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Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme

Fruit picker

What requirements do farmers and growers need to meet to recruit seasonal workers through the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme?

This page explains how farmers and growers can apply to recruit seasonal workers through the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS). It also explains what your responsibilities will be to any workers you recruit.

Requirements to recruit through the SAWS

You will be able to recruit seasonal labour through the SAWS provided that:

  • the work is seasonal and agricultural; and
  • the work will last a minimum of five weeks; and
  • there is sufficient work available to make the workers participation in the scheme worthwhile; and
  • there is clean and sanitary accommodation suitable for the number of workers being recruited; and
  • workers will be properly supervised and Health and Safety Executive legislation and regulatory requirements will be met; and
  • the placements provide a safe working environment and have been risk assessed; and
  • workers will not be discriminated against.

You must comply with the terms of the agricultural wages order for the relevant area of your premises, this details the rates of pay, accommodation and other terms and conditions within the agricultural and horticultural industry. You can find full details of the agricultural wages order:

Your responsibilities

If you are accepted on to the scheme you will be the employer of any SAWS workers placed with you. As with any resident seasonal workers you may employ, SAWS workers are subject to the same legislation and regulation.

All employees are subject to the same tax and national insurance rules as resident workers.

In certain circumstances you may be able to loan out workers for a short period of time to other farmers or growers. You will only be able to loan workers to/from other farmers and growers who are contracted to the same multiple operator. All moves must be authorised by the operator.

The responsibility for placing and moving SAWS workers from farm to farm remains that of the operator at all time. You should contact them in the first instance with any questions.