Today BusinessTimes publishes the latest story about seasonal work abroad. In our the following materials you can read about the countries where it is best for Russians to go for seasonal work, about visa issues related to this type of income, as well as about possible options for seasonal employment.

My story began in the Czech Republic, in Prague. I was looking for some work for the summer in Prague, but I couldn't find anything. And then I came up with the idea to look for work in some other country. I decided to travel and work in New Zealand. Why exactly there? Because one day, when I was little, I met people in the Czech Republic who emigrated to New Zealand during the communist era in our country, and they told me that New Zealand is a great country for hiking. I really enjoy this type of travel, and besides, I heard that there are many opportunities to find seasonal work in New Zealand. All these reasons together pushed me to make my dreams come true.

I started looking for information about the country and travel there, found out where and how I can get a visa and work permit. I found all the information on the Internet. The first step was to get a visa. The student agency helped me get a visa and buy tickets. I arrived in Auckland at the end of October.

I spent two days in Oakland getting my tax number and opening a bank account. Then I went to Taupo for a day and then went to Hastings. There were so many tourists there that I could not book any accommodation in this city. Had trouble finding an overnight stay but finally found one, albeit only for one night. The next day I went to information Center and they helped me find accommodation in Napier, because Hastings was really crowded.

When I first arrived in Hasting, I read that there was an opportunity to get a job in the apple orchards picking apples. This work usually starts in November, but people told me that this year there was a frosty winter and the apple picking work will start later. I was told the same thing at Napier. Then I decided that traveling is better than waiting for work. A couple of days later I went to the Mahia peninsula, with two other guys from the Czech Republic.

I met these guys on the bus. And then we went together to Lake Waikaremoana. Very necessary information was given to us at the job search office in Whakatane. Their employee told us important things - and we went to TePuke to pick kiwi flowers there. We worked for a whole week in the kiwi tree garden. After this job, we went to Taupo to find something better, like housekeeping. It so happened that our first employer promised to send a salary to our bank accounts on the very next Wednesday, but did not send it. I spent about NZ$30 to call him, but all he said was "sorry, I always forget".

I decided to solve this problem through the Department of Labor - but I never received the money. Then I spent another week in Taupo asking everyone about work. All attempts to get settled failed. The most interesting adventure of those days was a trip around Lake Taupo and the road through a flock of sheep to one farm - but at that moment there was no work for men. In early December, I returned to Hastings and registered with the seasonal worker's office.

And just two hours later I received a text message with a phone in Thornhill, and so began my work in the vineyards. The vineyard had to be lifted and tied with wire. Between Christmas and New Year I went to Tongario on a hiking trip. After the New Year there was again no work, but then the French, whom I met in the vineyards, suggested me a job in a kiwi garden near Cleve. The kiwi harvest was just beginning - but it lasted only five days. Then I worked in a plum orchard picking plums for two weeks. Since January 28, I and another friend of mine have been unemployed, trying to find something every day. But now it is not very easy, because the apple picking season will only start in mid-February.

Work in other countries is considered in a simple way earn a certain amount over the summer, which can then be spent profitably in Russia and the CIS countries. Indeed, the additional labor force in the season is very welcome abroad. In addition, seasonal work abroad provides an opportunity to get acquainted with new country and its features, assess the real conditions on the spot and learn the language. This work is physically difficult, but still very interesting for its exoticism and the ability to change the usual environment and the city for a while.

Types of seasonal work for Russians and its search

Seasonal work in a foreign country is chosen by people who do not have a permanent income, people who plan in the future and students who want to train in foreign company. The work is varied and you can choose for every taste.

Important here is endurance and readiness for irregular work, the ability to quickly navigate in a new environment, stress resistance and communication skills. There are many types of seasonal jobs abroad that are relevant in the summer of 2020.

Waiters, animators (children's, dancers), trainers ( GYM's, yoga), cook assistants and laborers are always required during the tourist season in hotels. In the cold season, these vacancies are also opened at ski resorts. If you know the language and the history of the country, including sights, you can work as a guide.

