Agri-Food Immigration Pilot

Upstock Immigration  /  long-desc  /  Agri-Food Immigration Pilot
Agri-Food Immigration Pilot

Agri-Food Immigration Pilot

The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot (AFIP) is a Canadian immigration program designed to address labor shortages in the agricultural and food processing sectors. It was launched as a pilot program by the Government of Canada in 2019 and is aimed at attracting foreign workers with specific skills and experience in agriculture and food processing.    

Extension of this Program:

IRCC will be accepting applications until May 14, 2025.

The AFIP focuses on three specific industries within the agri-food sector:
  1. Meat processing: This includes establishments involved in the processing of meat, such as slaughterhouses, meat cutting plants, and meat packaging facilities.
  2. Mushroom production: This includes farms and facilities engaged in the cultivation, harvesting, and processing of mushrooms.
  3. Greenhouse production: This includes operations involved in the cultivation and harvesting of greenhouse-grown fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
Under the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot, eligible candidates are offered a pathway to permanent residency in Canada. The program allows employers in the participating industries to hire foreign workers for designated job positions that cannot be filled by Canadian citizens or permanent residents. The pilot program aims to help address the labor shortages faced by these industries and promote economic growth in the agricultural sector.
To be eligible for the AFIP, foreign workers must meet certain criteria, including:
  1. Job offer: Candidates must have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer in one of the designated industries mentioned above.
  2. Language proficiency: Applicants must demonstrate sufficient proficiency in English or French, as per the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 4 or higher.
  3. Education and work experience: Candidates must have completed at least a high school education and have at least one year of full-time work experience in the eligible industry.
  4. Settlement funds: Applicants must show that they have sufficient funds to support themselves and their dependents upon arrival in Canada.
  5. Work permit: Individuals accepted into the AFIP are required to obtain a temporary work permit before they can start working in Canada. This permit is typically issued for a specific duration and is tied to the job offer from the participating employer.
Successful candidates who fulfill the requirements of the pilot program can eventually apply for permanent residency in Canada. The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot is designed to provide a streamlined pathway for foreign workers to become permanent residents and contribute to the Canadian economy in the long term.

Eligible industries

Industries are classified by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). You can see specific industry definitions by searching the industry codes below on the NAICS website.
Your employer needs to include the industry code in your job offer.
Eligible industries under the pilot are:
  1. Meat product manufacturing (NAICS 3116)
  2. greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production, including mushroom production (NAICS 1114)
  3. animal production, excluding aquaculture
    • cattle ranching and farming (NAICS 1121)
    • hog and pig farming (NAICS 1122)
    • poultry and egg production (NAICS 1123)
    • sheep and goat farming (NAICS 1124)
    • other animal production (NAICS 1129)

For meat product manufacturing (NAICS 3116), eligible occupations are

  1. NOC 63201 – Butchers – retail and wholesale
  2. NOC 65202 – Meat cutters and fishmongers – retail and wholesale
  3. NOC 94141 – Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers
  4. NOC 82030 – Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors
  5. NOC 84120 – Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators
  6. NOC 85100 – Livestock laborer’s
  7. NOC 95106 – Labourers in food and beverage processing

For greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production, including mushroom production (NAICS 1114), eligible occupations are

  1. NOC 82030 – Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors
  2. NOC 84120 – Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators
  3. NOC 85100 – Livestock laborer’s
  4. NOC 85101 – Harvesting laborer’s

For animal production, excluding aquaculture (NAICS 1121, 1122, 1123, 1124 and 1129), eligible occupations are

  1. NOC 82030 – Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors
  2. NOC 84120 – Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators
  3. NOC 85100 – Livestock labourers
  4. NOC 85101 – Harvesting labourers

Annual application limits

We will process a maximum limit of 2,750 applications each year. We no longer use annual limits for individual occupations.