Work in the uk
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We would like to warn you against the activities of various individuals or pseudo-agencies which claim to be cooperating with Ośrodek-HR & Fruitfuljobs in preparing documents, visa application forms as well as extension and issuance of T5 visa for which they charge various amounts of money. Ośrodek-HR do not operate and do not have any authorized representatives in the territory of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, or Ukraine! All such individuals who claim to be cooperating with Ośrodek HR are working ILLEGALLY!!!
The current cost of the visa is £298 and £76.50 for the TLS visit where applicants leave their passport and have fingerprints taken (the fee at TLS does not apply to EU citizens). Neither Fruitfuljobs nor Ośrodek-HR charge any job finding fees - your only cost is Tier 5 Seasonal Worker visa and transport to and from the UK. If you have any questions, please send us an email at info@osrodek-hr.com
Work and earn in UK
ABOUT SEASONAL WORKER SCHEME IN UNITED KINGDOM
Seasonal Worker schemes in the UK have existed since 1945 and currently candidates wanting to work in horticulture must apply through scheme operators who are their visa sponsors.
Work placements are offered throughout the year with contracts available up to 6 months depending on the type of crops (in some cases actual contracts on certain farms might be less than 6 months).
Most farms are located in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland and the nature of work may vary depending on the farm (vegetable, fruit, flower farm etc.) Jobs mainly include picking fruit & vegetables in the fields, tunnels or greenhouses as well as other general farm work such as planting, weeding etc.
Please note that working on UK farms should not be seen as a form of holiday or sightseeing. Candidates should be prepared to take up hard manual jobs in various weather conditions.
JOB REQUIREMENTS FOR CANDIDATES
Picking fruit/vegetable and general farm work can be performed by both men and women who are in good health (physical and mental). UK farmers are looking for fit and motivated individuals who are flexible about various tasks to be performed on a farm (mainly harvesting, but also weeding, planting, cleaning etc.). You can apply, if:
- you are physically fit to pick fruit/vegetables – the job involves working with your hands/fingers, bending, walking, lifting and moving etc.
- you are target oriented and motivated (majority of work contains standard and target to be achieved, set individually or as a group);
- you are adaptable and flexible – everyone must be prepared to pick fruit/vegetables and work shifts, you CANNOT choose your job after arrival;
- you are comfortable speaking English or Russian;
- you can listen and follow instructions received;
- you are respectful towards co-workers, supervisors and people of different culture, religion and nationality;
- previous experience in agriculture is a plus.
Please note that due to weather conditions or other reasons beyond Ośrodek HR & Fruitfuljobs control, the place of work/employer may change at short notice before departure or during you stay.
Please remember that the number of hours is not constant during the week and depends on weather conditions and state of crops (UK farmers guarantee minimum 32 hours per week). Please note that a six-month visa does not guarantee permanent employment for the entire duration of the visa – this means that depending on the season/employer the actual employment period can last for example 4-5 months.
Wage and work expectations
The rate of pay includes a basic productivity and quality target to be achieved, set individually or as a group. Many farms pay a bonus if you perform above these standards. However, you will not earn less than 11.44 GBP gross per hour (before tax) as of April 2024.
Again, you should be flexible about the level of your weekly wages as the final amount will depend on the actual number of works worked, your productivity and type of job. Variations in earnings should also be expected based on previous job experience, suitability and worker’s engagement – candidates with little or no experience should be aware it may take them up to several weeks to get up the required speed and achieve the required level of productivity. From your gross wages workers have national insurance & tax deducted and cost of accommodation resulting in average monthly salary net/”in hand” of 1300-1500 GBP (about 1300-1800 USD).
Below please see sample jobs based on seasons:
Winter
Spring
Summer
Autumn
All year
Accommodation facilities
Workers are mainly accommodated on farms in caravans consisting of one living room and two-three bedrooms sleeping two people. Some employers arrange accommodation in houses or buildings with rooms equipped, in some cases, with bunk beds. Kitchens, bathrooms/toilets can be either in caravans or in separate buildings. Please remember that this is a campsite standard and you are coming to a farm, not a hotel.
Accommodation rent varies from farm to farm, but the average weekly cost is between 65-80 GBP per week. This cost is deducted from weekly wages, not in advance.
Travel Insurance details
Fruitfuljobs provides each worker with a comprehensive travel emergency insurance policy that covers hospital treatment and repatriation expenses to home country. Before the trip, all workers are required to familiarize themselves with the terms of the insurance policy and the general conditions of insurance such as what constitutes an insured event, main exclusions etc.
Income TAX and National Insurance
In the UK a seasonal worker is employed and insured in the same way as a UK citizen and pays tax and national insurance as required by law. The UK tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April each year. The tax-free amount for 2024/25 is £12,570, which is the amount of income workers don’t have to pay tax on and any advance income tax payments are refundable.
More information is available on https://www.gov.uk/income-tax-rates
More information on National Insurance contributions is available on https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance-rates-letters
In your free time explore UK
Visa and Travel costs
As part of the Seasonal Worker scheme each worker covers the cost of visa (sponsored by Fruitfuljobs) and transport (return plane ticket):
- All workers can apply and pay for the visa application themselves or ask Osrodek HR to make an application on their behalf. If you do it via Osrodek, the visa fee is approximately 520 Euros and includes:
- 410 EUR (visa fee, processing fee, currency conversion and VAT) + card payment fee
- 95 EUR (TLS fee, processing fee, currency conversation and VAT) + card payment fee – at TLS office workers’ fingerprints are taken and a passport is left for a visa to be pasted in (this does not apply to citizens of the European Union or certain locations where visa applications are made e.g. Almaty, Kazakhstan or Istanbul, Turkey).
- All workers are required to follow travel instructions received from Fruitfuljobs and the employer. Everyone must buy a return ticket with the arrival date first confirmed by Fruitfuljobs/Osrodek HR. Before traveling, workers should have the following amounts with them:
- A recommended amount of £200 in cash/on your card (this should last until your first paycheck, which will be paid at the end of your second week of work).
- A recommended amount of £100 for travel from an airport to a farm (if you are not collected by bus organized by an employer).
Please do not use or pay any fees to various individuals or agencies promising you a visa to the UK!
Recruitment stages
1. stage
Applicants interested in participating in the Seasonal Worker scheme in the UK must apply via Osrodek HR website – there is no other way to apply. Please note that sending an application does not guarantee a job interview. Again, please do not use any agencies or individuals who claim they are working with Osrodek HR or will help you with the recruitment or visa process.
2. stage
Osrodek HR reserves the right to contact chosen candidates only for vacancies available throughout the year. You will be contacted via email or phone (Whatsapp) and asked to provide further details before you are invited to an interview.
3. stage
After a successful interview you will be asked to provide a criminal check and other documents before applying for a visa. Please note that the visa application process may last from 3 to 6 weeks and the visa is issued by the British Home Office, not Fruitfuljobs or Osrodek HR.
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