Supermarkets (merchandise display, room cleaning, packing, packaging) willingly accept additional labor force during the tourist season, as the load increases and it is more profitable for them to take temporary workers. A lot of seasonal work to collect vegetables, fruits and berries. To choose the latter option, you need to be prepared for the fact that the work lasts on average from a month to six months and the employee will have to move to other regions. Therefore, this work may not always be suitable for students.

Jobs such as work in parks, nature reserves and caring for children and pensioners are also popular. There are a lot of offers to work as a volunteer, but this work, as a rule, is not paid, but housing and food are provided. The last sentence may be of interest only to those who need to get acquainted with a foreign country, language and culture in order to make a decision to move to another state or enter a foreign university.

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Countries and vacancies popular for seasonal work

For Russians, there are quite a few countries they prefer to go to for seasonal work. Their choice is most often associated with the convenience of location or the popularity and reviews of those who already have experience in these states.

In Norway, agricultural and livestock farms, as well as fisheries, are selected for seasonal work.

In Finland, the main work is picking berries, mushrooms and even potatoes. Harvesting seasons are very dependent on weather conditions, which can affect the timing of ripening of berries and vegetables. The period of collection is also different. The season of work in this country starts from June to early September.

The Netherlands is waiting for seasonal workers in its flower and vegetable greenhouses, as well as livestock farms, and there is a severe shortage of additional wage labor. Experts are waiting here construction areas such as welders, assemblers and fitters.

In France and Spain, Russian seasonal workers go to work in hotels, amusement parks and agricultural provinces. The season for picking vegetables and fruits in this country begins in May and ends in October. In general, the employment gap is very dependent on the geographical location and climate of the area where the work will take place.

Also popular in Thailand and other countries.

Salaries and conditions in Europe

The salary is higher than in the CIS countries, but lower than officially settled residents of a foreign country and those who work under a long-term contract receive. Most often hourly. Minimum requirements - 8 hours of work or a certain norm, amount of work. Overtime, work on holidays and excess work are usually paid in excess. Children's animators receive more than the organizers of adult leisure.

Living conditions, travel and meals are best obtained at the expense of the employer. In this case, it is necessary to make sure in advance that the place of residence is safe and meets the optimal requirements for normal recreation and life. You need to understand that after labor day conditions of rest and sleep should help to recover, and not worsen the general state of physiological and mental health.

Registration of employment

Students most often get into special programs from their higher institution, where they are paid a minimum salary, but housing and food are guaranteed. The rest have to look for seasonal work abroad on their own or through an intermediary. When registering through an intermediary, you should be very careful when signing a contract. Labor contract should only be in writing describing the working conditions and payments.

It is best to arrange insurance in a foreign company. It is important that this is not a representative office, but an official insurance agency, because not all medical institutions can accept this document. Therefore, you need to avoid any franchise so as not to spend extra fees and commissions.

It is also important to keep track of how and where it will be transferred wage. Many cases of deceit are drawn up quite legally, with an indication in the contract that cash will go to the account of the intermediary company. In this case, a trusting employee is likely to work for free. Therefore, you need to very meticulously study the documents that will have to be signed.

Most often in such situations, those workers who are engaged in construction work. Animators, for example, are protected by the fact that their wages will pass through the hotel in which they plan to work.

Exist general rules and recommendations. For example, a mandatory work visa will be required 3 months before the start of work and on average up to six months. But if there is a desire to work in amusement parks in France, then you will have to take care of getting this job in the winter.

It is also recommended that you read carefully labor law the country where the temporary relocation is planned. In the event that continuous work exceeds 90 days, then a work permit and a residence permit will be required.

No language barrier

Jobs without qualifications abroad without knowledge of the language are all over the world. There are nuances that are important to understand. Pay will likely be lower. To get a job without close communication with customers, you may have to work in supermarkets at night. The sphere of services and entertainment will be severely limited in choice if the knowledge of the language is zero. The minimum set of words that will be useful in Everyday life and work can be learned without difficulty. There is a list of vacancies that are available without deep knowledge of a foreign language. These types of works can be found both on the Internet and directly during a personal visit to the institution.

