Frequently Asked Questions

Who can take part in the SAWS programme in the UK?
Students or young people who have passport or identity card that are valid till the end of their stay in UK.

Who can take part in the SWEP programme in the UK?-Agricultural/horticultural students who have passport or identity card that are valid till the end of their stay in UK and who have at least intermediate level of their English language.

What is the difference between SAWS and SWEP?-For more information please, visit New Programmes.

How can you apply for the programme?

There are two ways:

1. You can send your documents by post to our address. The set of documents should include:
- Application form - you can download it from our web-site and fill it in.
- Certificate from your university stating that you are a student /the young people who are not students do not need this certificate/
- One passport photo

2. You can come in our office in Sofia and you have to bring:
- Certificate from your university stating that you are a student /the young people who are not students do not need this certificate/
- One passport photo

For applicants who are without one or both parents it is important to bring copy of the death certificate.
The set of documents is added to our database and given an incoming number. Using this number we set the date for interview for each applicant. The interview is held in our office.

Is there a fee to apply or for the interview?
No, there is not. Both, application and interview, are free of charge.

Is there an interview at the British Embassy?
No, there is not. The applicants for the SAWS programme do not have interview at the British Embassy.

Do we need passport for our participation in the programmes organized by Concordia?-The passport is not obligatory. The applicants can travel only with identity card.

Can I work at another job in UK?
No, you cannot. The work permit you get gives you the right to work only in the farm which Concordia has issued your work permit for. You can go and work in another farm only if Concordia itself has decided to transfer you there for objective reasons. This process is coordinated between the farms and Concordia. It is not your own decision.

What do I need for the interview?
You need your passport or identity card and your student book with the last certified term. /the young people who are not students do not need this certificate/

Can I change the date for my interview?
Yes, you can in case you have well-founded reason. To change the date you need to call at our office, to tell your incoming number and the new date for your interview.

Who are the people who have privileges?
These are applicants who are without one or both parents, who have presented the needed documents and have passed their interview. Also the applicants who applied in a previous year and were approved but did not succeed in taking part in the programme.

What is the length of the Programme?
It is different for every participant and is written in the job offer. The maximum period of time that you can stay and work in UK is six months, and the minimum is five weeks.

Can I extend my work permit, if my work period is less than six months?
Yes, you can. If there is work at your farm and your employer is ready to provide you with more work. This happens in case you have acted as a serious and reliable worker ,or you can be transferred to another farm . The procedure is free and is done by Concordia.

Can I come back home earlier and what will the consequence be if I break my contract?
In case you decide to break your contract for no reason, you will lose your right to take part in the programme organized by Concordia in the future.

What if I have a complaint or if I am not pleased with anything at the farm?
The first thing you have to do is to call in our office and explain your complaint to us. We are the people who will understand your problem and will give you the right advice. Do it yourself because you are the people who can give the answers to all of our questions. Do not use your parents or acquaintances as your mediators.

Do I have any insurance?
All members of Concordia have insurance which is valid for one year.

What documents do I need when I leave for UK?

1. Work permit

2. Passport or identity card

3. Letter from Concordia

4. Medical certificate

5. University certificate

6. Plane or bus ticket

7. Information about the farm you are going to

8. Two passport photos

9. Medical insurance

10. Tax and salary information for SAWS students

11. Health and Safety Information for SAWS students

12. Free telephone card

13. YSP business card

How much does the programme cost? For more information please, visit Expenses.

Can I participate in the programme organized by Concordia without applying through an agent in Bulgaria?
No, you cannot. You can participate only if you apply through the authorized agents of Concordia.

Can I find a second job?
No, you can not. You do not have the right to work at another place except the farm for which you have an issued work permit.

What happens if I am not approved for the month I am applying for?
You participate automatically for the next months.

How many kilograms can my luggage weigh?
If you travel by plane you will receive this information at the plane agency as well as all the information you need about the flight.

Can I take food and medicines?
It is allowed to take essential medicines that are prescribed to you and is necessary to take. It is not recommended to take food that is not ready-packed.

