to Runway XX. This was an extremely late inbound as our LOA reads center will inbound aircraft at least 10 miles out. We had several VFR aircraft in the rectangular pattern to Runway XX with aircraft on final to Runway XX with almost no time to build a hole. We coordinated with center to not descend Aircraft X below 4;000 and requested control which he was at 5;000. Center descended Aircraft X to 4;000 and cleared the aircraft for the visual approach to Runway XX and switched the aircraft to us. We had to move at least two aircraft out of Aircraft X way with little to no notice to accommodate the IFR arrival. Because we were advertising Runway XX/XY in use and Aircraft X was so high (5;000); I thought since we didn't get an inbound that center was vectoring the aircraft around potentially for spacing. Never did I think Aircraft X was going to be cleared a visual approach to Runway XX at the altitude the aircraft was at. Common practice is center inbound aircraft outside of 10 miles for the IFR approach and descends them to 3;000 feet before switching them to us. This created a dangerous situation with very little time to react or plan; especially with a trainee who was on day 4 of re-entering training after six months plus of not working local due to COVID and me not training anyone for just as long if not longer due to COVID.Follow the LOA between ZZZ ARTCC and ZZZ Tower.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.