Are you interested in working in the UK through HOPS?

HOPS Programmes

SAWS – Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme

Many of the participants participating in the scheme are studying agriculture providing them with a background in the work they will be doing. The SAWS Operates all year round and participants may work in the UK for a maximum of 6 months (26 weeks) in any agricultural occupation as long as the work is seasonal.

SAWS is currently being modified to accommodate participants and non–students from Romania & Bulgaria who are EU nationals from 1st January 2007, but only have the right to UK employment if they have been issued with a work card from a SAWS operator.

The primary motivation of participants joining the scheme is to earn money in an area of work that is relevant to their studies. The participants have a good reputation for being hard working and flexible with most prepared to work long hours to maximise their earnings.

The SAWS is managed by Work Permits (UK), part of the Home Office. Work Permits (UK) contracts with a number of organisations known as Operators to administer the scheme on its behalf. Operators issue work permits on behalf of the Home Office to eligible SAWS participants to enable them to be legally employed in the UK and obtain UK entry visas.

The definition of a full-time student under SAWS:

The course of study is at a publicly funded institution of further or higher education or a bona fide private education institution which maintains satisfactory records of enrolment and attendance.
The person is aged 18 or over
The period of participation on the SAWS is to take place after the official start date, and before the official end date, of the course of study, as defined by the educational institution. Individual’s in-between courses of study, for example, following completion of study for 'A' levels or their equivalent, and the start of a university course, are not eligible. However, time taken by students in the form of, for example, extended holiday periods, are permitted, provided participation is within the official period of the course of study and agreement is gained from the educational institution.

SWP – Seasonal Workers Programme

The Seasonal Workers Programme has been established by HOPS to enable nationals of the European Union, particularly those of the new EU states (excluding Romania & Bulgaria), to seek employment, usually seasonal, in the agricultural industry. These participants were eligible to participate in SAWS until the recent EU expansion. The programme is built on the principles of the SAWS in terms of being marketed especially at students (studying agriculture) who must undertake practical experience working in agriculture as part of their studies and enabling these students to form part of the seasonal labour force of UK farmers and growers.

SAWS and SWP work is low skilled and includes:

planting and gathering crops;
on-farm processing and packing of crops (for example, salad vegetables, soft fruit, and flowers); and
handling livestock (for example, milking cows, lambing and on-farm poultry processing).

You should be paid at least the national minimum wage for the work. You are also covered by the Agricultural Wages Order. Further information can be found by visiting the following websites:

England & Wales: Defra - Agricultural Wages

Scotland: Scottish Executive - Agricultural Wages

Northern Ireland: DARD - Agricultural Wages Board

How do I qualify for the programmes?

SAWS Applicants from new EU countries – Bulgaria and Romania (A2)

You must be either a Romanian or Bulgarian national
You must be 18 years of age or over
You will need to have a work card issued by an approved SAWS Operator
Open to all eligible workers (not just students)
Work is restricted to the farm for which work card is issued
There is a maximum stay of six months. You may participate in the scheme on more than one occasion provided there is a break of three months.

SWP Applicants from EU countries (A8)

You must be 18 years of age or over
Open to all eligible workers (not just students)
You must be able to come and stay in the UK for at least 5 weeks

How do I apply to join?

HOPS accepts individual applicants in the month of October, therefore all places for 2007 have been allocated.

HOPS recruits SAWS and SWP participants through appointed Recruitment Partners (Universities & Companies), whose role is:

to promote HOPS programmes to potential participants
to support the participants during the application process
to provide each applicant with information
to be the first point of contact during application process and alternative point of
contact during the participation

As the Operator of the SAWS and SWP, HOPS mainly recruits its participants directly from academic institutions with agricultural/horticultural faculties. Once the student applications have been processed, if accepted, HOPS places the participants on one of the registered farms for a period of up to 26 weeks (6 months) in the case of the SAWS and for any period in the case of SWP.

To learn more and to apply please contact our Recruiting Partners in your country of residence: