Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme

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The participants must be aware that if they get a work card they are due to work only in the farm shown in the work card. If the participant is not satisfied or has some problem first have to contact with the farm manager of with the farmer. If there is not a solution to the problem he should contact HOPS for assistance. He also is free to call his agent in Bulgaria.

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Type of works

HOW FARMERS AND GROWERS QUALIFY TO EMPLOY PARTICIPANTS UNDER THE SAWS

All farms employing participants under the SAWS must be registered to one of the Scheme Operators.
Farms should provide accommodation (usually on farm) with facilities for the resident participation (for which the farm may make a modest charge each week). This charge should be in line with the current AWB Orders. HOPS inspects the accommodation and facilities annually to ensure that it is of a suitable standard.
Farms are expected to provide a reasonable prospect of 39 hours of work per week for each participant. It must however be noted that on occasion, due to unforeseen circumstances (for example extremes in weather, seasonal variation or reduced customer demand), there may be very little work for short periods of time.
For SAWS participants - the work participants can undertake must be seasonal and agricultural work on a farm or horticultural holding. This can include some pack-house work packing only the produce harvested on the holding. Participants cannot work in a pack-house that packs bought-in produce only.
Farms are expected to operate the business within all UK legislation, including employment legislation, health and safety legislation etc.
The SAWS participants are the direct employees of the farmer or grower and will be paid directly by the farmer or grower. HOPS is not the employer.

TYPE OF WORK AND WAGES AVAILABLE TO APPLICANTS APPLYING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SAWS ADMINISTERED BY HOPS

A wide variety of manual agricultural tasks will be available to participants recruited by HOPS. However, the vast majority of seasonal work within the agricultural industry is within the fruit sector (currently 58% of placements) and vegetable sector (currently 20% of placements). Therefore, predominantly, the tasks that can be expected are planting, hand harvesting, on-field packing and general crop husbandry/ maintenance of fruit or vegetable crops (edible produce).

There are also a limited number of placements available in other sectors, for example, potato grading, tomatoes, salad crops, flowers and plants.

Generally, there are no special skills, experience or attributes required by those undertaking the seasonal tasks on a farm. However farmers and growers seek participants who have some experience of working within agriculture or horticulture and are able to speak and understand the English language.

Work is usually manual and unskilled.

There are some seasonal jobs that will involve the operation of agricultural machines and vehicles. Participants wishing to be considered for these placements should already have some experience of the agricultural machinery/vehicles and the safe handling of them. These participants must hold a full driving licence and must bring this document with them to the UK, together with a verified translation (into the English language) stating the participant’s name, home address and the category of vehicle the licence permits him or her to drive.

Where participants are expected to drive vehicles on the road, they will be asked to demonstrate, in person, to their employer (the farmer or grower) that they are competent to drive vehicles safely on the UK’s roads. In addition, they should have a good command of the English language in order to understand road and safety signs.

TYPE OF CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT A PARTICIPANT MAY BE ISSUED WITH BY A FARMER OR GROWER (THE EMPLOYER)

This will be detailed in the Welcome Letter sent to all participants by the farmer or grower that is to employ them.

Many of the jobs available to SAWS participants will be offered on a “zero hours” basis, this means that there is no guarantee of work or continuity of work. It means that an employer is not obliged to offer work to a participant every day. In reality most participants are offered work 5 or 6 days/week throughout the season. Should there be a low amount of work for a period of more than 10 days then HOPS will make every attempt to find work with an alternative HOPS registered employer.

Some of the jobs available to SAWS participants will be based on a fixed term contract, usually the finish date will the same as the finish date recorded on the SAWS Workcard, or when the work at the farm ceases, whichever is the sooner.

IF WORK AT A PARTICULAR FARM BECOMES SCARCE (UNPLANNED, FOR EXAMPLE DUE TO A CROP FAILURE OR POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS), the following will apply:

HOPS will use its best endeavour to find alternative work placements for the affected participants. This may include arrangements for the temporary loan of participants to work on nearby HOPS registered farms.
Participants may be asked to accept a short period of reduced or perhaps no work if it is clear that full work will soon become available. In these circumstances employers will be asked to suspend accommodation charges.
In extreme circumstances it may be that there is NO work available and in such cases participants will be required to return home.