Housekeeper (housekeeper) is a job in private homes and hotels in the form of cleaning, washing and cooking. The work is hard, monotonous, 10-12 hours a day, with pay from $ 7 per hour.

Dishwasher - the most popular job among expats, which involves a minimum of communication, hard, but easy to perform work, with pay from 6 to 12 dollars per hour.

A nurse in a nursing home is busy caring for pensioners at home or in specialized institutions. Income from 8 to 15 dollars per hour. This option is suitable if you are looking for a job in a big city where Russian-speaking residents live, who, in old age, want to hear their native speech. Work on average is 8 hours, for which both women and men are hired, since it is equally required and physical strength, and moral support (attention, affection).

House and premises cleaning personnel (cleaner) interact a lot with household chemicals and are faced with an irregular amount of work that cannot be foreseen in advance. But these workers receive 10-40 dollars per hour and can hope for a decent "tip".

Delivery, courier services (Delivery service) requires knowledge of the language, but in a minimal amount to maintain the necessary communication with customers and the employer. The salary is low, but a lot of good tips. Having a driver's license or a means of transportation (bike, moped) will be a plus.

For the average Russian, seasonal work abroad is an opportunity to earn money, get to know another state, and meet new people at the same time. In addition, especially inquisitive people can learn foreign language and acquire useful connections that will help you work less and earn more in the future.

Seasonal work in Europe allows you to change your life

Example of a job offer in the Czech Republic

A certain percentage of Russians who go to work seasonally begin to implement their program of moving to another state in this way.

Whatever goals you pursue, always keep in mind that you are required to be willing to work overtime and in quite difficult conditions.

Work abroad for Ukrainians, Russians, Belarusians, Moldovans, etc. suggests that applicants are stress-resistant, sociable and strong people ready to live in Spartan conditions for some time.

The most common seasonal vacancies

If you have just started looking for an answer to the question of how to find a job abroad for the summer season, first decide what exactly you want and can do. In 2020, the easiest jobs to find are:

• trainer;
• animator;
• counselor at the camp;
• cook;
• packer;
• seller-cashier;
• cleaning woman;
• auxiliary worker;
• work in greenhouses;
• maids, etc.

Knowledge of the language and historical data about the country will allow you to get a job as a guide. Tourist specialties are in demand on the coasts in summer, and in ski resorts in winter.

During the holiday season, shops and supermarkets are looking for additional labor to serve visitors. Administrations outlets, knowing that they will not find temporary workers in the right amount in their hometown, they place ads on foreign websites and in newspapers, they turn to companies that employ citizens from less prosperous countries for help.

Another area is caring for the sick, the elderly and young children. And also open vacancies in reserves and parks. Some organizations are looking for volunteers who provide accommodation and food. True, in most cases, wages are not provided.

In which countries can you find a job

Russians, citizens of Ukraine, the Republic of Belarus and other states of the post-Soviet space choose a number of areas for work. The choice is most often influenced by the reviews of compatriots who already have experience of foreign employment.

Often in certain countries certain professions are offered. For example, the easiest way is in the hotel or tourism business. Housemaids, receptionists, guides, animators and similar professions are in demand.

Our compatriots go to Spain and France for such jobs as:

• harvesting;
• hotel service;
• service in amusement parks.

You can work in these areas from May to October.

IN summer period I have an opportunity . Here, foreigners are offered employment in agricultural land, on livestock farms, as well as in fisheries.

One of the popular destinations is Poland, where there are not enough workers in many areas. As in other former socialist countries, they are not the best by European standards, because the local population migrates to neighboring states of Western Europe.

How much do they pay and what conditions do they offer

Whatever country you go to, and whatever vacancy you take, be it strawberry cultivation or animation, you will be paid much more than in similar specialties at home.

The minimum work rate per day is 8 hours. But this, if you're lucky. As a rule, our compatriots work at least 10 hours. In factories and agriculture up to 13 hours a day. Overtime, as well as going out on holidays and weekends, are paid more generously.

Some employers provide workers with accommodation and meals, as well as payment for round-trip travel. Others are just accommodation. Some don't care where they live or what they eat temporary workers.

It is better to inquire about this issue even before concluding an agreement, since housing and food abroad are more expensive than here, and with a high workload, you will have no time to think about buying food and cooking.

