Introduction to seasonal workers

The Seasonal Worker route is for workers aged 18 or over to come to the UK on a scheme to undertake seasonal work in the horticultural sector or the poultry production sector. 

Find out more about seasonal work in the horticulture sector (gov.uk)

Find out more about seasonal work in the poultry production sector (gov.uk)

Seasonal Worker visa holders can work for up to six months in horticulture and up to three months in the poultry sector from 2 October to 31 December.  Workers are usually employed by an agricultural business like a farm or grower.

Read about the Seasonal Worker visa.

The Seasonal Worker visa sponsor must be a scheme operator, which means being endorsed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and licensed by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA). The scheme operator must also have a temporary worker sponsor licence.

A small number of workers are directly employed by scheme operators and pay their wages but it is not common practice in Scotland.

Helping staff settle into life in Scotland

Scotland offers a friendly and open welcome for those wanting to work and experience Scottish life.

There’s lots of helpful information about our people and culture and what it is like to be a part of our welcoming society when you Move to Scotland

Here is a helpful before you move to Scotland checklist for your prospective staff.

Employer responsibilities

Seasonal workers have the same statutory rights as other workers. Employers should therefore follow standard employment practices when hiring seasonal staff. Remember the employer may be a scheme operator in some situations. Standard employment rights include ensuring minimum standards with pay, working time rules and health and safety.

Read about workplace rights and benefits for seasonal workers

Read about pay for agricultural workers (sasa.gov.uk)

Staff should be provided with a written contract in their first language as well as in English by their employer. The contract should include the terms and conditions of work including the rate of pay, working hours and place of work. Employers should also provide payslips detailing how the pay is calculated and any deductions such as tax.

Read about seasonal worker employment rights (workrightscentre.org)

Employers can access information about rates of pay and terms and conditions for agricultural workers (sasa.gov.uk)

Preventing exploitation of workers

People can be exploited for labour, sex, criminality and domestic servitude. This is called human trafficking (mygov.scot). The law in Scotland takes exploitation very seriously.

Most employers in Scotland follow the law and want to ensure their staff have a good experience in Scotland. However, seasonal workers can be vulnerable to exploitation due to their visa restrictions.

Your organisation must comply with employment law when employing seasonal workers and prevent exploitative practices. If you have used a recruitment agency to hire workers, you should ensure the recruitment agency is complying with employment law and look out for potential signs of trafficking and exploitation.

Signs of trafficking and exploitation include staff who are:

  • Unable to choose when or where they work
  • Working very long hours over long periods
  • Unable to negotiate working conditions
  • Sexually exploited
  • Forced to be a domestic servant
  • Forced to commit criminal acts

You can read sector-specific guidance on labour exploitation (gla.gov.uk)

Practical steps you can take to prevent worker exploitation include:

  • Asking agencies involved in the recruitment of your staff to provide a breakdown of staff pay calculations including deductions, agreed staff terms and conditions, accommodation arrangements including how this is funded
  • Asking agencies if loan arrangements are in place for seasonal workers and if so, consider this as a potential sign of exploitation
  • Checking staff payslips to ensure everything is in order
  • Asking staff if they understand how they are being paid for their work
  • Asking staff about their accommodation arrangements and reminding them that they can request information about any deductions for their accommodation from their wages

You can report suspected exploitation of workers to the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority(GLAA) (gla.gov.uk)

Advice and support for staff

You can signpost workers impacted by exploitation to information on workplace rights and benefits (scotland.org)

Staff can also get: