Employment Terms
Your employer must give you written details of your job before your first day. This should include:
- Your employer’s name
- Pay rate and expected hours
- Location of work
- Holiday entitlement
- Guaranteed minimum hours (per week)
You should also receive a contract in your own language and in English.
Seasonal Work Rules
You can work in:
- Horticulture (up to 6 months)
- Poultry (between 2 October and 31 December)
Only recognised labour providers can employ you, they are currently: Pro Force, AGRI-HR, Concordia, Fruitful, Hops and RE Recruitment (poultry only). You should not be charged recruitment or agency fees.
Minimum Pay
You must be paid at least the Agricultural Minimum Wage / National Living Wage which from 1st April 2025 is £12.21 per hour. If you hold specific qualifications, you may be entitled to more.
You must be paid for at least 32 hours per week, even if work is unavailable during your scheduled time.
Payslips
You must get a payslip on or before each payday. It must include:
- Hours worked
- Pay before and after deductions
- Legal deductions (tax, NI)
- Any agreed deductions (e.g. housing or travel)
- Net pay (this must match the amount you receive)
Timesheets
You should keep a record of the work you have done and important information about your employment spanning:
- Start/End of work
- Breaks, duration and time and detail of how spent
- Working hours
- Type of work you have done
- Wages paid
- Signature
- Notes
Overtime
You are entitled to overtime if you:
- Work more than 8 hours in a day
- Work more than 48 hours in a week (in your first 26 weeks)
The latest overtime rates in Scotland are a minimum hourly rate of £18.32.
Working Time Rules
Unless you’ve agreed in writing, you can’t be made to work more than 48 hours per week (on average). You also have the right to:
- A 20-minute paid break if you work more than 6 hours
- 11 hours rest between shifts
- 1 full day off per week
Holidays
You are entitled to paid holiday based on how many days you work per week. For example:
| Days worked/week | Holiday (6-month contract) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 4 days |
| 5 | 14 days |
| 7 | 19 days |
You must be paid for unused holidays when your job ends.
Sick Pay
You may be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if:
- You’re off for at least 4 days in a row
- You inform your employer before the deadline they set (or within 7 days if they have not set one).
- You earn an average of at least £125 per week
SSP starts from day 4 of illness and lasts up to 28 weeks. It is paid at a rate of £118.75 per week.
Bereavement Leave
If someone close to you dies (such as a parent, child, or partner), you are entitled to at least 3 days’ paid bereavement leave.
Changing Employers
Before you start work on the farm, your labour provider must clearly explain:
- How to request a transfer
- What happens after a request is made
They must not refuse a request without a good reason (examples given by the Home Office are: “visa will imminently expire and the duration of the necessary training requirements would make such a move impractical.”)
Health and Safety
Your employer must provide:
- Free health and safety training
- A named person to speak to about concerns
- Emergency procedures
- Clean drinking water
- Access to toilets, soap, towels or dryer
- Weather-appropriate clothing (raincoat, boots, gloves, etc.)
- Free protective gear if needed (e.g. helmets, goggles, hi-vis)
If you’re worried about health and safety, contact the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Employer Behaviour
Your employer must treat you fairly and respectfully. If not, you may be able to report them. Contact details for advice are at the end of this page.
Accommodation Rules
If your employer provides housing, it should be:
- Safe, clean, and in good repair
- Equipped with beds, curtains/blinds, heating
- Not overcrowded
- Properly ventilated
With working toilets, showers, and kitchen facilities - With gas and electrical safety checks displayed
- Same-sex sleeping unless family accommodation
Accommodation Charges
Only certain housing benefits can count toward your minimum wage. As of April 2025, deductions must not exceed £10.66 per day for accommodation (except houses).
Utility bills can only be deducted with written agreement.
Transport
If you are transported by your employer:
- Vehicles must be safe
- Drivers must be trained and licensed
Personal Safety
You have the right to feel safe at work and where you live. If you experience harassment, threats or violence, seek help immediately.
Human Trafficking and Exploitation
If you are forced to work, or if your documents or wages are taken from you, this is illegal. You can report this safely. Contact details are at the end of the page.
Trade Unions
You are legally allowed to join a trade union.Unite the Union supports agricultural workers – joining can give you access to legal advice and help if something goes wrong.
Healthcare
If you need medical care, you are eligible to use the free National Health Service during your stay. This includes accessing primary and emergency healthcare.
Where can I get more information about my rights on the Seasonal Worker Visa?
Call us free on 0800 058 1633.
