A Guide to Canada Agri-food Immigration Pilot Program

What is Agri-Food Pilot Program?

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 2020-2023. A maximum of 2,750 candidates will be accepted under the pilot per year.

Suppose you want to obtain your Canada PR through the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot. In that case, 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 under Agri-Food Pilot Program

The pilot demonstrates a new approach to economic immigration 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

Eligible Occupations under the Agri-food Pilot Program

The National Occupational Classification (NOC) code has classified several qualifying occupations in each industry. Familiarize yourself with the detailed description and the duties of the job you are willing to apply for.

The qualifying jobs are broken down by industry below:

Meat product manufacturing

• Retail and wholesale butchers – NOC 63201
• Meat cutters and fishmongers – NOC 65202
• Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers – NOC 94141
• Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors – NOC 82030
• Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators – NOC 84120
• Livestock labourers – NOC 85100
• Labourers in food and beverage processing – NOC 95106

Greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production, including mushroom production

• Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors – NOC 82030
• Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators – NOC 84120
• Livestock labourers – NOC 85100
• Harvesting labourers – NOC 85101

Animal production, excluding aquaculture

• Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors – NOC 82030
• Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators – NOC 84120
• Livestock labourers – NOC 85100
• Harvesting labourers – NOC 85101

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.

Eligibility Requirements for Agri-food Pilot Program

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 Required for Agri-Food Pilot

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 a 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 Requirement

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 you will work at least 30 hours per week. The job must be non-seasonal and permanent. You should have consistently regularly scheduled hours without any fixed end date.

Your compensation should meet or exceed the prevailing wage for your occupation in the province of employment. If the provincial rate is unavailable, the national level should be considered. Your employer should be located in Canada but outside of Quebec.

Language Requirements under Agri-Food Pilot Program

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 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 must 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 have been taken less than five years ago when you submitted your application.

Settlement Funds

Provide documentation that you have sufficient funds to support yourself and your family while settling 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.