NFU frees seasonal workers from registration procedure

Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS) employees will not have to re-register to work on UK farms, thanks to the NFU.

The NFU believes it has persuaded the Home Office not to bring the SAWS scheme under forthcoming employment legislation governing new European Union nationals from May 1, 2004.

The new law would have made it compulsory for employees from eight of the countries joining the EU (the A8 countries*) to apply for a registration certificate when obtaining work in the UK.

Currently 25,000 workers, mainly from Eastern Europe, are employed under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme on UK farms and horticultural units. They are an invaluable part of our workforce, undertaking seasonal tasks ranging from packing produce to harvesting fruit and field vegetables.

NFU food and farming adviser in the East Midlands, Simon Fisher said: "Through our discussions with the Home Office, the NFU appears to have scored a victory in that SAWS employees are exempt from the registration requirements that apply to workers from the A8 countries."