Quota for Bulgarians and Romanians in food-manufacturing

The quota for the Sectors Based Scheme Food Manufacturing sector, has been set at 3,500 permits and is subdivided between the sectors as follows:
- 600 permits in Fish Processing
- 2,100 in Meat Processing
- 800 in Mushroom Processing.

The quota can only be filled by Bulgarian and Romanian nationals. When those two countries joined the European Union on 1 January 2007 the UK placed restrictions on the opportunities for their nationals to work for UK employers. In general the UK only gave Bulgarians and Romanians opportunities to work where these opportunities existed for them before they joined the European Union, and exist for non-EU nationals. There are few opportunities for 'low-skilled' migrants to come to the UK. Besides opportunities for au pairs and domestic workers, the Sectors-Based scheme and seasonal agricultural work are the main areas. Under European law, the UK cannot treat Bulgarians and Romanians less favourably than it did before those countries joined the European Union. Therefore it has reserved places on the scheme for nationals of these countries. This means that no places will be available under the scheme to nationals of non-EU countries.