The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot is a Canadian program aiming to solve labour shortages in the agri-food industry. It allows foreign workers with specified agricultural abilities and work experience to become permanent citizens of Canada. The pilot program focuses on three major sectors: meat processing, mushroom production, and greenhouse crop production. Through the pilot program, participating firms in these industries can hire qualified foreign workers and assist them with their immigration processes. This effort intends to help the agri-food sector’s growth and sustainability by attracting and keeping talented people.
About the process of agri-food immigration pilot in Canada
You must meet the following requirements to apply for permanent residency under the agri-food immigration pilot
- Employment experience in one or more of the eligible sectors and vocations in Canada.
- A full-time, non-seasonal job offer from a Canadian employer in one of the qualified industries or vocations (excluding Quebec).
- To achieve or exceed linguistic standards
- To achieve or exceed academic standards
- To have (if applicable) settlement funds
- To keep your temporary resident status (if you are already in Canada)
Eligible industries
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) classifies industries. Specific industry definitions can be found by browsing the NAICS website using the industry codes listed below. The industry code must be included in your employment offer by your employer.
The following industries are eligible for the agri-food immigration pilot service:
- Meat product manufacturing (NAICS 3116)
- Greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production, including mushroom production (NAICS 1114)
- Animal production, excluding aquaculture:
- Cattle ranching and farming (NAICS 1121)
- Hog and pig farming (NAICS 1122)
- Poultry and egg production (NAICS 1123)
- Sheep and goat farming (NAICS 1124)
- Other animal production (NAICS 1129)
- Animal production, excluding aquaculture:
Jobs that qualify
The National Occupational Classification (NOC) code is used to classify occupations. You can look up the duties for each work on the NOC website.
Eligible occupations for each qualified industry are listed below.
- NOC 63201 – Butchers – retail and wholesale
- NOC 65202 – Meat cutters and fishmongers – retail and wholesale
- NOC 94141 – Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers
- NOC 82030 – Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors
- NOC 84120 – Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators
- NOC 85100 – Livestock labourers
- NOC 95106 – Labourers in food and beverage processing
Eligible vocations for greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture production, including mushroom cultivation (NAICS 1114), 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
Eligible vocations in animal production, excluding aquaculture (NAICS 1121, 1122, 1123, 1124, and 1129) 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
Annual application restrictions
Each year, we will process a maximum of 2,750 applications. Individual occupations no longer have annual limits. We will accept applications on a first-come, first-served basis beginning in January of each year. Starting on January 1 of each year, we’ll process applications on a first-come, first-served basis. You can book an appointment with us and get a great consultant from our team.
Eligibility
You must meet the following requirements to be eligible:
- Have relevant work experience
- Have a job offer that qualifies
- Meet or exceed language requirements
- Fulfil or pass the academic requirements
- Demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to settle in Canada (if applicable)
- Having kept your temporary residence status (if you are already in Canada)
Work experience
You must have relevant Canadian employment experience, such as:
- A year of non-seasonal, full-time work in the last three years (at least 1,560 hours)
- In one or more of the qualifying occupations mentioned under one of the qualifying industries
- Via means of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program
- When you were hired, your employer was required to complete a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) for at least a 12-month period. If you are unsure, you might inquire with your former or current employer.
- Via means of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program
Open work permits
You may have eligible work experience if you now have an open work permit, but previously held a work permit through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. However, any work experience you earn while on a genuine work permit does not count. And book your slot for consultant with Khanna Immigration Services, or even you can contact us if you have any query related to visas propose.
How to Calculate Your Work Experience Hours
Do keep track of the hours worked in full-time jobs.
- The hours can be worked in a variety of approved occupations and with a variety of employers.
- The hours must have been worked over a minimum of 12 months.
Do not include
- Hours that were not compensated (volunteering or unpaid internships)
- Hours worked as a self-employed person
- Hours worked in seasonal or part-time jobs
- Hours during which the IRCC did not authorize your work.
Job offer
A legal job offer is required. The position you’ve been offered must meet all the following criteria:
- The job must be in one of the approved industries and an eligible occupation.
- The work must be full-time.
- It entails putting in at least 30 paid hours per week.
- The work must be full-time.
- The employment must not be seasonal.
- It means you have a regular and continuous paid job throughout the year.
- The employment must not be seasonal.
- Your position is permanent.
- It signifies that no termination date has been set.
- Your position is permanent.
- The applicable collective agreement must decide the remuneration for unionized positions.
- For non-unionized parts, the wage must reach or surpass the Job Bank’s prevalent (median) salary in the province of employment for the occupation indicated on your job offer.
- Your job offer must be for a position in Canada other than Quebec.
Language requirements
You must demonstrate your proficiency in either English or French. Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) or Niveaux de Compétence Linguistique Canadians (NCLC) Level 4 are the minimal language standards:
- Reading
- Writing
- Speaking
- Listening
You must provide the results of a language exam that has been approved. When you apply, these findings must be less than two years old.
Educational prerequisites
You must have a minimum of
- A high school diploma from Canada,
- A report from a designated organization or professional body indicating that you completed a foreign certificate at the secondary school level or above.
- On the date of your application, the ECA report must be less than 5 years old.
- The initial ECA report must have been issued on or after the organization’s designation date.
- A report from a designated organization or professional body indicating that you completed a foreign certificate at the secondary school level or above.
Settlement funds
Before applying for agri-food immigration pilot for India, you must demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to settle in Canada. You must verify that you have enough finances to maintain yourself and any family members you may have, even if they are not accompanying you to Canada. Furthermore, you do not need to present proof of settlement funds if you work in Canada with a valid work visa when you apply.