How am I going to fly - alone or with a group of people? Will anyone wait for me at the airport?
All of our participants have plane ticket reservations and use preferential price for round trip ticket. The aim of this is all participants from one and the same farm to travel together. Every one of them can choose the way he wants to travel and in case you do not travel with other participants from the farm you must be sure to arrive for work on the appointed day without being late. If the participant is not in the farm on time, the employer informs the Home Office in UK. The way that he/she should travel and the telephones of the farms are written in the information about the farm and everyone of the students knows these details before leaving for UK.

How can I get more information about the farm I am going to work at?
Every approved applicant who participates in the programme organized by Concordia receives all the information about the living conditions in the farm, his work period, the type of work, the rates of pay, the group of people he is going to travel with, etc. This information can be received only from an agent of Concordia and is from the data base of the organization.

How am I going to work-is it time or piece work? Who determines that?
How you are going to work and how you are going to be paid is determined by the farmer, the type of work and the season. Usually during the summer the participants work on piece work, which means that the faster you manage with the work, the more you are paid.

How am I going to be paid?
At the end of every week you receive a pay-slip where are written the hours you have worked, the money you have earned and the deductions for tax and accommodation for this week. This money is sent to your bank account which the farmer has opened for you at the time of your arrival. There are a few farms where the students are paid at the end of each month. Having a bank account avoids the payments in cash and protects from stealing.

Do I have to open my own bank account in a Bulgarian bank?
Yes, you do. In order to transfer the money you earn in UK, it is necessary to open your own bank account in GBP in Bulgaria.

What clothes should I take when leaving for UK?
You need to have warm working clothes, waterproof, Wellingtons .We advise you to have your own sleeping bag, pillow and sheets.

What other fees will I have to pay at the farm?
The farms can deduct the following fees: accommodation, electricity, gas, transport, damage deposit .These fees are stopped from your wages and are listed on your pay-slip. For more information: Concordia

How does the interview pass?
The interviews are held in our office by an English teacher and a representative of our company. They are from 9:00 till 12:30 every day from Monday till Friday. It is a kind of acquaintance at which every student has to present himself: his personal motivation for participation in the programme, the level of the English language, future plans, any other certificates-driving license, English courses, agricultural courses. We discuss the regularity of the set of documents. The student points the month he is applying for and the person he is applying with-brother, sister, friends, group of students. The interview is oral and is free of charge.

What should I expect after the interview?
Every quota that comes from UK has special requirements to the students, for example: girls/boys; the level of the English language; driving license with C or D categories for the boys etc. When the quota for the month you are applying arrives and you suit all the requirements stated and you have passed successfully your interview you receive a call with a job offer that includes detailed information about your stay in UK. You have the right to accept or to refuse the offer .If you are not approved for the month you are applying for , you automatically continue your participation for the following months. If the participant is approved and is the appropriate one for the job offer he can receive a call earlier or later than the pointed month.

What are the advantages of the brigades?

• Get valuable work experience on a UK Farm
• Develop new skills and learn modern farming technologies
• Improve your English and learn about British life
• Meet and get to know other students
• Build up your character and personality
• Chance to visit UK and the near situated countries
• Earn money
• Gain United Kingdom educational qualifications and accreditation for practical training, leading to the UK Certificate in Agriculture and Horticulture by the SWEP programme, that can be useful for you in the future

What taxes will I pay? Once you have earned 6035 pound you start paying taxes. NI (National Insurance) - The SAWS students have to pay NI tax – at 11% for every weekly income over 105.00 pounds.

How can I get my taxes back ? - You can get your taxes back with our help when you return in Bulgaria .

What taxes can I get back ? – You can not get back the NI Tax.You can only get back part of your pay tax .

What part of the taxes can I get back ? – Earnings over 6035 are charged at 20% .You can get back only the overpaid amount of taxes .

What is the minimum rate of pay in the Farms in UK ? - From 01 October 2008 the minimum rate of pay for people who work on a UK Farm is 5.73 pounds per hour, the over time is 8.60 pounds per hour.

Note: We hope these answers have been useful and have helped you. If we have missed something which is important to you please write us on our e-mail address: ukbrigade@abv.bg. You will receive a complete and competent answer to all your questions.