Agri-Food Immigration Pilot Program
Canada’s Agriculture and Agri-Food industry is a vital component of the Canadian economy and contributes more than $110 billion annually to the country’s gross domestic product. The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot exists to provide eligible temporary foreign workers in the sector with a pathway to Canadian permanent residence. Up to 2,750 applications are accepted each year.
To apply for permanent residence under the Agri-Food Pilot, you need
- eligible Canadian work experience in one or more of the eligible industries and occupations
- a full-time, non-seasonal job offer from a Canadian employer in one of the eligible industries and occupations (outside of Quebec)
- to meet or exceed the language requirements.
- to meet or exceed the educational requirements.
- to have settlement funds (if applicable)
- to maintain temporary resident status (if already in Canada)
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Eligible Occupations
The occupations and industries eligible under the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot include:
- meat processing
- retail butcher
- industrial butcher
- food processing laborer
- harvesting laborer for year-round mushroom production and greenhouse crop production
- general farm worker for year-round mushroom production, greenhouse crop production, or livestock raising.
- farm supervisor and specialized livestock worker for meat processing, year-round mushroom production, greenhouse crop production or livestock raising.
Eligibility Requirements
Candidates with work experience in the above occupations must also meet the following eligibility requirements to be considered for Canadian permanent residence under the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot.
- 12 months of full-time, non-seasonal Canadian work experience in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in one of the eligible occupations.
- a Canadian Language Benchmark level 4 in English or French
- the foreign equivalent of a high school level education or greater
- an indeterminate job offers for full-time, non-seasonal work in Canada, outside of Quebec, at or above the prevailing wage.
Agri-Food Immigration Pilot: 2-year LMIA for Employers
Eligible employers in the meat processing sector who use the pilot will be issued a two-year Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). To be eligible, meat processors will be required to outline their plans to support the temporary foreign worker in obtaining permanent residency. Unionized meat processors will require a letter of support from their union and non-unionized meat processors will have to meet additional requirements to ensure the labor market and migrant workers are protected, IRCC says.
