The Seasonal Workers Directive, which was agreed upon in 2014, should ensure that seasonal workers will enjoy equal treatment with EU nationals in terms of employment, including the minimum working age and working conditions, including pay and dismissal, working hours, leave and holidays, as well as health and safety requirements at the workplace. To this end, it should help prevent exploitation and protect the health and safety of non-EU seasonal workers.

Equal treatment with EU nationals will also apply to branches of social security (in practice, benefits linked to sickness, invalidity, old-age, etc...). Furthermore, clearer, simpler admission rules should result in fewer people working unauthorised in seasonal jobs and/or staying on longer in the EU than they are entitled to.