Seasonal fruit picking jobs in the UK: visa, farms and pay
In the United Kingdom, seasonal fruit picking means harvesting strawberries, raspberries, cherries, apples or vegetables on farms in Kent, Herefordshire or Scotland, usually under the Seasonal Worker visa issued through a government-approved scheme operator acting as sponsor.
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Fruit picking in the UK in practice
The UK grows strawberries and raspberries under polytunnels, cherries, blueberries, apples, pears, vegetables and flowers. Harvesting is largely manual, with large teams paid by the hour or by piece rate and often housed in caravans on the farm.
Since Brexit, European workers no longer have automatic access. Farms therefore recruit UK residents, holders of EU Settlement Scheme status and, above all, workers arriving on the Seasonal Worker visa, whose numbers are capped each year by the government.
Picking regions
Kent, known as the Garden of England, concentrates strawberries, cherries and apples. Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire grow soft fruit under tunnels. East Anglia and Lincolnshire produce vegetables and flowers, while Angus and Perthshire in Scotland are famous for raspberries.
Harvest calendar
Tunnel-grown strawberries start as early as April and can continue until October. Cherries are picked in June and July, raspberries from June to September, apples and pears from late August to October. Cornish daffodils are harvested in winter.
A typical day
Pickers select ripe fruit, place it in graded punnets and carry it to the weighing station. Quality is checked continuously. Days often last eight to ten hours, with a pace that depends on the weather and on supermarket orders.
Who can pick fruit in the UK?
British and Irish citizens work freely. Europeans who arrived before 2021 and hold EU Settlement Scheme status keep their right to work. Everyone else, Europeans included, needs a visa: a visitor stay never allows paid picking.
The Seasonal Worker visa
This visa covers horticulture, meaning picking fruit, vegetables and flowers, and poultry work from 2 October to 31 December. It costs £340 and requires proof of savings and a certificate of sponsorship from an approved scheme operator.
Length of stay, quotas and operators
For horticulture, stays are limited to six months in any ten-month period. The 2026 quota is 41,000 horticulture visas and 1,900 for poultry. Approved operators include AGRI-HR, Concordia, Fruitful Jobs, HOPS Labour Solutions and Pro-Force.
What the visa does not allow
Holders may only do the job named on their certificate, with no second or permanent job. Family members cannot come as dependants. The Youth Mobility Scheme, open to certain nationalities, offers another route for people aged 18 to 30 or 35.
Pay and working conditions
Since April 2026, the National Living Wage is £12.71 an hour from age 21, £10.85 for ages 18 to 20 and £8.00 under 18. Seasonal Worker visa holders must receive at least £12.71 an hour.
Guaranteed hours and piece rates
The visa requires at least 32 paid hours a week. Piece rates are allowed, but each pay period must reach the legal minimum. Bonuses, overtime and allowances do not count towards the minimum hourly rate calculation.
| Item | 2026 amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Seasonal Worker visa fee | £340 | Paid by the worker |
| Certificate of sponsorship | £0 for the worker | No fee may be charged |
| Minimum wage (21 and over) | £12.71 per hour | Since April 2026 |
| Minimum paid hours | 32 hours per week | Visa requirement |
| Maximum housing deduction | £11.10 per day, £77.70 per week | Accommodation offset |
| Travel and medical check | Varies by country | Paid by the applicant |
Housing on the farm
Most pickers live in shared caravans or chalets on the farm. The amount that can be offset against minimum wage is capped at £11.10 per day. No advance payment for accommodation should be requested before arrival.
Safety and protection
Farms must provide free protective equipment, training and safe transport. Overseas agents must hold a Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority licence. A support line allows workers to raise problems that the employer has failed to resolve.
Steps to secure a picking job
The process differs depending on whether you already have the right to work in the UK or need the Seasonal Worker visa. In the second case, everything starts with an application to an approved scheme operator.
- Check your status: existing right to work, EU Settlement Scheme or visa required.
- Read the official list of approved scheme operators on GOV.UK.
- Apply directly on an operator’s website, never through a paid middleman.
- Pass the interview and receive the farm offer and certificate of sponsorship.
- Apply for the visa online, pay £340 and prove your savings.
- Enter the UK no earlier than 14 days before your start date.
- Check your first payslip: hours, rate and housing deduction.
Common mistakes and scams
Fake recruiters are multiplying on social media, especially in seasonal workers’ home countries. The UK government stresses that no operator sells visas or charges for the certificate of sponsorship, and that any such request is a scam.
- Paying an unlicensed agent for a farm placement.
- Paying for CV translation or a job reservation.
- Coming as a visitor hoping to find picking work locally.
- Accepting fewer than 32 paid hours a week without raising it.
- Working for a farm other than the one on your certificate.
- Paying accommodation costs in advance.
Frequently asked questions about UK picking
These answers reflect the rules in force in October 2026. Quotas, length-of-stay limits and wage rates are revised regularly, so always check the GOV.UK pages before submitting a visa application.
Can an EU citizen still pick fruit in the UK?
Yes, but only with EU Settlement Scheme status, another visa allowing work, or the Seasonal Worker visa obtained through an approved operator. An EU passport alone has not been enough since the end of the transition period.
How much can a picker earn in a season?
At £12.71 an hour and a minimum of 32 hours, gross pay exceeds £400 a week. Fast pickers on piece rates earn more, but income tax and accommodation reduce take-home pay.
Can you do two seasons in a row?
Yes, provided you respect the six-months-in-ten limit for horticulture. Recent changes make it easier for workers to return between seasons, but each stay requires a new certificate of sponsorship.
What should you do if there is a problem on the farm?
First contact the scheme operator that issued your certificate. If the problem continues, the seasonal worker support line and the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority can step in, especially in cases of exploitation.
Where to find these jobs
- GOV.UK – Seasonal work on farms — Government guidance for workers listing approved scheme operators, rights, permitted costs and common scams.
- NFU – Seasonal Worker Scheme latest — British farmers’ union tracking 2026 quotas, the five-year scheme extension and the new worker support line.
- GOV.UK – Find a job — Public job search service for England, Scotland and Wales, useful for applicants who already have the right to work.
Official and legal references
- GOV.UK – Seasonal Worker visa — Official Home Office page on the visa: horticulture, poultry, length of stay, the £340 fee and mandatory sponsorship.
- GOV.UK – Sponsor guidance for seasonal workers — Detailed rules: £12.71 an hour, 32 paid hours a week and a ban on charging workers extra fees.
- GOV.UK – Minimum wage rates — Official National Living Wage and age-band minimum wage rates in force since April 2026.