Agri-Food Pilot

Canada’s Agri-Food Pilot was a targeted immigration pathway to address labor shortages in the agricultural and food processing sectors. It aimed to help experienced workers in certain agri-food industries transition from temporary status to permanent residence. This pilot acknowledged that many who work on farms and in meat processing were on yearly work permits with no clear PR avenue, so it created a focused solution.

Program Status: The Agri-Food Pilot launched in May 2020 and was originally slated to run for 3 years. It was then extended to May 14, 2025 (the maximum 5-year span allowed for a pilot). As of May 14, 2025, the pilot has ended. IRCC stopped accepting new applications after reaching the cap or the end date (whichever came first). We are now at that point. There’s no announcement (yet) of a continuation or permanent program specifically for agri-food workers, so currently this pathway is closed. Workers in these industries might have to use other programs (e.g., some provincial nominee streams for semi-skilled workers in agriculture, or possibly the Atlantic or rural programs if applicable). NovaBridge is monitoring if the government introduces a renewed agri-food stream, given the sector’s continued demand.

Eligible Industries and Occupations: The pilot was not for all farm workers, but specifically targeted a few NOC codes in industries like:

• Meat product manufacturing (NAICS 3116): This included industrial butchers, meat cutters, slaughterers, poultry production workers, etc. Occupations: Industrial butcher (NOC 94141, old NOC B), Retail butcher (NOC 63201, old NOC B), Food processing laborer (NOC 95106, old NOC D but considered under pilot).

• Greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture production (NAICS 1114) & Mushroom production (NAICS 111411):Occupations like General farm workers (NOC 85100) specific to these, Harvesting laborers (NOC 85101) for mushrooms, Farm supervisor/specialized livestock worker (NOC 82030) for those sectors.

• Animal production (NAICS 1121, specifically cattle, hog): Farm supervisors in livestock, feedlot workers, etc., fell here.
  In summary, examples of jobs that could apply: meat processing plant worker, mushroom picker, greenhouse worker, livestock farm worker, farm supervisor. Notably, seasonal work did not count – the job had to be non-seasonal and full-time (min 30 hours/week, and permanent or at least indeterminate length).

Eligibility Requirements:

• Canadian Work Experience: Applicants needed at least 12 months of full-time, non-seasonal work experience in Canada in one of the eligible occupations (within the last 3 years). This means it was geared toward those already in Canada on a work permit (like many were on the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in meat plants or on farms).

• Job Offer: A full-time, non-seasonal indeterminate job offer from a Canadian employer in one of the eligible industries was required. Essentially, your current employer often would be the one to give this offer (committing to keep you on permanently). The job offer had to be outside of Quebec.

• Language: Minimum of CLB 4 in English or French (basic level). This is fairly low, recognizing many farmworkers might not have high language proficiency.

• Education: At least a Canadian high school diploma or equivalent (ECA needed for foreign credentials).

• Proof of Funds: If you were not already working in Canada, you had to show settlement funds (like other economic programs). If you were already in Canada working, this was typically waived.

Quota: The pilot could accept up to 2,750 principal applicants per year. There were sub-caps by occupation. For example, a certain number for meat processors, certain for farm supervisors, etc., ensuring a balance.

NovaBridge’s role: We assisted clients who often were already working in Canada in those jobs. Typically these individuals had been in Canada for a couple of years on LMIA-based work permits. We coordinated with their employers to get the required documents (reference letters to prove the 12 months experience, and the new job offer letter for PR purposes which had to meet certain format). One area we helped with significantly was education credential assessment– many workers needed an ECA for their high school since they hadn’t needed one for a work permit. We guided them through getting transcripts from back home and obtaining an ECA. We also helped prepare for language tests, because CLB 4 is achievable, but some clients had never taken an English test; we gave them basic training resources. We ensured all forms (especially the offer of employment IMM form specific to this pilot) were correctly filled by the employer and that the employer understood their role (some employers worried it’s like LMIA; we explained it’s simpler and no cost to them, just a letter of commitment). NovaBridge also checked the NOC mapping carefully – during NOC changes (2016 to 2021 version update), we made sure to use the right codes.

Post-PR: Many agri-food pilot applicants had lived in rural areas or small towns for their jobs. Once they got PR, some had the option to move, but interestingly a lot stayed because they had a stable job and often family with them. There’s no condition tying you to the employer after PR, but leaving immediately could strain that relationship (and these industries are known to need people, so leaving might also create a void). We counseled clients on how to possibly renegotiate better terms with their employer now that they’re PR (e.g., pursuing higher roles like supervisor, or getting training, etc.). Also, PR gave them flexibility – some did choose to move to a different city for better opportunities, which is their right.

