Agri-Food Pilot (AFP) Program: Assessing the application against the selection criteria

Applicants should be assessed against the selection criteria below based on the information and documents provided in the application. Applicants must meet all of the following criteria to be approved.

On this page

• Education
• Employment requirements
• Qualifying work experience
• The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
• Qualifying NAICS and NOC combinations for work experience and job offer
• Official language proficiency
• Temporary residence status
• Settlement funds
• Intent to reside outside Quebec

Education

Applicants must demonstrate that they have at least 1 of the following:

• a Canadian secondary school (high school) or higher credential (certificate, diploma or degree)
• a completed foreign credential with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report from a designated organization approved by IRCC
  • The report must show the foreign education is either
    • equivalent to a completed Canadian secondary school (high school) or higher credential (certificate, diploma or degree)
    • an authenticated and completed secondary school diploma in the country where it was issued
      • A foreign secondary school diploma is defined as a completed secondary school credential that is issued on the completion of a program of study or training at an educational or training institution that is recognized by the official authorities responsible for registering, accrediting, supervising and regulating such institutions within the country of origin. It must represent upper secondary school (higher than junior secondary school or middle school and lower than post-secondary school). In situations where a country has multiple types of upper secondary school, all forms of upper secondary school would be recognized (including vocational schools).

The ECA must be less than 5 years old at the time of the application.

If an officer has concerns about the authenticity of an applicant’s foreign educational credentials, they should notify the Immigration Program Guidance Branch (IPG) (available internally only), which will consult with the appropriate ECA designated organization for further instructions. Should the authenticity of an applicant’s foreign educational credentials still be a concern after consultation, the officer will write to the applicant, explaining the concerns, and allow the applicant to respond to those concerns through correspondence, documentation and/or an interview.

The procedures for determining misrepresentation, including procedural fairness, remain the same under the AFP.

Employment requirements

Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the relevant employment requirements of the job they are being offered. Relevant employment requirements may include education, training or other qualifications listed in the NOC description.

Job offer requirements

Applicants must demonstrate that they have obtained a job offer and submit an Offer of Employment to a Foreign National—Agri-Food Pilot [IMM 0115] form (PDF, 1.55 MB) that is

• genuine, as determined under subsection 200(5) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR)
• from a single employer in Canada whose establishment’s primary business activities are consistent with the descriptions listed in the NAICS for eligible industries under the AFP
• from an employer that has a CRA business number
• from an employer that is not referred to in subparagraphs R200(3)(h)(i) to (iii)
• in an eligible occupation (NOC) and industry (NAICS) combination
• for full-time, non-seasonal (year-round) and indeterminate (no end date) employment to be performed outside the province of Quebec
• at a wage that is at or above the prevailing (median) wage for the occupation in the province where the work will be performed, as identified in the Job Bank of the Canada Employment Insurance Commission. If a prevailing wage is not provided for that province, then the wage offered must be at or above the national prevailing wage.

Applicants must meet all job offer requirements at the time the visa is to be issued.

Job offers based on self-employed work do not qualify under the AFP Program.

Union wage rates

For wages determined by a collective agreement, the employer must provide a wage rate that is identified in the applicable section of the collective agreement for the occupation indicated in the job offer.

The applicant must meet the wage requirement, as determined by the applicable provisions of the collective agreement, at visa issuance. Officers must verify the job offer to confirm that the employer will adjust the wage (check box on the job offer form) in the event that the wage determined by the collective agreement increases from the time the application is submitted to the time the visa is issued.

Prevailing wage

If the wage is not determined by a collective agreement, the employer must provide a wage (as indicated on the job offer) that is at or above the prevailing wage for the occupation in the province where the work will be performed, as identified on the Job Bank website. If a prevailing wage is not provided for that province, the wage offered must be at or above the national prevailing wage.

The prevailing wage is defined as the median wage indicated on the Job Bank website. It is not the range between low and high wages as identified on Job Bank for a particular occupation.

To determine the median wage,

• consult the Job Bank website
• in the Search field, enter the NOC code declared
• the hourly median wage will be listed in the middle column.
  • If the median wage for the province is listed as “N/A,” consult the national median wage.

The applicant must be provided a wage that is at or above the prevailing wage at visa issuance. The prevailing wage is updated annually (in the fall) and may be adjusted periodically to reflect the minimum wage in a province or territory. As a result, the prevailing wage may be updated on the Job Bank website between the time the application is submitted and the time the visa is issued.

Officers should verify the job offer for employer confirmation that the wage will be adjusted (check box on the job offer form) and to ensure that it was at or above the prevailing wage at application submission.

