Agri-Food Immigration Pilot (AFIP)
The agriculture and agri-food industry is an important contributor to Canada’s economic growth. In order to attract and retain workers needed to sustain and grow the agri-food sector, the Government of Canada introduced the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot.
The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot program helps to address the labour needs of the Canadian Agri-food sector by enhancing the benefits of experienced, non-seasonal Agri-Food workers who can settle in Canada.
Temporary foreign workers with work experience in the Canadian agri-food sector receive only limited work permits and are not able to obtain permanent resident status. But with Agri-food Immigration Pilot, it gives them the opportunity to become permanent residents, instead of having to renew their work permits repeatedly.
Eligibility for the pilot depends on having a valid job offer in one of the specialized occupations as well as your work experience.
Eligibility Occupations for Canada’s Agri-food Immigration Pilot
The occupations and industries eligible under the Agri-food Immigration Pilot include:
- meat processing (including retail butcher, industrial butcher, food processing labourer)
- harvesting labourer for year-round mushroom production and greenhouse crop production
- general farm worker for year-round mushroom production, greenhouse crop production, or livestock raising
- farm supervisor and specialized livestock worker for meat processing, year-round mushroom production, greenhouse crop production or livestock raising.
Program Requirements
Here are some of the fundamental requirements in order to be eligible to participate in the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot:
12 months of full-time, non-seasonal Canadian work experience in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, in one of the eligible occupations.
A Canadian Language Benchmark level 4 in English or French
Foreign equivalent of a high school level education or greater
An indeterminate job offer for full-time, non-seasonal work in Canada, outside of Quebec, at or above the prevailing wage
Enough money to get settled in Canada
It is important to meet these requirements and to supply supporting documents at the time of application in order to avoid any delays or having your visa application denied.
If you are interested in applying for the Canadian Agri-food Immigration Pilot, we are here to make your application easy! Contact us now.
