Canada Agri-Food Program to Open for New Applications on January 1

The Canada Agri-Food Pilot will open for new applications on January 1, 2024. This pilot has an annual quota of a maximum of 2,750 applications.

The pilot offers experienced, non-seasonal workers in particular industries and vocations a route to permanent residency.

Canada extended the Agri-Food Pilot, which was initially introduced as a three-year experiment in 2020, until May 14, 2025, in May 2023.

Moreover, in 2023, two new modifications to the Canada Agri-Food Pilot for Permanent Residence (PR) were implemented, making it easy for eligible candidates.

First off, family members of the applicants to the Agri-Food Pilot are now eligible to apply for Canadian open work permits.

Second, Canadian immigration will now accept union reference letters in lieu of employer reference letters attesting to an applicant’s work experience.

Eligibility for Canada Agri Food Pilot

Individuals (in Canada or abroad) fulfilling the following criteria are eligible to apply for permanent residency under the Agri Food Pilot:

• At least one year’s worth of cumulative, non-seasonal, full-time experience in the last three years—that is, at least 1,560 hours over 52 weeks in one or more of the eligible agri-food occupations.
  • This experience must have been obtained over the course of a minimum 12-month LMIA-based work permit.
• A job offer for a full-time, permanent, non-seasonal position in a qualifying occupation within one of the eligible agri-food industries.
• A Canadian high school diploma or equivalent education assessment.
• Enough settlement funds to support you and your family members in Canada (even if your family isn’t moving with you).
  • In the event that you are presently employed under a work permit in Canada, you do not need to prove your settlement funds.
• Minimum language proficiency (English or French) of Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) Level 4.

Acceptable Proofs of Work Experience

• an employer or union reference letter
  • A union reference letter is only for unionized positions.
• a letter of employment
• a T4
• paystubs

Occupations Eligible for the Agri-Food Pilot

For meat product manufacturing (NAICS 3116)

• Butchers: retail and wholesale: NOC 63201
• Meat cutters and fishmongers, retail and wholesale: NOC 65202
• Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers: NOC 94141
• Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors: NOC 82030
• Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators: NOC 84120
• Livestock Labourers: NOC 85100
• Labourers in food and beverage processing: NOC 95106

For greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production, including mushroom production (NAICS 1114)

• Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors: NOC 82030
• Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators: NOC 84120
• Livestock Labourers: NOC 85100
• Harvesting Labourers: NOC 85101

For animal production, excluding aquaculture (NAICS 1121, 1122, 1123, 1124 and 1129)

• Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors: NOC 82030
• Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators: NOC 84120
• Livestock Labourers: NOC 85100
• Harvesting Labourers: NOC 85101

How to apply for the Canadian Agri-Food Pilot

To apply for this pilot program, if you meet the eligibility requirements, go to the official IRCC website by clicking this link to download the complete application guide.