Seasonal work in Europe- this is not only an option to make good money in a season (wages are 2-3 times higher than in the CIS countries, and there are always relevant offers), but also a great opportunity to get to know a new country, improve your language, gain new skills, get useful contacts to stay in the country afterwards. Everyone pursues their own goal. But the disadvantages are the same for everyone - this is hard physical labor in greenhouses or construction sites, little time for rest and, perhaps, only 1 day off per week.

Possible vacancies with seasonal work in Europe in 2018 in the following areas:

• tourist resorts (summer);
• ski resorts (winter);
• agriculture and farms;
• reserves;
• caring for children, the elderly;
• volunteering.

If you find a good job, you can earn up to 1000 euros in the service sector, up to 600 euros in the agricultural sector, up to 1200 euros in construction, up to 800 euros working as a helper at a construction site, up to 600 euros in families.

Seasonal work in Finland

The main type of seasonal employment in Finland is agriculture (picking berries, vegetables and fruits). Raspberries are harvested in July-August, strawberries - in June-July, forest blueberries - in July, blueberries and bilberries - in July, lingonberries - in August, potatoes - in September. But more often it all depends on the weather and the harvest.

For legal employment in Finland, it is better to apply for a work visa in advance (2-3 months in advance). The visa is issued on the basis of a contract with the employer. We recommend looking for just such options, since it is illegal to travel abroad, it is possible not to receive payment.

Please read before your trip labor code countries, specify the terms of payment, accommodation, transport. Invitations are sent free of charge, so if you are offered paid services, refuse - it's a scam. Find out in advance where the embassy of your country is located in Finland in order to be prepared for all unforeseen situations.

Seasonal work in Poland

Seasonal work on farms is also common in Poland. The advantage of working in this country is the close location, loyal conditions for obtaining a visa, and a similar language. Mostly people come to Poland from May to September to pick apples or cut champignons. You can also find vacancies as an animator, kitchen assistant, waiter, maid, administrator, packer and so on.

Seasonal work in Norway

In Norway, seasonal work is in demand in agricultural and livestock enterprises and farms. Popular jobs are:

• garden pruning;
• weeding;
• harvesting;
• crop packaging;
• animal cleaning;
• fish ripper;
• salting and packaging of fish products.

It is also possible to find work as a waiter in a hotel or restaurant.

A work visa is valid for 90 days. This is enough to work out the season, besides, it is almost impossible to extend the permit. Before you go to the country, get acquainted with the working conditions, with wages. Check the employer on our blacklisted website if you have any doubts.

Seasonal work in Spain

The main type of employment in Spain is agricultural work and service staff in hotels or families. The following vacancies are always relevant in the country:

• picker of fruits and vegetables (mainly oranges, grapes, strawberries, tomatoes);
• administrator or maid;
• waiter or bartender;
• guide or animator (with good knowledge of the language);
• builder.

At agricultural enterprises and farms, work is paid either by the hour, or by the amount of the harvested crop. You can earn more at construction sites, especially for qualified employees. Payment for work in the hotel depends on the season.

Seasonal work in France

Popular vacancies for seasonal work in France are in agriculture, in parks and hotels. The season depends on the field of activity, climate and location of the province. Especially popular work in France is grape picking (September-October, Pyrenees, Beaujolais, Laura Valley, Burgundy), cherry picking (May-June, Rhone Valley), strawberry picking (May-June, central part and Perigord), vegetable picking ( July-September, Auvergne, Aktavia). Jobs are also in demand in Disneyland and Asterix parks - up to 12,000 employees are hired here during the season.

To travel to France, you need to apply for a visa 3 months in advance on the basis of a contract with the employer, the permit is issued for 90 days.

Seasonal work in the Netherlands

The most demanded vacancies with seasonal work in the Netherlands are working in greenhouses with flowers, fruits and vegetables. In second place are construction vacancies (qualified assemblers, welders and fitters). The visa can be issued for 6 months.

