Move to Canada via the Agri Food Immigration Pilot Scheme

Are you looking for a way to immigrate to Canada?

You’re not the only one. Thousands of immigrants apply for permanent residency in Canada every year. While there are numerous ways to get a Canada permanent resident card, not all are suitable for your situation.

If you haven’t found a plan that works for you, the Agri Food Pilot Program is worth considering. Here’s all you need to know about this scheme, including how to apply for this immigration program.

Immigration to Canada via the Agri Food Pilot Scheme

To increase the production of its agri-food enterprises, Canada’s Agri Food Immigration Pilot Program is anticipated to offer new industry methods. They will be available by the end of this three-year pilot program.

Mushroom growers, meat butchers, and Canadians actively engaged in farming are those who benefit from this immigration trial scheme. Additionally, Canada intends to increase greenhouse production and export intervals.

Canada introduced the Agri Food Pilot Program on May 15, 2019, and it will function as a test scheme until May 15, 2023. It’s another option for skilled immigrants seeking permanent residency in Canada if they were previously employed in agriculture.

One of Canada’s most lucrative sectors is agriculture. Thanks to this industry, Canada’s GDP has increased tremendously, demonstrating that the country values a solid agricultural workforce.

A recent announcement by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) regarding the significance of the Agri Food Immigration Pilot Program in Canada supports that. Proof of that is that the IRCC invited more than 2,700 applicants to become permanent residents. The number of applicants that immigrated to Canada, including their families, reached 16,500.

These Are the Requirements to Immigrate to Canada

Apart from having a professional background and knowledge necessary to enroll in this program, you’ll need to fulfill the following eligibility criteria:

1. You must have a high school diploma or the foreign equivalent

2. You need a job offer for full-time employment (outside Quebec)

3. You’ve got to have one year of non-seasonal work experience in Canada in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The background must be in a qualifying occupation as listed below

4. You must achieve CLB level 4 to demonstrate your command of English or French

5. You need to have sufficient funds to relocate to Canada

Experience obtained using a work permit not issued as part of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program is ineligible for the Agri Food Immigration Pilot Program.

Here are the eligibility criteria in more detail:

Job Offer

• Your employment offer must be for a position in a Canadian industry that qualifies for the position

• You must have an offer for a permanent job in Canada somewhere other than Quebec

• The position you’ve been offered must be full-time and not seasonal

Work Experience

• You must have participated in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program
• You must have worked in one or more eligible occupations listed under an eligible industry in Canada for the past three years
• You must have worked full-time for at least a year, or 1,560 hours in non-seasonal jobs

Please be aware that your employer must provide a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) valid for at least 12 months to hire you.

Academic Attainment

A Canadian high school diploma or an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report is required for immigrant workers.

A professional body or an appropriate organization may give you an ECA. The report must confirm the successful completion of secondary school or above. Also, you must receive the information within five years after the application date.

Language Proficiency

To qualify, you must prove your command of either French or English. You can take a language proficiency test, then submit your result. Before applying for the Agri-Food Pilot program, you must take the CLB test and get your results no later than two years afterward.

Settlement Funds

You can use bank statements to demonstrate to Canadian immigration officials that you have the resources to sustain yourself while living in Canada. If you have a family in tow, you must prove you have enough money to support them.

However, if you already possess a valid work permit for Canada, you may no longer be subject to this requirement.

These Are the Eligible Jobs and Industries

Here’s a list of the industries that are eligible for the Agri Food Immigration Pilot scheme:

Sector: Manufacturing and livestock farming, including:

• Cattle raising (1,121)

• Hog raising (1,122)

• Poultry and egg (1,123)

• Sheep and goat farming and raising (1,124)

• Production of other animal products (1,129)

• Manufacturing meat products (3,116)

Besides, every plant-based sector that NAICS 1114 includes is also eligible for the program:

• Manufacturing mushroom products

• Producing floral products

Below are the occupations that also qualify for the program, according to the National Occupational Classification (NOC) classification:

There are positions available in the plant-based production sectors for:

• Harvesting laborers

• general farm workers and harvest laborers

Jobs available in the animal production sectors include:

• General farmworkers

Jobs accessible under the manufacturing of meat products include:

• retail and industrial butchers

• food processing laborers

There are positions available in all three sectors, including:

• specialized livestock workers

• farm supervisors

Each employment category in the Agri Food Immigration Pilot Program has a minimum number of applicants. The available spots are divided into the following categories:

• 50 specialized livestock workers or farm supervisors

• 200 general farm laborers

• 300 harvesting laborers

• 730 food processing laborers

• 1,470 retail and industrial butchers

You can submit your visa application once you meet the conditions of the Agri Food Immigration Pilot Program. You can send your application for Canadian permanent residency once the Canadian immigration authorities have approved it.

Move to Canada with the Help of a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC)

By getting help from immigration consultants, you can forget about the bureaucracy of the visa application process. Great North Visa is a recognized immigration company with experience filing successful Canadian visa applications.

We’re happy to help you migrate to Canada. Our knowledgeable consultants will give you the specialized immigration assistance you need. Our consultants work around the clock to address any questions you may have. Contact us today.