In this or any other circumstance where the officer has concerns with respect to the wage requirement or job offer, a procedural fairness letter can be sent in order to provide the applicant with the opportunity to understand the basis of the concern(s) and respond accordingly.

Officers can contact employers to verify this or any other part of the job offer if there are concerns.

Qualifying work experience

Applicants must demonstrate that they have obtained work experience

• equivalent to at least 1 year of continuous or accumulated full-time (at least 30 hours per week), non-seasonal work within the last 3 years
• that was obtained in Canada
• that was for paid work (volunteer work and unpaid internships do not count)
• in one or more eligible occupations (National Occupational Classification [NOC]) and industry (NAICS) combinations
• for one or more employers
• where they carried out the activities listed in the lead statement of the NOC and a substantial number of the main duties
  • Duties that begin with “may” in the NOC description are not usually considered essential duties
• that was authorized on
  • a work permit issued on the basis of a Labour Market Impact Assessment with a duration of at least 12 months (even if the work permit was not issued for a period of that duration) and/or
  • an open work permit for vulnerable workers (OWP-V)

Proof of previous relevant work experience must be demonstrated through an employer reference letter or a union reference letter (where applicable), and through supporting documentation such as paystubs.

• A union reference letter is only acceptable for jobs where the applicant worked in a unionized position.

Any periods of self-employment or unauthorized work will not be included when calculating the period of qualifying work experience.

For example, agricultural service contractors (NOC 8252 under NOC 2016 or NOC 82030 under NOC 2021) cannot claim any period of self-employed work experience to qualify for the AFP Program. Generally speaking, consultants and contractors are considered to be self-employed individuals in a “contract for services” business relationship. Similarly, individuals who hold substantial ownership or exercise management control of a business for which they are also employed are generally considered to be self-employed.

An IRCC officer may review pay stubs and notices of assessment to determine if an applicant’s work experience was based on self-employed work. If a prospective applicant is not sure of their employment status, they may choose to request a ruling from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to have that status determined. Such a ruling will state whether, in the view of the CRA, a worker is an employee or is self employed, and whether that worker’s employment is pensionable or insurable. This ruling may then be submitted to IRCC to supplement an AFP application.

Each application under the AFP Program is nto be considered on its own merits, with a final decision based on a review of all the information available to the IRCC officer at the time of decision. While a CRA ruling on an applicant’s employment status will be given due consideration by an IRCC officer, it will not constitute conclusive evidence. The final decision as to the employment status of the applicant for the purposes of meeting AFP requirements rests with the officer.

For more information

• occupations: NOC list
• industries: NAICS list

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) was designed to classify the economic activities of businesses engaged in the production of goods and services. Establishments are grouped into industries in NAICS based on similarity of input structures, labour skills and production processes. This means that producing units, such as establishments, using similar production processes would be classified under the same NAICS code.

For the purposes of the AFP Program, the applicant must have accumulated work experience and be provided a job offer in an eligible industry group. These industry groups are represented by 4-digit NAICS codes. The following is a list of eligible 4-digit NAICS codes and industry groups.

Eligible industry groups (NAICS codes)

• NAICS 1114 Greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production
• NAICS 1121 Cattle ranching and farming
• NAICS 1122 Hog and pig farming
• NAICS 1123 Poultry and egg production
• NAICS 1124 Sheep and goat farming
• NAICS 1129 Other animal production
• NAICS 3116 Meat product manufacturing

Employers must demonstrate that their businesses are primarily engaged in activities represented in the eligible industry groups. This means that the largest portion of the business’s activities must align with the descriptions found in the NAICS list for the eligible industry groups above.

The NAICS list contains 5-digit and 6-digit industry codes as well, which provide more detailed descriptions of the activities that businesses are engaged in within the 4-digit industry groups. For example, the 4-digit industry group represented under NAICS 1129 (Other animal production) can be further expanded into several 5-digit industry codes, such as NAICS 11292 (Horse and other equine production). Officers may review these descriptions to determine whether the employer is primarily engaged in activities described in the eligible industry groups.

For more information on NAICS codes and their descriptions, visit Statistics Canada.

Qualifying NAICS and NOC combinations for work experience and job offer

Below is a list of the eligible industry (NAICS) and occupation (NOC) combinations under the AFP for both work experience and job offers. No other NAICS and NOC combinations qualify under the program.

