The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot is a program that allows employers in the agriculture and agri-food sectors to hire foreign workers for full-time, non-seasonal jobs in Canada. The pilot program began accepting applications in May 2020 and is set to run until May 2023.
Under the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot, there are three main categories of eligible occupations :
Meat processing occupations:
This includes butchers, industrial meat cutters, poultry preparers, and related workers.
Greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture production occupations:
This includes greenhouse and nursery workers, and floriculture growers and supervisors.
Farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers:
This includes farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers such as livestock workers, dairy herdspersons, and apiary workers.
To be eligible for the pilot program, applicants must have:
- At least one year of full-time (or equivalent part-time) work experience in one of the eligible occupations within the past three years.
- Meet the program’s eligibility criteria and obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
- A Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 4 or higher in English or French for most occupations, although some may require higher language proficiency.
- A Canadian high school diploma or equivalent foreign credential.
- A job offers full-time, permanent employment from an eligible employer in Canada.
- Sufficient settlement funds to support themselves and their family members upon arrival in Canada.
Once an applicant meets the eligibility requirements and receives a job offer from an eligible employer in Canada, they can apply for permanent residence through the pilot program. It is important to note that the pilot program has a cap of 2,750 principal applicants, as well as their immediate family members, per year.