Hire a temporary foreign agricultural worker
COVID-19
Due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, there are changes to this program.
Please read our latest notices:
Advertisement waiver for employers hiring transfer through the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program or replacement workers through SAWP or the Agriculture Stream in the same position and the same economic region is in effect as of May 3, 2018.
You can only hire a temporary foreign agricultural worker in occupations and activities related to primary agriculture.
Primary agriculture
Primary agriculture is defined as work duties that must:
- be performed within the boundaries of a farm, nursery or greenhouse
- involve at least one activity, such as:
- operation of agricultural machinery
- boarding, care, breeding, sanitation or other handling of animals, other than fish, for the purpose of obtaining raw animal products for market
- collection, handling and assessment of those raw products, or the planting, care, harvesting or preparation of crops, trees, sod or other plants for market
- be consistent with one of these National Occupational Classification codes: 0821, 0822, 8252, 8255, 8431, 8432, and 8611
Hire a temporary foreign agricultural worker
You can hire a temporary foreign agricultural worker under one of the following streams:
Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program
- temporary foreign worker must be from Mexico or the participating Caribbean countries
- production must be included on the National Commodities List
- temporary foreign worker can be from any country
- production must be included on the National Commodities List
Stream for high-wage positions
- production is not included on the National Commodities List
- temporary foreign worker can be hired for any high-wage agricultural position
- production is not included on the National Commodities List
- temporary foreign worker can be hired for a low-wage agricultural position
Related links
Report a problem or mistake on this page
- Date modified: