We talk about the new immigration program to Canada, which was launched in 2020: description and basic requirements.
The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot is a program designed to attract workers to Canada’s agricultural sector. The main task of this complex is the production and processing of agricultural raw materials, followed by the production of food products.
The program has been extended until May 14, 2025.
Requirements for candidates
To participate in the Agri-Food program, you must:
- have current work experience;
- have a valid job offer. How to find a job offer in Canada ;
- meet educational requirements;
- meet language proficiency requirements;
- prove the availability of funds for the arrangement.
Order program selection
Fill out the form, and we will assess your chances for free and select suitable programs for immigration to Canada.
Fill out the formService page
Suitable work experience
The program is relevant only for those who have accumulated 1 year (1,560 hours) of work experience in Canada in one of the current professions over the past 3 years.
One year of experience in Canada must be obtained under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program with an LMIA of at least 12 months.
What you should know when calculating:
- hours are taken into account when working full time (from 30 hours per week);
- work experience in different professions relevant to this program, as well as for different employers, is taken into account;
- you must have worked for at least 1 year. That is, it will not be possible to work 60 hours a week and gain the required amount of experience in six months;
- your work had to be paid;
- Experience gained while working for yourself is not taken into account.
What professions are relevant?
To compare the responsibilities of your profession and those listed below, use the NOC profession classifier. What it is and how to find out your code is described in the article about NOC of Canada .
- Production of meat products:
- 63201: butchers;
- 65202: meat cutters and fishmongers;
- 94141: industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry producers;
- 82030: Agricultural service contractors and farm managers;
- 84120: specialized livestock breeders and agricultural machine operators;
- 85100: livestock workers;
- 95106: Food and beverage workers.
- Greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production, including mushroom production:
- 82030: Agricultural service contractors and farm managers;
- 84120: specialized livestock breeders and agricultural machine operators;
- 85100: livestock workers;
- 85101: harvesters.
- Livestock production other than aquaculture:
- 82030: Agricultural service contractors and farm managers;
- 84120: specialized livestock breeders and agricultural machine operators;
- 85100: livestock workers;
- 85101: harvesters.
If these professions are not suitable for you, you can read our ranking of in-demand professions in Canada in 2024 and consider other immigration programs.
Valid job offer
The proposed work must meet the following requirements:
- full-time (at least 30 hours per week);
- non-seasonal, that is, permanent paid work without breaks depending on the time of year;
- permanent, that is, the job offer does not have an end date;
- the salary must be at least the average for this NOC. You can view it on the Canadian job site ;
- not in Quebec.
Education Requirements
High school diploma if you studied in Canada. Completed 11th grade if you studied in Russia.
Education received outside Canada will need to be verified. Read more about this in the article about Educational credential assessment . And about the step-by-step instructions in the article about the evaluation of a diploma in WES .
Language requirements
It is enough to know the language at level 4 CLB, which is below average. What is CLB ?
To determine your level, you must pass one of the tests:
- IELTS for English;
- TEF Canada for French.
Proof of availability of funds for arrangement
If you are not legally working in Canada at the time of application, you will need to prove that you have enough money to support yourself and all family members.
It is worth considering even those family members (spouse, children) who are not immigrating with you.
The amount required depends on the size of the family and is presented in the table below.
| Family members | Amount (CAD) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 13,757 |
| 2 | 17,127 |
| 3 | 21,055 |
| 4 | 25,564 |
| 5 | 28,994 |
| 6 | 32,700 |
| 7 | 36,407 |
| Each subsequent | 3,706 |