I am a worker

The GLAA exists to protect vulnerable workers from exploitation

If you are working in the UK fresh produce industry and you are:

• being treated unfairly
• not being paid properly- this includes National Minimum Wage and Holiday Pay
• not being allowed time off, or proper breaks
• not being provided with appropriate equipment to do your job
• being housed in unhygienic or unsafe accommodation
• being transported in unsafe vehicles
• being threatened with, or subjected to violence

...then the GLAA can help. Click on the links below for more information.

Overseas workers

The GLAA is the UK Government body responsible for licensing businesses that supply workers to the UK agriculture, horticulture, shellfish gathering and food processing and packaging sectors in the UK.  In order to supply workers into the UK into these sectors, a business must be licensed. Our Brief on ‘How Licensing Applies to Businesses Based Outside the UK’ provides further information: GLAA Brief 79 - How licensing applies to businesses outside of the UK - GLAA.

Some agencies and individuals pretend to be licenced by the GLAA when they are not. You can check if a company is licensed and if a licence is genuine, for free, by going to the online portal.

We have recently received several enquiries from overseas workers looking for work; however, as we are not a recruiter, we cannot provide any opportunities for work in these sectors.  If you are an overseas worker looking for work in the agriculture, horticulture, shellfish gathering and food processing and packaging sectors you will need to contact a GLAA licensed business to enquire about any opportunities they can offer.  You may find it useful to refer to our public register of licence holders Public Register (gla.gov.uk). 

If you have been approached by a recruiter and offered a job in the UK in the GLAA regulated sectors and asked to pay any fees to obtain that job you do not need to pay these.  You should not be asked to pay job finding fees to obtain a job in the GLAA regulated sectors.  If you have been asked to pay a job-finding fee in order to be given work in the UK, please contact us on our confidential reporting line 0800 432 0804, or email us at contact@gla.gov.uk to let us know. 

If you are considering looking for work on the UK in the agriculture, horticulture, shellfish gathering and food processing and packaging sectors, you must ensure you have the right to work in the UK.  You will find our Brief on Right to Work checks helpful: GLAA Brief - Right to work checks - June 2021 - GLAA.  If you are considering applying for a seasonal worker visa to undertake temporary work, you may find the following link useful Temporary Work - Seasonal Worker visa : Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

You may also find the Seasonal Workers page useful in learning about your rights as a worker in the UK and the Just Good Work app has guidance and advice for anyone looking for seasonal work in the UK.

Bartos was an exploited worker who called the GLAA for help. He tells his story on the video below.