Canada Federal Immigration New Policy:
Agri-Food Immigration Pilot

In an effort to assist the agri-food sector in achieving its export goals and attracting as well as retaining labor, the Canadian federal government has announced a new program, extending it until May 14, 2025. Under this program, individual occupation quotas have been eliminated, and up to 2,750 applications will be accepted annually. Individuals can easily apply for permanent residency as long as they work in designated roles on a farm, making it one of the fastest immigration programs in Canadian history.

The eligible farmworker occupations include retail butchers, industrial butchers, food processing workers, harvest laborers, general farmworkers, farm supervisors, and specialized livestock workers.

Program Advantages:

  • Low language and educational qualification requirements for applicants.
  • No geographic restrictions, allowing applicants to choose the city they wish to move to.
  • The ability to include family members in the application, with children receiving free public education in Canada.
  • One person can apply for the immigration of their entire family.
  • Eligibility to apply for Canadian MSP medical insurance, providing free healthcare coverage.

Agri-Food Pilot Program Application Requirements:

  • Have qualifying relevant work experience in eligible industries and occupations, as well as a full-time, non-seasonal job offer from an eligible employer in Canada (outside of Quebec).
  • Work experience must have been accumulated under a valid closed work permit with LMIA.

Applicant Conditions:

  • Have at least 1 year of non-seasonal full-time work experience in Canada within the last 3 years.
  • Overseas applicants must apply for a work permit to work in Canada for at least 1 year.
  • Hold a full-time non-seasonal long-term job offer with an hourly wage not below the industry average.
  • Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 4 in English, which equates to IELTS scores of Reading 3.5, Listening 4.5, Writing 4, and Speaking 4.
  • High school diploma or higher education; for overseas qualifications, ECA certification is required.
  • Have sufficient Settlement Funds to demonstrate settlement in Canada.

Eligible industries

  1. meat product manufacturing (NAICS 3116)
  2. greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production, including mushroom production (NAICS 1114)
  3. animal production, excluding aquaculture
  4. cattle ranching and farming (NAICS 1121)
  5. hog and pig farming (NAICS 1122)
  6. poultry and egg production (NAICS 1123)
  7. sheep and goat farming (NAICS 1124)
  8. other animal production (NAICS 1129)

Eligible occupations

1. For meat product manufacturing (NAICS 3116), eligible occupations are

  1. NOC 63201 – Butchers – retail and wholesale
  2. NOC 65202 – Meat cutters and fishmongers – retail and wholesale
  3. NOC 94141 – Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers
  4. NOC 82030 – Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors
  5. NOC 84120 – Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators
  6. NOC 85100 – Livestock labourers
  7. NOC 95106 – Labourers in food and beverage processing

2. For greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production, including mushroom production (NAICS 1114), eligible occupations are

  1. NOC 82030 – Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors
  2. NOC 84120 – Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators
  3. NOC 85100 – Livestock labourers
  4. NOC 85101 – Harvesting labourers

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

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