Canada Agri-Food Pilot

The Agri-Food Pilot, also known as the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot, is a pathway for non-seasonal workers who want permanent residency in Canada. These workers must have experience in an eligible or qualified food manufacturing or agricultural profession.

To qualify for this program, candidates must meet the following requirements:

• Have work experience in a qualified profession or industry
• Have received an employment offer
• Satisfy the language proficiency requirements
• Meet or surpass the educational requirements
• Prove they have sufficient funds to settle in Canada (if applicable)
• Have maintained their temporary resident status (If they are in Canada already).

Currently, the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot is a temporary immigration pathway which will run until May 2023.

Page Contents

• What is Canada Agri-Food Pilot?
• What Industries are Eligible for the Agri-Food Pilot?
• What Occupations or Professions Are Eligible Under The Agri-Food Pilot?
• What are the Work Experience Requirements For the Canadian Agri-Food Pilot?
• What are the Requirements for Employment Offers?
• What Are The Language Proficiency Requirements For the Agri-Food Pilot?
• Minimum Educational Requirements for the Agri-Food Pilot?
• The Financial Requirements for the Agri-Food Pilot
• What Documents Do I Need for My Application?
• How can IAS Help?

The eligible industries under this program are categorised by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). You may search the NAICS website for detailed industry definitions by searching for industry codes.

Your prospective employer must include the industry code in the employment offer. Failure to do this could negatively impact your application process.

The eligible industries under this immigration program include:

• Greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture production. This industry includes mushroom production (NAICS 1114).
• Meat product manufacturing (NAICS 3116)
• Animal production (excluding aquaculture) with subcategories including the following:
  • Hog and Pig Farming (NAICS 1122)
  • Cattle Ranching and Farming (NAICS 1121)
  • Sheep and Goat Farming (NAICS 1124)
  • Poultry and Egg Production (NAICS 1123)
  • Other animal production (NAICS 1129)

The eligible occupations or professions under the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot are categorised by the National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes. You will find specific information for these occupations by checking out the NOC page on the Canadian government website.

Eligible occupations are listed out below under their respective industries.

The Meat Product Manufacturing industry (NAICS 3116):

• Industrial Butchers – NOC C 9462
• Retail Butchers – NOC B 6331
• Food Processing Labourers – NOC D 9617
• Farm Supervisors and Specialized Livestock Workers – NOC B 8252

The Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production (also including mushroom production) (NAICS 1114):

• Harvesting Labourers – NOC D 8611
• General Farm Worker – NOC C 8431
• Farm Supervisors and Specialized Livestock Workers – NOC B 8252

Eligible work experience is an essential requirement for the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot programme. To qualify for the program, the work experience must be:

• At least 1 year of non-seasonal and full-time work over the last 3 years from the time of application. This requirement means you must have worked at least 1560 hours in that role.
• In one or more of the eligible occupations in the listed industries.
• Through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) with at least 12 months should be submitted by the employer that is giving you the job offer. You may have eligible work experience if you currently have an open work permit but used to have a work permit via the Temporary Foreign Worker programme. However, the work experience gained under an open work permit does not apply to the Agri-Food Pilot scheme.

Additionally, the following will not count as work experience in the Agri-Food Pilot scheme:

• Unpaid work hours (internships or volunteering experience)
• Work hours gained through self-employment
• Hours worked in a seasonal or part-time role
• Hours worked in a role unauthorised by Immigration, Refugees and Citizen Canada (IRCC).

Candidates must have a job offer to qualify for the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot. However, the job offer must meet the requirements:

• Be in a qualified profession under the eligible industries
• Be a full-time role (you must work a minimum of 30 paid work hours per week), and it must be permanent (it means that there is no set end date)
• Be a seasonal role (the role must be regularly scheduled and consistent paid work)
• Wages for unionised roles must be set based on the relevant collective agreement
• Wages for non-unionised roles must surpass the Job Bank’s predominant median wage for the profession cited in your job offer in the province where you are being hired. (National wage levels apply if provincial rates are not available)
• The job offer must be for a role in any Canadian province asides from Quebec.

You must have a minimum of a level 4 score in either the Niveaux de Competence Linguistique Canadiens (NCLC) or the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) to be eligible for the Agri-Food Pilot scheme. It must be for the four basic language skills; writing, reading, listening and speaking.

If your primary language is English, you may take either of the following tests to meet these language requirements:

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
• Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP)

However, if French is your primary language, you may take either of the following tests:

• Test de Connaissance du Francais (TCF Canada)
• Test d’evaluation de Francais (TEF Canada)

To be eligible for the Agri-Food Pilot candidates must have either of the following:

• A High School diploma from a Canadian school
• An ECA (Educational Credential Assessment) report from a recognised institution or professional body confirms that you completed a foreign credential at the high school or secondary school level.
  • The report must be obtained not more than 5 years prior to the submission of your application
  • The original report must be issued on or after the professional body or institution is recognised.

As of the time of writing, the recognised institutions or professional bodies that may issue an acceptable ECA report are:

• International Credential Evaluation Service
• International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS)
• International Credential Assessment Service of Canada
• World Education Services
• Comparative Education Service: University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies.

The following documents must be submitted alongside your application:

• Copies of your travel documents or passports and that of  your family members if applicable
• Proof of Education alongside an ECA report, if applicable
• Proof of language proficiency
• Proof of Collective Agreement (Only applicable if the wages for your job is determined based on collective agreement)
• Proof of funds
• Proof of past relevant work experience
• Proof of temporary residence status (if you are already living in Canada)
• Identification and Civil status documents for you and your family members (Such as birth certificates, marriage certificates and proof of cohabitation for a minimum of 12 months)
• Police certificate
• Children’s information (If necessary)
• Receipt of payment of application fees
• Two pictures each for each member of your family.