EXTENSION OF AGRI-FOOD PILOT

On May 08, 2023 – Honourable Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced the extension of the Agri-Food Pilot, which will now run until May 14, 2025. Launched in May 2020, the pilot helps facilitate the transition of experienced workers in agricultural and food industries to permanent residence in Canada.

To support employers and candidates, the Minister also announced the removal of the annual occupational caps, or the limits for how many candidates can apply for a specific occupation under the pilot. Removing these limits will provide an opportunity for more eligible candidates to apply.

The Agri-Food Pilot complements Canada’s existing suite of economic immigration programs, which includes the Atlantic Immigration Program, the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, the caregivers pilots, the Global Skills Strategy, Express Entry, and the Provincial Nominee Program.

Quick Facts

• This five-year pilot tests an industry-specific approach by working with agri-food employers and providing a pathway to permanent residence for temporary foreign workers who have worked in the agri-food sector in Canada.
• A total of 2,750 principal applicants can be processed under the pilot annually.  

The occupations and industries eligible under the pilot include:

• • meat product manufacturing 
    • retail butchers
    • industrial butchers
    • farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
    • food processing labourers
  • greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production, including mushroom production 
    • farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
    • general farm workers
    • harvesting labourers
  • animal production, excluding aquaculture 
    • farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
    • general farm workers
• Since Quebec establishes its own economic immigration selection under the Canada-Quebec Accord, eligible applicants under the Agri-Food Pilot must intend to live and work outside of Quebec after obtaining permanent residence.

Source: IRCC