What is Canada Agri-Food Pilot?

The Agri-Food Pilot helps address the labour needs of the Canadian agri-food sector.The pilot provides a pathway to permanent residence for experienced, non-seasonal workers in specific industries and occupations. It will run until May 2023.

The Agri-Food pilot offers a pathway to permanent residence for agricultural workers in Canada. In recent years, Canadian agriculture and agri-food industries have struggled to fill labour shortages and workers have had to rely on short-term, seasonal work permits in order to find employment. The pilot aims to attract and retain workers by offering a pathway to permanent residence in Canada, allowing workers and their families to work and live in Canada for as long as they like. A maximum of 2,750 principal applicants and their families will be accepted per year. This represents a total of 16,500 possible new permanent residents over the 3-year duration of the pilot. Agricultural employers participating in the pilot will be eligible for a 2-year Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

Are you Qualified?

Eligible industries:

Your job offer must be in one of the following industries:

• meat product manufacturing (NAICS 3116)
• greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture production, including mushroom production (NAICS 1114)
• animal production, excluding aquaculture
  • cattle ranching and farming (NAICS 1121)
  • hog and pig farming (NAICS 1122)
  • poultry and egg production (NAICS 1123)
  • sheep and goat farming (NAICS 1124)
  • other animal production (NAICS 1129)

Eligible Occupations:

Your job offer must be in one of the following occupations:

For meat product manufacturing (NAICS 3116), eligible jobs are

• NOC B 6331 – Retail butchers
• NOC C 9462 – Industrial butchers
• NOC B 8252 – Farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
• NOC D 9617 – Food processing labourers

For greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture production, including mushroom production (NAICS 1114), eligible jobs are

• NOC B 8252 – Farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
• NOC C 8431 – General farmworkers
• NOC D 8611 – Harvesting labourers

For animal production, excluding aquaculture (NAICS 1121, 1122, 1123, 1124, and 1129), eligible jobs are

• NOC B 8252 – Farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
• NOC C 8431 – General farmworkers

Annual application by eligible occupation limit:

Starting on January 1 of each year, applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. This pilot will last for 3 years.

Farm supervisor or specialized livestock worker (NOC B 8252) – 50 Applications/Year

Industrial butcher (NOC C 9462) or retail butcher (NOC B 6331) – 1470 Applications/Year

Food processing labourer (NOC D 9617) – 730 Applications/Year

General farm worker (NOC C 8431) – 200 Applications/Year

Harvesting labourer (NOC D 8611) – 300 Applications/Year

If your application is rejected because the annual limit for your occupation category has been reached, your application fees will be refunded.

Work Experience:

12 months of full-time, non-seasonal Canadian work experience in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in an eligible occupation

Education:

Canadian Equivalent of High School or Higher.

Language:

CLB level 4 or higher.

Job Offer:

Job offer in one of the eligible occupation/industry is required to participate in this Pilot.