How do I employ a Bulgarian or Romanian worker through the Sectors Based Scheme?

This page explains the requirements you need to meet to employ a Bulgarian or Romanian national under the Sectors Based Scheme (SBS).

The information on this page is aimed at employers wanting to recruit workers under the SBS. If you are a Bulgarian or Romanian national wanting to work in the United Kingdom under the SBS you need a potential employer to make an application on your behalf.

Once we have issued a SBS letter of approval the worker needs to apply for an accession worker card. This application should be made using application form BR3. Details of how the worker can make their application can be found in the section for Bulgarian and Romanian nationals.

The SBS for Bulgarian and Romanian nationals only covers the food manufacturing sector. If the potential employee will not be working within this sector he/she will not qualify under the SBS.

Applications under the SBS must be made for a specific individual to be employed in a specific role. If the application is successful the employee will only be able to take up the role the letter of approval was issued for, he/she will not be able to take a different job or work for a different employer.

Before you make an application under the SBS you should read the 'Sectors Based Scheme (Bulgarian and Romanian nationals only) - Guidance note for employers'. This guidance note can be downloaded from the right side of this page.

Basic requirements

The basic requirements for employment under the SBS are:

• the individual will be aged between 18 and 30 at the time the application is made; and
• the individual is a Bulgarian or Romanian national; and
• the post on offer is within the food manufacturing sector; and
• the quota for the work you are recruiting for has not been exhausted; and
• the post on offer is covered by the SBS; and
• the individual will be working full-time (at least 30 hours per week).

This is not an exhaustive list. For full requirement details, please read the relevant guidance notes (Sectors Based Scheme - Bulgarian and Romanian Nationals only), which can be downloaded from the right hand side of this page.

Posts covered by the SBS

The SBS can only be used to fill vacancies for certain posts within the food manufacturing sector. Details of the posts covered are below. If the worker will undertake retail activities such as serving customers they will not be eligible for the SBS.

Fish processing

• fish filleters - prepare, clean, cut fish for processing;
• fish packers - pack, wrap, label, seal fish for distribution and sale;
• fish process operatives - operate, mind and clean machines that prepare fish.

The processing of shellfish is covered in the above job descriptions.

Meat processing

• animal gut remover;
• meat bone breaker;
• meat bone extractor;
• meat cold store operator;
• meat cutter;
• meat packer;
• meat process operatives;
• meat slaughterer;
• lairageman - pre-slaughter animal welfare attendant;
• trimmer - trim fat from and shape meat after it has been boned and cut.

Mushroom processing

Mushroom processor - tend growing crops, pick, grade and pack mushrooms for distribution and sale.

The SBS quota

Revised allocation of the overall quota between the meat, fish and mushroom industry.

The overall SBS quota for 2008 is 3500. The current split is

• Meat 2100
• Fish 600
• Mushroom 800

With immediate effect the new allocation will be

• Meat 1945
• Fish 555
• Mushroom 1000

The overall SBS quota remains unchanged.

The full SBS requirements

If the worker you want to employ and the post you need to fill meet the basic requirements above you should read the full SBS requirements below. In order to make a successful application under the SBS you must show that:

• you are a UK-based employer; and
• the individual will be your employee; and
• there is a genuine vacancy for the individual. The post must not have been created for the purpose of recruiting the individual; and
• you are responsible for the post; and
• the gross pay and conditions of employment will equal or exceed those normally given to a resident worker doing similar work; and
• the employment complies with United Kingdom legislation and any requirements for registration or licensing; and
• the individual is suitably qualified or experienced to do the job on offer; and
• you will provide the individual with suitable accommodation; and
• there are no suitably qualified or experienced residence workers available; and
• where the individual will be working at a client's address, you are providing a service and not just personnel - we may need to see a contract.

Information about the evidence you need to supply to support your application can be found on the applying page.