Seasonal farm work in the UK on a Seasonal Worker visa: requirements, costs, pay and visa
Open Seasonal Worker visa
Open through official scheme operators: horticulture up to 6 months, poultry 2 October to 31 December. Poultry visas must be applied for by 15 November.
Status as of 7 October 2026 UK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK)
Summary
- The Seasonal Worker visa covers horticulture for up to 6 months, or poultry work from 2 October to 31 December.
- Only official scheme operators listed on GOV.UK can sponsor, and operators do not ask for money in exchange for a visa.
- There is no fee for the certificate of sponsorship; workers pay the visa fee and travel.
- Workers are paid at least the National Living Wage for at least 32 hours a week.
- Holders cannot bring family or take a second job.
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On this page
- What are the requirements?
- What does it cost and who pays?
- How much does it pay?
- Which visa is used?
- What are the steps?
- Which schools or training lead to the United Kingdom?
- How can you make sure a UK farm recruiter is genuine?
- What are the warning signs of offers to the United Kingdom through this route?
| Route | Run by | Official link | Who pays placement costs | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonal Worker visa Seasonal Worker visa | Independent PMI (no agency), legal-entity employer; Through a licensed P3MI agency | Official source | Through a P3MI, the employer bears placement costs; worker costs must be written and itemised in the Placement Agreement. Independent applications follow this route’s specific cost rules. See the cost rules | Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) |
See this route in the comparison table
What do you need to work in the United Kingdom through Seasonal Worker visa?
Placement channels from Indonesia for working in the United Kingdom through Seasonal Worker visa: Independent PMI (no agency), legal-entity employer; Through a licensed P3MI agency. Age limits: at least 18 years.
- Placement channels from Indonesia
- Independent PMI (no agency), legal-entity employer; Through a licensed P3MI agency An independent migrant worker goes without an agency, only to a legal-entity employer, and must report to the labour office and the Indonesian mission. This is not the same as an individual employer (a household), or an individual who places migrant workers, which is banned.
- Age
- at least 18 years
- Job types
- Horticulture: planting, picking and packing fruit, vegetables or flowers, Poultry (2 October to 31 December)
What does working in the United Kingdom through Seasonal Worker visa cost, and who pays?
For placement through a P3MI on the Seasonal Worker visa route to the United Kingdom, the employer bears placement costs; any costs charged to the worker must be written and itemised in the Placement Agreement. Independent applications follow the route-specific cost rules below.
- Law 18/2017 Article 30(1): Indonesian migrant workers may not be charged placement costs. Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)
- Ministerial Regulation P2MI 17/2025: the employer bears placement costs. A worker may be charged only costs that are written and itemised in the Placement Agreement. Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)
- Any request for money outside that document, in cash or to a personal account, is a red flag.
Cost rules for this route
- Sponsorship: There is no fee for the certificate of sponsorship, and scheme operators do not ask for money in exchange for a visa. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (GOV.UK)
- Visa and travel: According to the UK government, workers pay the visa fee and travel; in some countries also a criminal record check, medical certificate, visa appointment and biometrics. Any other payment request, such as CV translation, is a scam. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (GOV.UK)
- If you leave through a P3MI: The work visa and tickets are placement cost components that Ministerial Regulation P2MI 17/2025 Article 2(6) puts on the employer. An exception is lawful only if Article 3 allows it and it is written in the Placement Agreement. Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)
- Accommodation: Employer accommodation has a legally capped charge, and you should not be asked to pay for accommodation in advance. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (GOV.UK)
What is the minimum pay for working in the United Kingdom through Seasonal Worker visa?
The official pay floor for the Seasonal Worker visa route in the United Kingdom is GBP 12.71 per hour, in force from 1 April 2026 (HM Government (GOV.UK)). This is the legal minimum in the United Kingdom, not an offered wage.
| Area or group | Official floor | Approximate rupiah value |
|---|---|---|
| UK, aged 21 and over Applies to: National Living Wage, the hourly minimum for workers aged 21 and over | GBP 12.71 per hour In force from | about IDR 300,851 rate as of 8 October 2026 |
Which visa do you need to work in the United Kingdom through Seasonal Worker visa?
