Agri-Food Immigration Pilot In Canada

The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot is a Canadian program designed to help with the shortage of workers in the agri-food industry. It lets foreign workers who have specific skills and experience in agriculture become permanent residents of Canada. This pilot program focuses on three main areas: meat processing, mushroom production, and greenhouse crop production.

With the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot, businesses in these sectors can hire skilled foreign workers and support them in their immigration process. This initiative aims to boost the growth and sustainability of the agri-food sector by attracting and keeping talented individuals. By participating in the agri-food pilot program, companies can build a strong workforce to help them thrive.

About the Agri-food Immigration Pilot Process in Canada

You must meet the following requirements to apply for permanent residency under the Agri-food Immigration Pilot Program

• • 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)

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 accept a maximum of 2,750 applications for the Agri-food Immigration Pilot. There are no longer limits for individual jobs. We will take applications on a first-come, first-served basis starting in January each year. From January 1, we will begin processing applications as they come in. If you’re interested, you can book an appointment with us to get great help from our team. We’re here to support you through the Agri-food Pilot Program and make your immigration journey easier!

Eligibility

You must meet the following requirements to be eligible for Agri-food Pilot Program:

• • 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 to be qualified for Agri-food Immigration Pilot, 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.

Open work permits

If you currently have an open work permit, you might be able to use your previous work experience. This is true if you held a work permit through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. However, any work experience you gained while on a real work permit won’t count.

If you have questions about visas or want to book a consultation with Khanna Immigration Services, please reach out to us. We can help you understand everything about the Agri-food Immigration Pilot Program.

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 employment must not be seasonal.
    
    • • It means you have a regular and continuous paid job throughout the year.

• • Your position is permanent.
    • • It signifies that no termination date has been set.

• • 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

To be eligible, applicants must meet the minimum language proficiency of Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) Level 4 in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. This also applies to French, with the equivalent Niveaux de Compétence Linguistique Canadiens (NCLC) Level 4 for French-speaking applicants. The results of an approved language test (such as IELTS or CELPIP for English) must be submitted, and these results should be less than two years old at the time of applying for Agri-food Immigration Pilot Program

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.

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.