UK Immigration
UK Sectors Based Scheme (SBS)
IMPORTANT:This scheme is currently only for Bulgarian and Romanian citizens.
What is the Sectors Based Scheme?
The scheme allows workers from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) to enter the United Kingdom to take short-term or casual jobs.Your UK employer must apply for a work permit for you before you travel to the United Kingdom.
This work is low skilled and jobs are only available in these sectors:
- the hospitality industry (hotel and catering work); and
- the food manufacturing industries (meat and fish processing and mushroom production only)
- Bar staff
- Chefs (at National Vocational Qualification level 2 and below)
- Cleaners (in staff canteens and restaurants only)
- Concierge staff
- Food service operatives (serving food)
- Housekeepers
- Kitchen assistants (preparing food, cleaning and general help)
- Room attendants
- Reception staff
- Waiting staff
- Fish filleters (preparing and cleaning fish)
- Fish packers (packing and labelling fish)
- Fish Process Operatives (operating, minding, cleaning machines that prepare fish)
- Animal gut remover
- Meat bone breaker
- Meat bone extractor
- Meat cold store operative
- Meat cutter
- Meat packer
- Meat process operatives
- Meat slaughter person
- Lairageman (pre-slaughter animal welfare attendant)
- Mushroom processor (tending, picking, grading and packing mushrooms)
What work conditions can I expect?
Your work permit shows the wages and hours you agreed when your employer offered you the job. You are entitled to the same wages and conditions your employer gives to people doing similar jobs. Your wage must be no lower than the National Minimum Wage. The law says how many hours you can work and what holiday you can have.How can I qualify for the scheme?
The scheme is open to all non-European Union nationals aged between 18 and 30.How long can I stay in the UK under the scheme?
You can get permission to work for up to 12 months. We expect you to leave the UK when your permission to stay is finished. You may apply to return under the scheme after two months outside the UK.Can I apply to stay in the United Kingdom for longer than it says on my work permit?
If there is work for you to do, you can apply to stay longer under the scheme, but only up to twelve months at the most. Your employer will need to apply to Work Permits UK for another work permit for you, and you will need to apply to the Home Office for permission to stay longer.Can I change my employer while I am in the UK?
You can move to another employer during the period of your Work Permit, but you can only stay in the UK up to a total of 12 months. The new job must be the same type of work that you are already doing. Your new employer must apply for a new work permit for you before you start work.If you leave your job and cannot find another job immediately, you must leave the UK as soon as possible.
