Hire a temporary foreign agricultural worker
Please read our latest notices:
Note:
Effective January 12, 2022 and until June 30, 2023, Employment and Social Development Canada will suspend minimum advertising requirements for employers applying for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to hire temporary foreign workers in primary agriculture. Employers are expected to continue efforts to recruit Canadians and permanent residents. However, employers will not be required to meet TFWP minimum advertising requirements or submit proof with their LMIA application.
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, or activities relating to the collection, handling and assessment of those raw products, or
- planting, care, harvesting or preparation of crops, trees, sod or other plants for market
- be consistent with one of these National Occupational Classification codes: 80020, 80021, 82030, 82031, 84120, 85100, 85101 and 85103.
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
National Occupational Classification (NOC) Migration
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) has switched to the 2021 version of the NOC. Learn more about the NOC 2021 transition.
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