IF PARTICIPANTS FAIL TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN THE SAWS, the following applies:

Although you may apply to join the SAWS and may be offered a work placement by HOPS, we do recognise that, for some applicants, the experience may differ from your expectations and you may find it difficult to continue to participate in the scheme. By far the majority of participants enjoy their work experience on a UK farm and it may be that with further explanation, and more encouragement, you will too.
If you are experiencing difficulty in participating in the SAWS, for whatever reason, then we would strongly recommend that you speak to your work supervisor on the farm in the first instance. The farm should understand that you may be homesick; and in some instances may be able to offer alternative work if that which you are currently being asked to perform is unsuitable or difficult for you. Furthermore, if you cannot participate in the scheme due to illness, then your work supervisor should be able to help you obtain medical attention.
Participants’ behaviour at the farm - We expect all participants to be of good behaviour on and off the farm. We also expect participants to act towards the Employer, his staff and the other HOPS participants at the farm in an honest and friendly manner. If you cause ANY problems on or off the farm, or if you do not keep the farm rules, or the UK law, then you may be dismissed by the farmer and asked to return home. The facts may be reported to the UK Immigration Authorities, Work Abuse and your University (if applicable).
If the above courses of action are not applicable, or do not work for you, then the farm will contact the HOPS office for further guidance. We may be able to find you an alternative employer, more suited to your requirements and expectations. If this is not acceptable then you will need to make arrangements for your removal from the SAWS and departure from the farm.

TRANSFER SYSTEM

This is a system whereby participants of SAWS can apply to HOPS to move to another farm. This system also helps farmers and growers who have the capacity (both work and accommodation) to employ more participants to get extra labour quickly. In most cases your employer must give permission for you to transfer to another farm.

If work has finished at the farm and a participant has been in the UK for less than 6 months, s/he may apply to HOPS for a transfer to another farm. If another job can be found for the participant, a new Workcard will be issued. The new Workcard will be an official extension to their right to work in the UK.

PARTICIPANTS THAT ABUSE THE RIGHT TO WORK

Participants can work ONLY for the business named on the Workcard and for the dates recorded on the Workcard – up to a maximum of 6 months. Employers of SAWS participants are obliged to inform the scheme Operator (HOPS) if any participant leaves the farm without notice or under suspicious circumstances. This information will be logged on the Home Office database system and the participant will be reported to Work Abuse.

At the end of the year HOPS asks all farmers and growers to consider if they would like to invite any participant back to the farm for the following year. Often the very best workers only are invited back to work for the farm for another season.

If this is the case HOPS will issue a new application form for collection from your In-Country Representative for the subsequent year.

TYPE OF ACCOMMODATION THAT IS PROVIDED BY FARMERS AND GROWERS

There are many different types of accommodation provided by farmers and growers ranging from caravan accommodation to a farm cottage or a farm hostel.

It is usual for participants to share all facilities, so they must expect some communal facilities. However, where reasonably practical, separate ablutions (toilet and bathing facilities) are provided for men and for women. In some instances, particularly on small farm units, accommodation may be shared by both genders. In this case specific space will be reserved for each gender to ensure some level of privacy.

In many cases, accommodation is single sex and provision for co-habiting couples is not always possible. It is important that co-habiting couples note that they may not be able to share accommodation whilst participating on the SAWS.

There will be NO accommodation available for dependants. If you have dependants that you are unable to leave at home with a suitable caregiver then you should consider carefully before applying as the communal accommodation provided will not be suitable for young children.

The most common form of on-farm accommodation is provided in mobile homes or static caravans – with space provided for food preparation/eating, ablutions, sleeping and resting. It is usual for groups of 4 or 6 participants to share a mobile home or static caravan.

Another common form of accommodation is provided in a portable structure (such as a portacabin) that is furnished for sleeping and resting. Often, the food preparation and ablutions will be provided on other specifically equipped units adjacent to the sleeping/rest units.

HOPS aims to visit each farm annually to check the accommodation provided is of a suitable standard.

Below you can watch short clips showing different kind of work in UK farms, work that you should expect. To watch just click on the picture.

These files are kindly provided from:
UKRMYK KYRYLO MARTYENKO
5 Pushkinska Street, Office 5, Mykolaiv 54030, UKRAINE
Tel: 00380 512 342 051, Fax: 00380 512 350 418, E-mail: cspa@mdau.mk.ua


Apples packaging (5 MB MPG)	Bean picker (16 MB MPG)	Blackberries packaging (14 MB MPG)	Picking hops (18 MB MPG)	Picking and Packing of cucumbers (6 MB MPEG)	Picking and Packing of flowers (30 MB MPG)

Crop trees (9 MB MPG)	Picking of raspberries (24 MB MPG)	Salad picker (32 MB MPG)	Strawberry picking (27 MB MPG)	Packaging of onions (18 MB MPG)	Picker of pears (9 MB MPG)