Seasonal Worker visa: Seasonal work visa for up to 6 months in horticulture, or 2 October to 31 December for poultry; family cannot come. Official source
What are the steps to work in the United Kingdom through Seasonal Worker visa?
- Apply only through an official scheme operator listed on GOV.UK, and check its recruiting agents on the operator's own website.
- If accepted, the operator gives you a certificate of sponsorship (CoS) number that is valid for three months and can be used once.
- Prepare the required maintenance funds, or ask the operator to certify your first month's costs on the CoS, then apply online.
- Make sure your departure is recorded: through an active P3MI if an agency in Indonesia is involved, or report as an independent migrant worker under Law 18/2017 Article 63.
- You may enter the UK up to 14 days before your start date, and you may not take a second job.
The order and timings are editor estimates, not promises.
Which schools or training lead to the United Kingdom?
The education and training routes linked to working in the United Kingdom through Seasonal Worker visa: Vocational high school (SMK) in Indonesia, Language tests for working abroad.
How can you make sure a UK farm recruiter is genuine?
According to UK government guidance, only the scheme operators listed on GOV.UK can sponsor Seasonal Workers. Operators may use agents in your country, but those agents must be listed on the operator's website and licensed by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA). Contact the operator through the details on its official website if you are unsure. In Indonesia, any company recruiting migrant workers must be an active P3MI on SISKOP2MI.
What are the warning signs of offers to the United Kingdom through this route?
- A UK farm job offer arrives through WhatsApp, Telegram or a personal account. According to GOV.UK, scheme operators do not send offers that way.
- An agent not listed on a scheme operator's website, or not licensed by the GLAA, asks you for money.
- You are asked to pay an agent a 'visa fee', a sponsorship fee, or other charges such as CV translation.Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (GOV.UK)
- The agency in Indonesia is not listed as an active P3MI on SISKOP2MI, or appears on the list of P3MI under administrative sanctions.KP2MI/BP2MI (SISKOP2MI)
- You are asked for cash or a transfer to a personal account that is not written and itemised in the Placement Agreement.Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)
How to check a P3MI agency in 5 steps Learn the signs of trafficking through job offers
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Ministry for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (KP2MI)
Overseas recruitment, illegal agents and migrant-worker protection
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Peduli WNI (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
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+62-812-9007-0027WhatsApp +62-812-9007-0027 peduliwni.kemlu.go.id
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Not legal advice. Always check SISKOP2MI before you sign up.
Frequently asked questions
Who are the Seasonal Worker scheme operators?
As of 7 October 2026, GOV.UK lists AGRI-HR, Concordia (UK) Ltd, Fruitful Jobs, HOPS Labour Solutions Ltd, Pro-Force Limited and RE Recruitment (poultry workers only). The list can change, so check the official page before you apply.
Can I bring my family on a Seasonal Worker visa?
No. According to GOV.UK, Seasonal Worker visa holders cannot bring family members, take a permanent or second job, or get public funds.
Who wrote and reviewed this page?
Sources
The facts on this page come from these sources. Dates show when we opened them.
- Seasonal Worker visa (GOV.UK) UK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK) · accessed
- Seasonal work on farms: guidance for workers (GOV.UK) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (GOV.UK) · accessed
- SISKOP2MI: Profil Lembaga P3MI, detail dan daftar sanksi administratif KP2MI/BP2MI (SISKOP2MI) · accessed
- Undang-Undang Nomor 18 Tahun 2017 tentang Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · UU 18/2017 · accessed
- Peraturan Menteri P2MI/Kepala BP2MI Nomor 17 Tahun 2025 tentang Biaya Penempatan Pekerja Migran Indonesia Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · Permen P2MI 17/2025 · accessed
- National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates (GOV.UK) HM Government (GOV.UK) · accessed
How to cite
KarirAman (2026). Seasonal farm work in the UK on a Seasonal Worker visa: requirements, costs, pay and visa. Updated 8 October 2026. https://kariraman.com/en/work-abroad/united-kingdom/seasonal-worker-visa/
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Change log
- : Matched the UK government's visa and travel cost rule with Indonesia's placement cost rules for departures through a P3MI.