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Diana Tristan

Agri-Food Pilot Program in Canada

The Agri-Food Pilot Program in Canada contributes to meeting the labour needs of the Canadian agri-food sector.


This program provides a pathway to permanent residency for experienced, non-seasonal workers in specific sectors and occupations.


Effective February 10, 2024, the following changes have been introduced:


  • Applicants residing in Canada at the time of application will now be able to choose between meeting the job offer requirement or the educational requirement.


  • Work experience gained under an open work permit for vulnerable foreign workers is now taken into account for the purposes of the work experience requirement.


Applications will be accepted until May 14, 2025.


persona entregando una solicitud


What do you need to apply for the agri-food pilot program in Canada?


In order to apply you must:


  • Have an eligible job offer

  • Meet or exceed the education requirements

  • Have eligible work experience

  • Meet or exceed language requirements

  • Demonstrate that you have enough money to settle in Canada (if applicable)

  • Have maintained your temporary resident status (if already in Canada)


Job Offer


If you reside in Canada at the time of application, you may choose to meet either the job offer requirement or the education requirement and if you reside outside of Canada at the time of application, you must meet both the job offer requirement and the education requirement.


The job you are offered must be a genuine offer of employment and meet all of the following requirements:


The job must:

  • Be an eligible occupation included in 1 of the eligible industries.

  • Full-time - This means you will work at least 30 paid hours per week.

  • Non-seasonal - This means you have steady, regularly scheduled gainful employment throughout the year.

  • Permanent - This has no fixed end date.

  • Being in Canada, outside Quebec


For unionized positions, the salary must be determined by the applicable collective agreement.


For non-unionized positions, the wage must be at or above the prevailing (median) Labour Exchange wage for the occupation listed in your job offer in the province of employment (or nationally if a provincial rate is not available).


Study Requirements


If you reside in Canada at the time of application, you may choose to meet either the study requirement or the job offer requirement and if you reside outside of Canada at the time of application, you must meet both the study requirement and the job offer requirement.


You must have at least:

  • A Canadian high school diploma or

  • An Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report from a designated professional organization or body showing that you have obtained a foreign credential at the secondary education level or above.

  • The ECA report must be less than 5 years old on the date of your application.

  • The original ECA report must have been issued on or after the date of the organization's designation.


Work Experience


Your work experience in Canada must be


  • At least 1 year of cumulative, non-seasonal, full-time work in the last 3 years (at least 1,560 hours)

  • In 1 or more of the eligible occupations listed in 1 of the eligible industries.

  • Obtained through:

- An open work permit for vulnerable workers or

- A work permit issued on the basis of a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) with a minimum duration of 12 months under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.


If you are not sure of the duration of the LMIA that the employer presented when hiring you, you can ask him/her.


As proof of your work experience, you must provide us with the following:

  • A reference letter from the employer or union (for unionized positions only).

  • A letter of employment

  • A T4

  • Pay stubs


dos personas conversando en una cafetería


Language requirements


You must demonstrate your knowledge of English or French.


The minimum language requirements are Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) Level 4 in:

  • reading

  • writing

  • oral expression

  • listening comprehension


You must submit the results of an approved language test.


The test results must be less than 2 years old at the time of application. We count the 2 years from the date you took the exam.


Funds to settle


You must show that you have enough money to settle in Canada. You must show that you have sufficient funds to support yourself and any family members you may have, even if they are not coming to Canada with you.


If you are already working in Canada on a valid work permit at the time you apply, you do not have to prove that you have the funds to settle.


Eligible Industries and Professions


Eligible Industries


Industries are classified according to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). You can look up specific industry definitions by searching for the industry codes below on the NAICS website.


The company must include the industry code in the job posting.


Eligible industries under the pilot program are:


  • Meat products manufacturing.

  • Greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production, including mushroom production

  • Animal production, excluding aquaculture

- cattle breeding

- poultry and egg production

- pig farming

- sheep and goat farming

- other animal production


persona con sweater azul en el campo recogiendo setas


Eligible Occupations


Occupations are classified by National Occupational Classification (NOC) code.


For the manufacture of meat products:

  • Butchers - retail and wholesale.

  • Meat cutters and fishmongers - retail and wholesale.

  • Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and allied trades.

  • Farm service contractors and farm supervisors

  • Specialized livestock and farm machinery operators

  • Livestock laborers

  • Food and Beverage Processing Laborers


Greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production, including mushroom production:

  • Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors.

  • Specialized livestock workers and agricultural machinery operators

  • Livestock laborers

  • Harvesting laborers


Animal production, excluding aquaculture:

  • Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors.

  • Specialized livestock workers and agricultural machinery operators

  • Livestock laborers

  • Harvesting laborers

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