Where to find seasonal work in Europe

For quick search work for the season in the EU, use the site. here you will find current job offers in Europe directly from employers without intermediaries, as well as from employment agencies. We recommend checking the contacts of employers (in the black list on the website, on forums on the Internet). Read the contract carefully and do not pay any housing, paperwork or airfare fees.

There are a lot of announcements on the Internet about the recruitment of Russians for seasonal work abroad. Intermediaries promise to find a place on time seasonal collection harvest, help with visa and accommodation in the country. Workers are waiting for hard physical labor: they will have to spend several hours in an uncomfortable position, lift weights, get up early. work visa is not always issued, often people enter on a tourist visa and stay in the country illegally for several months. But despite this, the number of people who want to sign up for seasonal work does not decrease, someone even perceives it as an adventure and an opportunity not only to earn money, but also to visit abroad. We asked people who traveled for seasonal work to talk about their experiences.

Timur

Irkutsk

sea ​​kale

I went to work in South Korea spent a total of one year and two months there. During this time, he was engaged in various things: he worked at several factories, harvested vegetables and fruits, but the most difficult thing was the harvest of seaweed. We simply called this work “the sea”. A Korean farmer rents a plot in the sea, puts ropes there, somehow spuds this cabbage, and when it grows, we sail on boats to collect it.

One leaf of cabbage is about two meters long, and it grows in bunches of five or six leaves. At a time, it was necessary to get two or three such beams, also taking into account the resistance of water. It turns out that you pull 80 kilograms. You had to get up at four in the morning and immediately climb into the cold sea. Before lunch, you pick cabbage, bring it to the shore by boat. After lunch, it is loaded into a car with a special crane, you take cabbage to special drying chambers.

Alco bonuses

More than half of those who come to work are indebted men who feed the whole family. Someone drowns in a mortgage and goes in the hope of closing it as soon as possible. Basically, these are people from Primorye, Transbaikalia, Buryatia, Siberia. The minimum wage in Korea in terms of rubles is about 100 thousand per month. Also, there are always some bonuses from employers, for example, they can be affixed with alcohol. In general, Koreans themselves are hardworking and responsible, they don’t even go on smoke breaks, and they need to somehow balance their work stress, so they can start drinking already from lunch. They have soju - local vodka, and it is considered quite normal to drink a couple of shots at lunch, and in the evening it can legally flow into a booze. I even saw men who came for money, but started drinking there, and it got to the point that their wives sent money for a return ticket.

Many who return from work to Russia do not want to say that there are such tough bosses and hard work, and they say that they simply received a lot of money there, without particularly straining. Because of this, frail, weak men, office plankton and sissies then come to seasonal work, they think that now they can easily earn money there. There were a lot of those who left literally in the first days. Before that, I went in for sports, because it was somewhat easier for me than the others.

"Poly-poly"

I initially entered Korea with practically no money, I didn’t know the language where to look for a job, I didn’t understand. But in Korea there is a labor exchange for unskilled workers, and I found the first place there. There are agents - these are the same workers who have already established good relations with the owners of the farms. From those who want to get a job, they take up to 20 thousand rubles, but all their help is that they will talk to the boss in Korean and ask if he needs workers. Sometimes a person pays, and they just give him a phone number - then call yourself and negotiate. There are real agents who can really help with work in some way - these are usually ethnic Koreans. But before contacting someone, it is better to sit on social networks in specialized groups, google all the information. I know a man who gave 40 thousand rubles for help in crossing the border, and he was simply printed out and given a route sheet downloaded from the Internet.

On the very first day of work, you will learn the first words, “poly-poly” is especially quickly remembered, which means “faster, faster”. When you stay in Korea for a long time, you start to meet different people, they can help with work. In general, even if you don’t know the language and don’t know how to do anything, but you smile, then you can already count on employment and the normal attitude of your superiors. In Korea, all sorts of merry fellows get better and get more hard workers.

One million rubles

When you work in a factory, you have to rent your own apartment. We found a one-room apartment for 15-18 thousand in rubles, for a two-room apartment we paid already 25. And on the seas or fields, housing is provided free of charge, but the conditions there are Spartan. I had only two sheets - one to sleep on, and the other to cover. There were no pillows, hot water or internet. I went to the nearest supermarket to catch wi-fi.

