Portuguese nationals are recruited for work in East Anglia

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), with the Foreign Office, Citizens Advice Bureaux and the TUC produced the leaflet in both English and Portuguese to help workers know their rights.

The DTI says Portuguese nationals are often recruited by agencies in Portugal for jobs in the agricultural sector in the UK, but usually arrive with little or no knowledge of their rights.

They are sometimes housed in poor accommodation and given low pay, often below the minimum wage.

They can be duped or coerced into signing away their rights, and do not know where to get help if they are badly treated.

Rural communities

Employment Minister Gerry Sutcliffe, who launched the leaflet in Cambridge said: "Portuguese nationals are being deliberately misled into thinking they will be illegal workers in the UK.

"We are taking a 'know before you go' approach, distributing this information on UK employment rights."

We hope that if workers are clearer about employment terms and conditions before arriving in the UK, gangmasters will not find it so easy to abuse them Teresa Perchard

Portuguese authorities and churches are also distributing the leaflet in the rural communities in Portugal.

In the UK, it will be given to workers through churches, community centres, Portuguese shops and local Citizens Advice Bureaux.

Teresa Perchard, Citizens Advice Director of Policy said there had been a big increase in Portuguese nationals seeking advice on employment and housing following exploitation by gangmasters.

She said: "We hope that if workers are clearer about employment terms and conditions before arriving in the UK, gangmasters will not find it so easy to abuse them."

There are over 200,000 Portuguese workers in the UK, with the largest percentage in East Anglia.