Eligible NAICS and NOC combinations

NAICS 1114 Greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production – applications received on or before November 15, 2022

• NOC 8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
• NOC 8431 General farm workers
• NOC 8611 Harvesting labourers

NAICS 1121 Cattle ranching and farming

• NOC 8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
• NOC 8431 General farm workers

NAICS 1122 Hog and pig farming

• NOC 8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
• NOC 8431 General farm workers

NAICS 1123 Poultry and egg production

• NOC 8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
• NOC 8431 General farm workers

NAICS 1124 Sheep and goat farming

• NOC 8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
• NOC 8431 General farm workers

NAICS 1129 Other animal production

• NOC 8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
• NOC 8431 General farm workers

NAICS 3116 Meat product manufacturing

• NOC 6331 Butchers, meat cutters and fishmongers – retail and wholesale
• NOC 8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
• NOC 9462 Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers
• NOC 9617 Labourers in food and beverage processing

Examples of occupation (NOC) and industry (NAICS) combinations

Scenario 1:

The applicant declares work experience in NOC 6331 (Butchers, meat cutters and fishmongers – retail and wholesale) with an employer principally engaged in business activities under NAICS 1129 (Other animal production).

This is an ineligible occupation (NOC) and industry (NAICS) combination.

Scenario 2:

The applicant has a job offer under NOC 8431 (General farm workers) with an employer principally engaged in business activities under NAICS 1114 (Greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production).

This is an eligible occupation (NOC) and industry (NAICS) combination.

Scenario 3:

The applicant has a job offer as a fishmonger under NOC 6331 (Butchers, meat cutters and fishmongers – retail and wholesale). The employer has declared that his establishment’s primary business activities align with NAICS 3116 (Meat product manufacturing). Upon a careful review of the employer’s business activities described in the job offer, the officer has determined that the establishment’s activities are actually aligned with NAICS 1125 (Aquaculture).

This is an ineligible occupation (NOC) and industry (NAICS) combination because NAICS 1125 (Aquaculture) does not qualify under the AFP.

Eligible NAICS and NOC combinations – applications received on or after November 16, 2022

NAICS 1114 Greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production

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

NAICS 1121 Cattle ranching and farming

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

NAICS 1122 Hog and pig farming

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

NAICS 1123 Poultry and egg production

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

NAICS 1124 Sheep and goat farming

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

NAICS 1129 Other animal production

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

NAICS 3116 Meat product manufacturing

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

Examples of occupation (NOC) and industry (NAICS) combinations

Scenario 1:

The applicant declares work experience in NOC 63201 (Butchers – retail and wholesale) with an employer principally engaged in business activities under NAICS 1129 (Other animal production).

This is an ineligible occupation (NOC) and industry (NAICS) combination.

Scenario 2:

The applicant has a job offer under NOC 85101 (Harvesting labourers) with an employer principally engaged in business activities under NAICS 1114 (Greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production).

This is an eligible occupation (NOC) and industry (NAICS) combination.

Scenario 3:

The applicant has a job offer as a fishmonger under NOC 65202 (Meat cutters and fishmongers – retail and wholesale). The employer has declared that his establishment’s primary business activities align with NAICS 3116 (Meat product manufacturing). Upon a careful review of the employer’s business activities described in the job offer, the officer has determined that the establishment’s activities are actually aligned with NAICS 1125 (Aquaculture).

This is an ineligible occupation (NOC) and industry (NAICS) combination because NAICS 1125 (Aquaculture) does not qualify under the AFP.

Official language proficiency

The applicant must provide a language test approved by IRCC that

• shows the applicant has a minimum level 4 in the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) or the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) for listening, speaking, reading and writing
• has a test date that is less than 2 years old on the date of application

See the language requirements section for information on evidence of language proficiency.

Temporary resident status

Applicants in Canada must have temporary resident status during the processing of their permanent residence application.

Settlement funds

If an applicant has been living and working in Canada under a valid work permit, they are not required to provide evidence of funds.

If an applicant is not already working in Canada, they must demonstrate that they have sufficient funds available for settlement in Canada at the time of application and once the application is finalized. The funds must meet all of the following criteria:

• available and transferable
• unencumbered by debts or other obligations
• sufficient to support the initial establishment in Canada

Sufficient funds are determined according to the applicant’s family size (including both accompanying and non-accompanying dependants). The funds must be 50% of the current low income cut-offs for urban areas.

Officers may wish to request additional information and documentation from applicants to demonstrate and support their ability to become economically established. If an applicant is unable to demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to meet the requirements, officers are to send them a procedural fairness letter.

Intent to reside outside of Quebec

IRCC must be satisfied that the applicant intends to reside in a province outside the province of Quebec.

When seeking permanent resident status, whether at a local IRCC office in Canada or at a port of entry, applicants must establish that they still intend to reside outside the province of Quebec.

Processing offices must follow procedural fairness guidelines if they are not satisfied that an AFP applicant meets the criteria of the AFP Program. In such cases, the office must inform the applicant of their concerns, and the applicant must have the opportunity to respond and provide additional information in support of their application.