During this time, I definitely earned more than a million rubles, another thing is that I initially did not go for money, but for adventure. I spent some of that money there. In Korea, everything is quite expensive: a pack of cigarettes - 200 rubles, a kilogram of potatoes - 200 rubles. He sent some part to his family, brought something and made a contribution for the future.

Svetlana

Vyborg

strawberry fields

From Vyborg we went to Finland both for shopping and to the water park, which turned out to be even cheaper than St. Petersburg. I constantly heard talk about the possibility of going to work, but I couldn’t get to the farm - no one just shares such information. People who get into the brigade go to work for ten years in a row. The farmer recruits other workers only if someone from his brigade does not arrive or the fields increase. The first time I went on an ad in the newspaper. To go, I even took out a loan. We had a tourist visa, with which you can work in Finland for no more than three months.

At first I got to a good farmer, but only for three days. He was waiting for a whole bus of workers, but they were delayed, and the harvest had to be harvested. There was a large berry, and the attitude was excellent. It was necessary to cut the weeds on the field, you can’t tear them so as not to damage the roots. There were three of us: two men and myself. The farmer gave us secateurs and gloves, the gloves fit the men, but they turned out to be big for me. We laughed, and I went to collect without gloves. The farmer left somewhere, and then returned and brought me the gloves he had just bought in a small size. We can say that the farmer took care of us, and not just hired us.

Then we went to another farmer, but his berries were small, like blueberries. I thought that in Russia I would earn even more. I began to complain to the agent that he had brought me to a place where I couldn’t even repay a loan, picking berries all day long, and he said: “Well, leave!” I packed my things, got on the bus and went to Russia. A year later, it turned out again that the berry has gone, there are still no workers, and I live a two-hour drive from the farm. We packed up and went to a caring farmer together with my daughter.

Berries out of politics

The following year, I found a website on the Internet with a list of all the farmers in Finland. My daughter and I chose those who were closer to the border, who had an email address - wrote them letters with an offer to hire us. We sent out about a hundred letters, and only seven people answered. Closer to the season, two still wrote and asked if we were ready to come. One immediately sent invitations, explained that you need to take a certificate of income, and the other asked a bunch of questions. In the end, we went to the first one.

We traveled for an average of three weeks. We went to the fields by six in the morning, until about noon we picked berries. When the harvest was in full swing, they were harvested until three o'clock in the afternoon. Even when I went for the first time, I saw how women from the Baltics pick strawberries. They do not stand bent over, but put on knee pads and sit over the beds. So, indeed, the back and legs do not get tired, only the hands hurt. On the farm they give instructions: strawberries with a white tip are not good, overripe ones are discarded, without a tail - too. It happens that you accidentally pick the wrong strawberries, but you don’t throw them away, but you eat them. We ate so much that we didn't even want to eat.

Brigades are usually 20 people each, most of them come from Ukraine. They immediately introduced a rule - not a word about politics, we all came to work and are here in equal conditions. For workers, all farmers have equipped houses, where there are bedrooms for several people, a kitchen with all appliances, a bathhouse nearby, and wi-fi. They worked seven days a week, but in the afternoon it was possible to go to the same farmer to pick peas for an additional fee, to go for wild berries. There was also free time - we went shopping on the lakes, played the guitar, rode bicycles. There is such an expression "strawberry tan" - when the back is red, and the front is white skin. We also tried to sunbathe to even out our strawberry tan.

One thousand euros in three weeks

For strawberries, the standard container is a basket, which includes two and a half kilograms. Some take it by weight, somewhere they count by the piece, and somewhere they even divide the income for the whole team. On average, a kilogram of berries is one euro. For three weeks of work, I earned about a thousand euros, my daughter the same amount. But I am a slow person and do not collect very quickly.

But we once had a guy, a gynecologist by profession, he could, where I collect one euro, make two. But some only recoup how much they paid for travel to the farm, visa and local entertainment. Their goal is not to make money, but only to visit Finland. We spent what we earned in different ways: we invested in studies, invested in the dacha, then we took Daewoo Matiz and last time already on it went to the harvest.