Debuting in March 2020, the new Agri-food Immigration Pilot will open up over 2,750 job opportunities for skilled farm and livestock workers looking to immigrate to Canada and apply for permanent residence. Given the amount of preparation time needed to apply for immigration it certainly isn’t too early to begin the application process now, beginning by familiarizing yourself with the requirements of this pilot.

The Agri-Food immigration pilot program is industry-specific, aimed at attracting non-seasonal farm and livestock workers who have the intention of settling and remaining in Canada year-round, particularly in the meat processing, animal raising, green housing, and mushroom production sectors. Eligibility for the pilot depends on having a valid job offer in one of the specialized occupations as well as your work experience.

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

To apply for this pilot you will need to have a valid job offer and show that you are an experienced worker in one of the specified occupations within the meat production and agricultural sector. Below, you’ll find a step by step guide to getting permanent residency in Canada through the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot.

Step 1: Determine Your Employer’s Industry

Industries in North America are classified by the NAICS (North American Industry System). You will need the NAICS industry code when applying for your job, which you can get from your prospective 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

Your job is classified by a NOC (National Occupational Classification) code. Below, you will find the qualifying occupations that fall under the new Agri-food Immigration Pilot.

Step 3: Check if You Meet General Eligibility

In order to be considered eligible for the pilot you will need to meet all of the following criteria:

• Have 1 year of non-seasonal work experience (at least 1,560 hours in the past 3 years) in the same industry you are applying for;
• Have a valid full-time, non-seasonal permanent job offer in Canada for which the salary must meet or exceed the prevailing wage;
• Have a minimum CLB/NCLC score of 4 in either English or French;
• Have a Canadian high school diploma or an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) of a foreign equivalent or higher; and
• Have enough money to support yourself and your family members, even if they won’t be moving with you to Canada.

It is important that you meet all of these requirements and are able to supply supporting documents at the time of application in order to avoid any delays in your Canadian visa application.