Our helpline is open Tuesday-Friday: 1500-1900 & Saturday: 1100-1600. At all other times, leave a message and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
We speak Ukrainian, Russian, Lithuanian, Hungarian, Kurdish Kurmanji, Italian, French, Spanish and English – and we can arrange an interpreter if needed.
You can also email us at support@workersupportcentre.org.uk
I’m in the UK on a Seasonal Worker Visa. Do I need to pay to see a doctor?
In Scotland:
Migrant workers in Scotland can access free healthcare from the NHS.
- You may register as an NHS patient with a family doctor (called a General Practitioner or GP). This is free of charge, and interpreters can be arranged.
- The GP may ask for documents such as a visa, work contract or payslip.
- If you don’t have a fixed address, you can show your Access to Healthcare card to help register.
- Prescriptions from a GP are free in Scotland.
- Most healthcare is free, including primary care, hospital treatment, and emergency care. Dental and eye care may not be free.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland:
Migrant workers on the Seasonal Worker Visa can access:
- Primary care (e.g. GP appointments)
- Emergency care (e.g. Accident & Emergency)
These are free on the NHS.
You should register with a GP. No proof of visa status or address is required.
- In England, prescriptions cost £9.90 per item.
- In Wales and Northern Ireland, prescriptions are free.
Some services are always free, including:
- Emergency care
- Family planning
- Mental health treatment (under the Mental Health Act 1983)
- Treatment for communicable diseases like HIV, TB, and COVID-19
Secondary care (hospital treatment via referral) is not usually free and may require travel insurance. Your Scheme Operator may provide this insurance, but it may not cover everything. Check who is responsible for any remaining costs (called the “excess”).
I’m on a Seasonal Worker Visa – how do I change employer?
Your Scheme Operator (visa sponsor) must clearly explain how you can request to transfer to a different employer before you start work. This should include:
- The criteria for requesting a transfer
- The process for how your request will be considered
Scheme Operators should not refuse reasonable requests to change farms unless there are significant reasons.
If you have tried to change employers but are still having problems, contact us on 0800 0581 633 or support@workersupportcentre.org.uk
How can I access the Seasonal Worker Visa scheme?
Full details on how to apply are available on the UK Government website: gov.uk/seasonal-worker-visa
You can apply to work in:
- Horticulture (for up to 6 months)
- Poultry (between 18 October and 31 December)
You must apply through one of the approved labour providers:
Horticulture:
Poultry sector recruitment:
Emergencies – Police, Ambulance or Fire and Rescue
Interpreter available
Telephone: 999
Non-Emergencies – Police
Telephone: 101
Non-Emergency – Healthcare
Telephone: 111
Just Right Scotland (interpreter available)
Website: https://www.justrightscotland.org.uk
Scotland’s Citizens Advice (English language only)
Telephone: 0800 028 1456
Opening hours: Monday – Friday, 09:00–17:00
Website: https://www.cas.org.uk/bureaux
Scottish Agricultural Wages Enforcement Team (English language only)
Terms and Conditions for Agricultural Workers in Scotland
Telephone: 0131 244 9749 or 0131 244 9750
Opening hours: Monday – Friday, 09:00–17:00
Email: AWET@gov.scot
Rights of EU Citizens in Scotland (Available in English, Polish, Romanian, Lithuanian, Spanish, and Italian)
Website: https://justcitizens.scot/EU
Unite the Union Dundee (English language only)
Trade Union Membership
Telephone: 01382 227 369
Website: https://www.unitetheunion.org
Alternative trade union details: https://www.gov.uk/join-trade-union
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) (English language only)
Incident Contact Centre for reporting injuries
Telephone: 0345 300 9923
Opening hours: Monday – Friday, 08:30–17:00
Website: https://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/concerns.htm
Equality Advisory and Support Service (English language only)
Discrimination support
Telephone: 0808 800 0082
Opening hours: Monday – Friday: 09:00–19:00, Saturday: 10:00–14:00
Website: https://www.equalityadvisoryservice.com/
Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (interpreter available)
Telephone: 0800 432 0804
Email: intelligence@gla.gov.uk
Website: https://www.gla.gov.uk
Modern Slavery Helpline (interpreter available)
Human Trafficking and Exploitation
Telephone: 0800 0 121 700 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
Website: https://www.modernslaveryhelpline.org
Migrant Help (interpreter available)
Support for all adult victims of trafficking in Scotland, except females exploited for commercial sexual exploitation
Telephone: 0141 884 7900
Emergency number: 0141 212 8553
Email: Scotland@migranthelpuk.org
Website: https://www.migranthelpuk.org
Just Good Work
A free mobile app offering critical information and advice on living and working in the UK, available in multiple languages.
Website: https://justgood.work/