Every year, thousands of Africans and Asians pay agents ₦500,000 to ₦2 million for “UK farm work connections” — for a visa that is legally free to be recruited for. Under UK law, no recruitment fee can be charged to you. Not one naira, cedi, shilling or rupee.
Here is what the agents don’t want you to know: the UK Seasonal Worker visa can only be sponsored by seven licensed scheme operators approved by the UK Home Office and DEFRA. Not embassies. Not “travel consultants.” Not anyone on WhatsApp. Seven companies — and you can apply to them directly, online, for free.
In 2026, the UK government has allocated 42,900 Seasonal Worker visas: 41,000 for horticulture (fruit and vegetable farms) and 1,900 for poultry. The visa lasts up to 6 months, pays at least the UK minimum wage of about £12 per hour — experienced pickers on piece rates earn £15–£20/hr in peak season — and requires no university degree, no English test, and no work experience.
Use our International Salary Calculator to see what a 6-month UK farm season converts to in your currency.
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First: Are You Eligible? (Tick These 6)
- ☐ You are 18 or older with a valid passport
- ☐ You can show £1,270 in savings held for 28 days — OR your sponsor certifies they will maintain you for your first month (ask the operator; many do)
- ☐ You can pass a tuberculosis (TB) test if your country is on the UK testing list (Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and most of Africa/Asia are — the test costs about £65–£110 at an approved clinic)
- ☐ You are ready for physical outdoor work — picking, packing, planting
- ☐ You accept it is a 6-month visa: no dependants, no extension, no switching to another UK visa from inside the UK
- ☐ You have NOT been in the UK as a Seasonal Worker in the last 4 months (the new cooling-off rule for certificates issued from 11 November 2025)
If you ticked all six, you qualify to apply. There is no nationality restriction on this route — workers apply from every continent through the same process.
The Only 7 Companies That Can Sponsor You
These are the complete list of DEFRA-endorsed, Home Office-licensed scheme operators for 2026. If a company is not on this list, it cannot give you this visa — no matter what its website says.
Horticulture (fruit, vegetables, flowers — 41,000 visas)
| Scheme Operator | What They Recruit For | Where to Apply |
|---|---|---|
| Pro-Force | Berries, apples, vegetables, packhouses across England & Scotland | pro-force.co.uk |
| Concordia | Fruit farms, salad and vegetable growers nationwide | concordia.org.uk |
| Fruitful Jobs | Soft fruit, orchards, packing (also poultry) | fruitfuljobs.com |
| HOPS Labour Solutions | Fruit, veg, and horticulture placements UK-wide | hopslaboursolutions.com |
| Agri-HR | Horticulture and farm placements | agri-hr.com |
Poultry (2 October – 31 December only — 1,900 visas)
| Scheme Operator | What They Recruit For | Where to Apply |
|---|---|---|
| AG Recruitment | Seasonal poultry production (Christmas season) | agrecruitment.eu |
| Fruitful Jobs | Seasonal poultry roles | fruitfuljobs.com |
💡 Visa Tip: Poultry applications must be submitted by 15 November each year, and the work window is strictly 2 October to 31 December. Horticulture recruitment peaks between November and March for the following picking season — apply early; visas run out because the quota is capped.
What the Job Actually Pays
- Minimum: UK National Living Wage — around £12+ per hour in 2026, guaranteed by law with minimum weekly hours in your contract.
- Piece rates: fast pickers regularly earn £15–£20 per hour during peak berry season.
- A realistic 6-month season: roughly £10,000–£14,000 gross. Accommodation on the farm typically costs £80–£120 per week, deducted from wages.
- Your contract must be given to you in English AND your own language — that is a legal requirement of the scheme.
💡 Salary Tip: Six months at UK farm wages is more than many professionals earn in 3–4 years at home. But be honest with yourself about the work: 8–10 hour shifts, outdoors, physically demanding. Those who go prepared, save aggressively and return home with capital. Many use one season to fund a business — several of our readers fund the foodstuff export business this way.
How to Apply — Step by Step (Total Cost: Visa Fee Only)
- Register directly with 2–3 scheme operators from the tables above. Each has an online application or recruitment portal. Upload your passport data page and a simple CV (name, age, country, any farm/physical work experience, availability dates).
- Wait for a job offer + Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). The operator assigns your CoS — a reference number naming your farm, role, dates and pay. It is valid for 3 months.
- Book your TB test at a UK-approved clinic in your country (check the gov.uk approved clinic list).
- Apply online at gov.uk up to 3 months before your start date. Pay the visa fee — £340 (increased from £319 in April 2026). There is no health surcharge on this visa.
- Biometrics + decision: usually about 3 weeks.
- Fly. Your operator tells you the arrival arrangements. Keep their emergency welfare number — operators are legally responsible for your welfare in the UK.
The Scam Test (Read This Twice)
The UK operates the Employer Pays Principle on this route: it is illegal for anyone to charge you a recruitment fee, a “slot fee,” a “sponsorship fee” or a “visa processing fee” beyond the official £340 gov.uk visa fee and your own TB test.
So apply this test to anyone who contacts you:
- ❌ “Pay ₦800k and we’ll secure your UK farm slot” → Scam. Slots are not sold.
- ❌ “We are partners with the Home Office” → Scam. Only the 7 operators above hold licences.
- ❌ Payment to a personal bank account, or pressure to “pay before the quota finishes today” → Scam.
- ✅ You applied free on the operator’s own website, and the only money you ever pay is £340 to gov.uk and your TB clinic → Real.
Important Honesty Section (What This Visa Is NOT)
This visa does not lead to permanent residency, does not count toward UK settlement, does not allow family members, and cannot be extended or switched from inside the UK. Anyone selling it as a “relocation pathway” is lying to you. What it IS: a legal, free-to-access way to earn UK wages for 6 months, repeatable after a 4-month cooling-off period, with your rights protected by law.
Which operator are you applying to — and from which country? Drop it in the comments so others from your country can compare experiences. 👇
Also see:
- 40+ UK Companies Hiring Foreign Workers with Visa Sponsorship
- Canadian Farms with LMIA Approval Hiring Foreigners
- 65 New Zealand Companies Hiring in 2026
Facts in this article are drawn from UK Home Office and DEFRA published guidance for 2026 (quota: 42,900; visa fee £340 from 8 April 2026). Rules change — always confirm on gov.uk before applying.