2025 amendments to the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program employment contract with Mexico

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 Worker Program (SAWP) employment contract with Mexico have been amended for the 2025 season:

1. Section 1: Scope and period of employment, clause 7

A new clause was added to ensure that, in cases where workers are required to stay in Canada for reasons beyond their control, the employer must notify the government agent and the Government of Canada to enable proper follow-up actions.

2. Section 2: Lodging, meals and rest periods, part A, clause 1

This clause was modified to ensure that it is the employer's responsibility to provide, at no cost to the worker, cleaning supplies necessary to maintain the accommodations.

3. Section 2: Lodging, meals and rest periods, part A, clause 2

This clause was modified to indicate that accommodations with laundry facilities must, in addition to having an adequate number of automated washing machines, also be equipped with an adequate number of automated dryers, at no cost to the worker.

Furthermore, where accommodations require paid laundry facilities, the employer is responsible for providing the worker with an increased weekly amount of $16.50 towards laundry costs.

4. Section 2: Lodging, meals and rest periods, part A, clause 6

This amendment increases the amount that can be deducted in applicable provinces by employers for utility costs by 2.67% to $2.75 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 2025 contract for employment.

5. Section 2: Lodging, meals and rest periods, part A, clause 9

For British Columbia only, the permitted amount for the accommodation deduction increased by 3.01% to $5.85 per working day and is not to exceed $902.17 during the worker's stay in Canada.

6. Section 2: Lodging, meals and rest periods, part B

This section was amended to remove the "For provinces and territories except British Columbia" reference and 2 unused clauses to eliminate the "For British Columbia only". This eliminates the distinction between all provinces/territories and British Columbia, allowing to establish a nationwide amount for meal deduction.

7. Section 2: Lodging, meals and rest periods, part B, clause 10b

Where the worker and the employer agree that the latter provides meals to the worker, the permitted amount for meal deduction increased by 3.12% and is not to exceed $7.07 per day.

8. Section 3: Payment of wages, clause 6

In Canada, the recognition payment has increased by 3.12% to $4.35 per week, to a maximum of $139.38.

9. Section 4: Deductions of wages, clause 2

A new clause was added to provide greater clarity that employers cannot make deductions for transportation expenses to and from the airport, or any other expenses that are the employer’s responsibility.

10. Section 5: Health and safety of workers, clause 1

This clause was amended to provide more clarity on the requirement for employers to ensure that workers are covered by provincial/territorial health insurance, provincial/territorial workplace safety insurance programs or a private insurance policy that provides complete health coverage to the worker, at no additional cost to the worker. Under no circumstance should a worker not be covered for any injury or illness while employed in Canada.

11. Section 5: Health and safety of workers, clause 3

This clause was amended to add "or in a medical leave". This is to ensure that while the worker is receiving disability compensation due to death or injury resulting in a job loss, the employer does not make further deductions from the worker.

12. Section 5: Health and safety of workers, clause 4

This clause was amended to indicate the employer's obligation to report to the government agent, within 24 hours, all injuries and illnesses sustained by the worker requiring medical attention.

13. Section 5: Health and safety of workers, clause 5

This clause was moved up to the employer's agreement section from clause 9 under the employer's responsibility section, thus ensuring that the employer is aware of their responsibilities towards the repatriation of the worker in the event the worker dies during the period of employment.

14. Section 5: Health and safety of workers, clause 6

This new clause was added to indicate that, in the event that a worker is required to remain in Canada after the end of their contract or beyond December 15 for reasons beyond their control, such as medical situations, it is the employer's responsibility to ensure accommodation during the necessary recovery period, until the worker is able to return to Mexico.

15. Section 5: Health and safety of workers, clause 7

The amendment to this clause increases the worker's regular payroll deduction for the private health insurance premium to $1.08 per day.

16. Section 7: Travel and reception arrangements, clause 1

This clause was amended to indicate that the employer is no longer obligated to pay for the return flight should the worker voluntarily decides to leave the Program.

A second amendment was added to ensure that workers can have, in each direction, 1 checked luggage and a meal in cases where the airlines do not include them in the airfare. The cost of the bag and the meal are included in the cost of the 2-way airfare paid by the employer and shall not be deducted separately from the worker's wages.

17. Section 7: Travel and reception arrangements, clause 5

The maximum airfare deductions were updated for the 2025 season. These deductions are updated each year based on the season provincial airfare costs.

18. Section 8: Obligations of the employer, clause 3

This new clause was added to establish the employers' obligation to display in a visible area, at the accommodation quarters, the rules of conduct, safety discipline and care and maintenance of the property in Spanish.

19. Section 8: Obligations of the employer, clause 5

This clause was amended to ensure that workers, upon their arrival in Canada, are provided with the proper health coverage in a timely fashion.

20. Section 8: Obligations of the employer, clause 8

This clause was amended to have the government agent coordinate with the employer to ensure that the worker receives adequate care when they need medical attention, as well as be provided with transportation from their place of residence to the hospital, at no cost to the worker. In addition, the worker shall also have access to interpretation services.

21. Section 8: Obligations of the employer, clause 12

This new clause was added to include the requirement for the employer to assist workers in ensuring they have access to housing and support services in a force majeure event that prevents the worker from working and affects the area in which they are located/living. In situations where no work is possible, the employer, in consultation with the government agent, should assist the worker in finding alternative employment with another SAWP employer or assist the worker in returning to their home country, at no additional cost to the worker outside of the provisions in the contract relating to transportation and housing costs.

22. Section 9: Obligations of the worker, clause 2

This clause was amended to modify some wording and ensure that the worker adheres to the rules established within the facilities owned by the employer, referred to in Section 1, clause 5 of the contract.

23. Section 11: Transfer of workers, clause 4

This new clause was added to ensure that during the transfer of a worker, the receiving employer is responsible for arranging and paying for the transportation of the worker to the new work location, at no cost to the worker.