In recent years, Canadian agriculture and agri-food industries have struggled with labour shortages as the workers would have had to depend on short-term and seasonal work permits to find jobs. To overcome this, the Agri-Food pilot aims to attract and keep workers by offering them a way to permanent residence in Canada that will allow them and their families to work and live in Canada for as long as they like.

Agri-Food Pilot Program Requirements

A worker is eligible for the agri-food pilot program if they have:

• 1-year of non-seasonal work experience in the same industry they are applying for or at least 1,560 hours in the past 3 years,
• A valid full-time and non-seasonal permanent job offer in Canada for which the salary must meet or exceed the current earnings,
• A minimum CLB/NCLC score of 4 in either English or French,
• A Canadian high school certificate or an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) of a foreign equivalent or higher, and
• Enough money to support themselves and their family members regardless of whether they are moving to Canada or not. 

How to Apply for Permanent Residency Under the Agri-Food Pilot?

To apply for permanent residency under the agri-food pilot, the worker will need a valid job offer and show their experience working in one of the specified jobs within the meat production and agricultural sector.

Below is a step-by-step guide to getting permanent residency in Canada through the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot. 

Step 1: Determine your employer's industry.

The industries in North America are categorized by the NAICS (North American Industry System) industry code which you'll need when applying for your job. You can get it from your future employer. The eligible industries in the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot include: 

• Meat product manufacturing sector (NAICS 3116)
• Greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture production, including mushroom production (MACS 1114)
• Animal production, excluding aquaculture (NAICS 1121, 1122, 1123, 1124, or 1129)

Step 2: Determine if your job is eligible or not.

Your job is classified by a NOC (National Occupational Classification) code. In the following table, you will get the eligible jobs under the new Agri-food Immigration Pilot.

You must meet all of these requirements and support your application with the necessary documents to avoid any delays in your Canadian visa application.