Features of Canada’s first industry specific pilot program for immigrants

Canada announced the launch of the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot in July last year to meet the labor shortages in the agriculture industry. This is the first industry-specific immigration stream launched by IRCC. The program will allow a maximum of 2,750 candidates and their family members to submit applications every year.

 

If the program runs for three years as proposed, this could amount to 16,500 new permanent residents at the end of three years. The pilot program was launched to meet the labor needs in the meat processing and mushroom production industries in Canada.

 

Employers in Canada who sign up for the pilot program will be eligible for the Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) for two years. Application for the pilot program will open in March this year.

 

Industries that are eligible for the pilot program:

• Meat products manufacturers manufacturing
• Greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production, including mushroom production
• Animal production, excluding aquaculture

Temporary foreign workers will also be able to apply under the pilot from this year.

 

Eligibility requirements for the program:

Candidates must have completed 12 months of non-seasonal work under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in an eligible occupation as mentioned above

They required a CLB level of 4 in English or French

They must have completed the Canadian equivalent of high school education or a higher level

They can have a job offer for full-time non-seasonal work in Canada except Quebec

 

 Eligible Occupations under the pilot include:

• Meat processing industry-retail butcher, industrial butcher, food processing laborer
• Harvesting laborers in mushroom production and greenhouse crop production
• General farm worker in mushroom production, greenhouse crop production, or livestock raising
• Farm supervisor and specialized livestock worker for meat processing, mushroom production, greenhouse crop production or livestock raising

Temporary foreign workers will also be able to apply under the pilot from this year.

 

With the launch of this pilot program, Canada hopes to meet the labor shortage in the agri-food sector and have enough labor force in this sector at the end of the three-year duration of the program.

 

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit, Invest or Migrate to Canada, talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company.