Risks and Compliance: The main risk in the agri-food pilot was ensuring the work experience was genuine and properly documented. Some workers had multiple short contracts or changed employers via new LMIAs; IRCC wanted exactly 12 months in one of the specific occupations. We had to be careful that if someone worked in a mushroom farm as a general laborer and then as a harvesting laborer, it all counted – fortunately, IRCC was occupation-specific but some roles are similar. Misrepresentation wasn’t rampant in this pilot because it was people already in Canada with records. But hypothetically, if someone tried to apply with fake job letters, that would be misrepresentation. Also, we had to confirm that the employer was genuine and in good standing (no sense pushing an application if the employer might shut down or not really commit to keeping the worker). No appeal process unique to this – if refused, likely because criteria not met or documents missing. We’d either fix the issue and reapply if within timeline or if pilot still open. Now that it’s closed, if someone was refused late in the game, unfortunately there’s little recourse except maybe a judicial review.

Many question if the government will introduce another pathway for agri-food workers since the need persists. It’s possible they might funnel them through the new regional programs or through PNPs. NovaBridge will adapt and redirect clients as needed (for example, if you’re a butcher now, we might look at a provincial nominee stream like in Manitoba or Alberta that has a stream for food industry workers).

FAQs – Agri-Food Pilot

• What jobs were eligible under the Agri-Food Pilot? The pilot targeted specific occupations in meat processing, mushroom and greenhouse production, and livestock raising. Examples include: industrial butchers and meat cutters, food processing labourers (like packaging meat), farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers, general farm workers in beef/pork production, harvesting labourers for mushrooms or greenhouses, and retail butchers in some cases. So if you worked in a slaughterhouse, a large greenhouse, or on a cattle/pig farm in a skilled or semi-skilled role, you likely fell under one of the eligible NOCs. Jobs like fruit pickers (seasonal) or fish plant workers were not included. NovaBridge can confirm if a particular job title/NOC was part of the pilot if you’re unsure.

• Did I need a job offer for the Agri-Food Pilot? Yes, you needed an indeterminate job offer from a Canadian employer in one of the eligible industries. In practice, since applicants were already working for an employer on a temporary permit, the job offer for PR was usually a letter stating that the company will continue to employ them permanently once they become a PR. We made sure the offer letter included job title, wage (meeting prevailing wage), hours, and that it’s non-seasonal and full-time. If an applicant had left an employer but still had the required experience, they would need a new job offer from an employer in the sector to apply. So continuous employment was key. During the pilot, many employers were very supportive in giving these letters because they wanted to keep the trained worker long-term.

• Is the Agri-Food Pilot still open? No, it closed on May 14, 2025 to new applications. The pilot reached its full duration of 5 years and the intake has stopped. If you already applied before it closed, IRCC will still process your application. There is currently no replacement federal program specifically for agri-food workers announced. It’s possible that in the future such workers might have pathways via other regional or provincial programs. For instance, some provinces (like Alberta’s Rural Renewal, or a stream in Saskatchewan) might accommodate agri-food occupations. NovaBridge stays informed on any new initiatives or extensions – if the government decides to make it a permanent program or launches a “Agri-Food Pilot 2.0,” we’ll update our channels immediately. For now, those in agri-food seeking PR might need to look at PNP options or the general Express Entry if they qualify.

• Can seasonal farm workers benefit from this pilot? Unfortunately, no. The pilot explicitly required non-seasonal, full-time work. Many agriculture jobs in Canada are seasonal (e.g., harvesting fruits in summer). Those roles were not eligible for this PR pilot. Only year-round operations like indoor mushroom farms or meat plants qualified. Seasonal workers often had to go back home and return, making it hard to accumulate 12 months continuous experience. There have been discussions about how to help seasonal agri-workers get PR (maybe through provincial programs that consider cumulative experience over multiple seasons), but under this pilot alone it wasn’t possible. NovaBridge can look at your specific situation – e.g., if you’ve done several seasons in Canada, we might advise on a provincial route or maybe combining with other work experience to go through Express Entry.

Will there be a new program for agriculture or food processing workers? As of mid-2025, we don’t have a new federal program announced yet for this sector. The government did indicate they expanded and extended the pilot through 2025 and capped applications in 2025, but beyond that, we’re waiting for news. Given the labor shortages persist (meat plants and farms still need workers), it would make sense for IRCC to either continue this pilot as a permanent program or integrate these occupations into another program (maybe give them more points in Express Entry or create a specific category-based draw for agri-food). Some provinces also lobbied for this. NovaBridge watches the immigration plans each year; if an Agri-Food pathway reopens, we will immediately assist those eligible. In the meantime, if you’re an agri-food worker in Canada, we encourage you to improve language skills and perhaps look at provincial nominations as a bridge to PR. We can help explore those options with you now that the federal pilot is closed.