Workers
The federal government has extended the Agri-Food pilot project until May 14, 2025, to help bring more experienced farm workers to Canada.
Launched in May 2020, the pilot helps facilitate the transition of experienced workers in the agricultural and food industries to become permanent residents in Canada. Annual occupational caps or the limits for how many candidates can apply for a specific occupation have been removed, provide an opportunity for more eligible candidates to apply.
By the end of the year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada intends to introduce new changes to the pilot in stages, including: expanding open work permit access to family members of all participants, regardless of the participant’s job skill level; allowing unions to attest to a candidate’s work experience as an alternative to employer reference letters; giving applicants residing in Canada the option to either meet the job offer requirement, including the median wage requirement for the job offer, or the education requirement; and accepting work experience gained under an open work permit for vulnerable workers, giving more workers an opportunity to qualify.
The move follows a report by the Royal Bank of Canada which concluded 40 percent of farm operators across Canada will retire over the next decade, and that, by 2033, a shortfall of over 24,000 farm workers is expected across the country.
