The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot’s extension was declared by IRCC recently. Further, it also revealed that it would be removing yearly the occupational caps for this program’s candidates.
Sean Fraser recently stated that the Agri-Food Pilot will remain active until May 14, 2025. This Pilot came into existence to enable the agricultural workers working in the agriculture and food industries to shift to Canadian Permanent Residence.
Agri-Food Immigration Pilot’s extension
The minister also declared the removal of yearly occupational caps because it will enable several eligible and potential candidates to apply. Additionally, IRCC will make more amendments toward the end of this year.
Further, IRCC will bring forth new changes in the pilot program in the form of these stages:
- Letting more family members of the pilot program participants access open work permits. This should be irrespective of their skill level.
- In place of requesting for employer’s reference letter, offering unions the authority to claim for a candidate’s work experience.
- Aspiring candidates residing in Canada will have a choice between two things. Firstly, fulfilling a job offer requirement further implies the median-wage requirement. Secondly, they might fulfill the educational qualification requirement, implying an ECA verification.
- Furthermore, the Pilot program will begin to welcome vulnerable workers with work experience acquired under an Open Work Permit. This way, an increasing number of potential workers will get the chance to qualify.
Canada’s Agri-Food Immigration Pilot took effect in 2020 to reduce labor shortages in livestock-raising industries, meat processing, greenhouse, and mushroom production.
When this update became public, IRCC even stated that it would welcome up to 2,750 primary applicants and their family members each year for the next three years. The application’s expiry was supposed to be May 14, 2023.
Reportedly, the latest job vacancy data claims that over 243,000 individuals in Canada work in the Forestry, Agriculture, Fishing, and Hunting sectors. Also, there are more than 14,000 job positions available. However, significant industries went through hard times due to the pandemic, resulting in plant closures, delays in supplying processes, and a rise in market uncertainty.
Agri-Food Immigration Pilot’s extension- declaration by Sean Fraser
The immigration minister will declare the agri-food sector’s labor market requirements and solidify Canada’s food supply system. Francis Drouin (the Parliamentary Secretary) will also accompany Sean Fraser on behalf of Marie-Claude Bibeau (Minister of Agriculture and AgriFood).
Occupations eligible for the Agri-Food Pilot
The following industries and occupations are eligible under this pilot program:
Meat Product Manufacturing;
- Food Processing Laborers
- Industrial Butchers
- Farm Supervisors and Specialized Livestock Workers
- Retail Butchers
Production related to floriculture, Greenhouse, and Nursery, including Mushroom Production:
- General Farm Workers
- Farm Supervisors and Specialized Livestock Workers
- Harvesting Laborers
Animal production, except for Aquaculture-
- General Farm Workers
- Farm Supervisors and Specialized Livestock Workers
Candidates’ eligibility for the program
Candidates must ensure that they’re able to fulfill the additional eligibility requirements; they’re as follows:
- Full-time Canadian work experience for twelve continuous months in one of the eligible professions under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
- A Canadian Language Benchmark of 4 in languages such as English and French.
- An international equivalent of at least a high school level degree or above it.
- An unspecified job offer at or above the current rate for full-time, year-round labor in Canada outside of Quebec.
Meat processing sector
The meat processing sector’s employers who seek to use this pilot program will be able to obtain the Labour Market Impact Assessment. The overall plan must depict the employer’s strategy to support the Temporary Foreign Worker in acquiring Canadian Permanent Residency.
According to the IRCC, in order to preserve the labor market and migrant workers, unionized meat processors must submit a letter of support from their union, and non-unionized meat processors must meet extra standards.
