2026 amendments to the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program employment contract with the Caribbean
This page is intended to provide a summary of the amendments to the above-mentioned employment contract. All parties are encouraged to review the appropriate employment contract in its entirety to remain informed on applicable terms and requirements.
The following sections and clauses of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP) employment contract with the Caribbean have been amended for the 2026 season:
1. Section 1: Scope and period of employment, clause 7
A new sentence was added to ensure the private lives of workers during their days off and outside of their designated working hours are respected. In addition, a new section of this clause was added to respect the general privacy of employers.
2. Section 1: Scope and period of employment, new clause 8
A new clause was added to clarify that it is the employers' responsibility to notify the government agent in cases where workers must remain in Canada beyond the contract end date.
3. Section 2: Lodging, meals and rest periods, part A, clause 1 and new clause 2
This clause was modified to divide the clause into multiple clauses to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved related to accommodations and improve the readability of the clause.
4. Section 2: Lodging, meals and rest periods, part A, new clause 3
This clause was added to clarify the responsibility of the employer to ensure cleaning supplies are provided, at no cost to the worker, for the maintenance of the accommodations.
5. Section 2: Lodging, meals and rest periods, part A, clause 4
This clause was modified to increase the weekly amount from $16.50 to $16.83 towards laundry costs that the employer is responsible to provide the worker where accommodations require paid laundry facilities.
6. Section 2: Lodging, meals and rest periods, part A, new clause 4a
A new clause was added to define the adequate number of washing and dryer machines provided by employers in the provided accommodation that is aligned with the Schedule F – Housing Inspection Report (HIR).
7. Section 2: Lodging, meals and rest periods, part A, new clause 6
A new clause was added to mandate that employer-provided accommodations are equipped with exterior locking doors and windows, with door keys or numeric codes provided to workers at no cost. In case of lost keys, a reasonable cost shall apply, no greater than $10.00.
8. Section 2: Lodging, meals and rest periods, part A, new clause 7
A new clause was added to clarify that workers across all provinces in Canada adhere to their obligation to maintain clean employer-provided accommodations, with no exception. Prior to this change, the clause excluded British Columbia.
9. Section 2: Lodging, meals and rest periods, part A, clauses 8 and 11
These clauses were modified to change the wording from "clean and adequate living accommodations" to "suitable accommodations" to describe the employer-provided accommodations.
10. Section 2: Lodging, meals and rest periods, part A, clause 10
This amendment increases the amount that can be deducted by employers for utility costs in applicable provinces by 1.75%, up to $2.80 per day, based on the consumer price index (CPI) methodology. The increase is based on the methodology used to update the utility deduction for the 2026 contract for employment.
11. Section 2: Lodging, meals and rest periods, part A, clause 12
For British Columbia only, the permitted amount for the accommodation deduction increased by 2.40%, up to $7.28 per working day, and is not to exceed $969.68 during the worker's stay in Canada.
12. Section 2: Lodging, meals and rest periods, part B, clause 13b
Where the worker and the employer agree that the latter provides meals to the worker, the nationwide permitted amount for meal deduction will increase by 2.00% and is not to exceed $11.73 per day.
13. Section 3: Payment of wages, clause 4
In Canada, the recognition payment has increased by 2.00% to $4.69 per week, to a maximum of $149.94.
14. Section 3: Payment of wages, clause 10
This clause was modified to revise the name of the ministry referenced as it is no longer accurate. Instead of the title of the specific ministry, it is modified with a more general reference to the Government of British Columbia as the ministry name can be changed in future.
15. Section 4: Pay advances, clause 1
This clause was modified to clarify that employers must pay an advance to the worker so they can purchase food/personal items if needed. Replacing "may" with "shall" ensures the for-contract language does not suggest that it is optional for employers to pay an advance to workers.
16. Section 5: Deduction from wages, clause 4
The deductions remitted to the government agent by the employer to cover, among others, the costs associated with the physical and financial protection of the worker while in Canada and ensuring the worker's safe arrival to Canada from their country of origin have increased by 2.00% to $6.39 per working day.
17. Section 6: Health and safety of workers, clause 3
This clause was amended to remove the term "disability" before "compensation" since compensation applies in the event of death or injury resulting in loss of employment or in medical leave. This makes the language more generic and applicable to both instances.
18. Section 6: Health and safety of workers, new clause 8
A new clause was added to ensure that in the event that a worker must remain in Canada due to illness or a work-related accident, employers and the government agent facilitate appropriate accommodations for workers until they are able to return to their home country.
19. Section 7: Maintenance of work records and statement of earnings, clause 4
This clause was amended to correct the contract regarding the requirement for the employer to provide the worker or the government agent with a complete T4 by the last day of February, rather than February 28, to avoid confusion during leap years.
20. Section 8: Travel and reception arrangements, clause 1
This clause was amended to align with the Mexico SAWP employment contract to ensure that a meal is provided to workers either on their flight, before or after the flight, within a reasonable timeframe. It also clarifies that when a worker voluntarily decides to leave the SAWP, the employer is no longer required to cover the return flight cost to their home country.
21. Section 8: Travel and reception arrangements, new clause 3
This clause was added to ensure that in the event that a worker in transit must stay overnight for 8 hours on arrival or 10 hours on departure or more, the employer provides the worker with hotel accommodation and meals.
22. Section 8: Travel and reception arrangements, clause 6
The maximum airfare deductions were updated for the upcoming 2026 season. These deductions are updated each year based on the provincial seasonal airfare costs.
23. Section 9: Obligations of the employer, clause 5b
This clause was amended to ensure that workers are provided with information and training on the use of pesticides in accordance with applicable provincial/territorial legislation at no cost to the workers.
24. Section 11: Obligations of the employer, clause 4
This clause was revised to use respectful and dignified language and to modernize the previous language used in the contract.
25. Section 12: Early cessation of employment, clause 1
This clause was amended to ensure that the employer continues to provide accommodation to the worker until they return home, in the event of premature cessation of a worker's employment.