AGRI-FOOD IMMIGRATION PILOT
The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot was designed to focus on the labour needs of the agricultural sector in Canada and to attract and retain skilled foreign workers with experience in several industries, specifically in mushroom and greenhouse crop production, meat processing and livestock raising.
The pilot will run in a test mode within the years of 2020-2023. A maximum of 2,750 candidates will be accepted under the pilot per year.
If you want to obtain your Canada PR through the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot, you will need to demonstrate qualifying work experience in the applicable sector or industry and secure a job offer from a Canadian employer in one of the occupations eligible for the pilot.
Eligible sectors
The pilot demonstrates a new approach to economic immigration and is meant to fill the labour shortages in specific industries. They are arranged by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Your job offer should include the industry code.
The pilot includes the following industries:
- meat product manufacturers – NAICS 3116
- greenhouse, nursery and floriculture producers, including mushroom producers – NAICS 1114
- animal producers, excluding aquaculture – NAICS 1121, 1122, 1123, 1124 or 1129
Qualifying occupations
In each of the industries, there are several qualifying occupations classified by the National Occupational Classification (NOC) code. Familiarize yourself with the detailed description and the duties of the job you are willing to apply.
The qualifying jobs are broken down by industry below:
Meat product manufacturing:
- Retail butchers – NOC B 6331
- Industrial butchers – NOC C 9462
- Farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers – NOC B 8252
- Food processing labourers – NOC D 9617
Greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production, including mushroom production:
- Farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers – NOC B 8252
- General farm workers – NOC C 8431
- Harvesting labourers – NOC D 8611
Animal production, excluding aquaculture:
- Farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers – NOC B 8252
- General farm workers – NOC C 8431
The number of applications under each occupation is limited per year. The IRCC processes the applications on a first-come, first-serve basis. Your application will not be accepted, and the fees will be refunded if the maximum capacity in your occupation is met.
Candidate’s eligibility
To be able to participate in the program, you will need to:
- demonstrate that you have work experience qualifying for the pilot
- secure a job offer that meets the pilot requirements
- show that you have the necessary language ability
- meet the educational requirements
- prove that your funds are sufficient for you to settle in Canada
Work experience
The eligible work experience under the pilot should meet the following criteria:
- Your work experience must be in Canada.
- It should be at least one year, non-seasonal and full-time.
- It should be in an eligible occupation in a specific agricultural sector.
- The hours can be in different occupations and with different employers.
The work experience should be obtained through the temporary foreign worker program. Your former employer should have a labour market impact assessment for the minimum duration of 12 months.
Hours of unpaid work through volunteering or internships, as well as hours of self-employment, should not be counted towards your work experience.
Job offer
To qualify for the pilot, you need to obtain a job offer that would meet specific requirements. The job must be in a selected occupation in one of the agricultural sectors mentioned above. Your employment must be full-time, meaning that you will work at least 30 hours per week. The job must be non-seasonal and permanent. You should have consistent regularly scheduled hours without any fixed end date.
The compensation offered to you should meet or exceed the prevailing wage for your occupation in the province of employment. If the provincial rate is not available, the national level should be taken into account. Your employer should be located in Canada but outside of Quebec.
Language abilities
You should demonstrate your command of English or French. The minimum language requirements for this pilot are CLB/NCLC Level 4 for reading, listening, speaking and writing.
You must submit the results of a designated language test, which should be less than two years old at the time when you apply.
Educational requirements
Applicants should meet a minimum requirement of a high school diploma in Canada. If you haven’t completed your education in Canada, you need to provide an educational credential assessment (ECA) report proving that your credential matches the secondary school level or exceeds it.
The ECA report you submit should be from an approved organization or professional body and should be taken less than five years ago at the time when you submit your application.
Settlement funds
Provide required documentation that you have sufficient funds to support yourself and your family members while you settle in Canada. You can submit bank account statements, proof of property or investment possession.
If you are already working in Canada, you don’t need to provide proof of funds with your application.
