Agri-Food Immigration Pilot
may 1, 2025
The Agri-Food Pilot Program: 2025 Updates and Closure
The Agri-Food Pilot Program, launched by the Canadian government in 2020 to address labor shortages in the agriculture and food processing sectors, has been a critical pathway for skilled workers seeking permanent residency. Targeting industries like meat processing, greenhouse production, and livestock raising, the program has supported over 4,500 workers and their families in settling in Canada. However, 2025 has brought significant changes, including a strict application cap and the program’s impending closure. This blog explores the latest news on the Agri-Food Pilot, its impact, and alternative pathways for agri-food workers.
A Sharp Cap and Early Closure
In January 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced a drastic reduction in the Agri-Food Pilot’s application intake, capping it at 1,010 for the year, down from 2,750 in 2024. This decision, effective immediately, was driven by high demand and the constraints of Canada’s 2025-27 Immigration Levels Plan. By February 13, 2025, the program reached its cap, closing to new applications well before the scheduled end date of May 14, 2025. This early closure has left many prospective applicants scrambling for alternatives.
The Agri-Food Pilot operated on a first-come, first-served basis, unlike other programs requiring an Invitation to Apply (ITA). Its popularity stemmed from its accessibility for non-seasonal workers in specific roles, such as butchers, agricultural supervisors, and harvesting laborers, under industries classified by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), including meat product manufacturing (NAICS 3116), greenhouse and floriculture production (NAICS 1114), and animal production (NAICS 1121, 1122, 1123, 1124, 1129).
Why the Cap and Closure?
The Agri-Food Pilot was designed as a five-year pilot to test its effectiveness in addressing labor shortages while supporting Canada’s agri-food sector, which contributes significantly to the economy—$150 billion to GDP and nearly $100 billion in exports in 2024. The program’s success is evident, with 1,775 workers gaining permanent residency in 2024 alone. However, federal regulations mandate that pilot programs end after five years, and no extension or permanent replacement has been announced as of April 2025.
The reduced cap reflects broader immigration policy shifts, as Canada seeks to manage application backlogs and align immigration with labor market needs. The early closure underscores the program’s high demand, particularly among workers in meat processing and greenhouse production, but it has also sparked frustration among those who missed the narrow application window.
Recent Program Enhancements
Before its closure, the Agri-Food Pilot saw updates to improve accessibility. In February 2024, IRCC introduced flexibility for applicants residing in Canada, allowing them to meet either the job offer or educational requirement, rather than both. Additionally, on June 3, 2024, language proficiency requirements were refined to better align with other economic immigration programs, ensuring applicants could integrate into Canadian society. The validity period for language test results was also adjusted to start from the test report date, streamlining the application process.
Applicants were required to demonstrate sufficient settlement funds (50% of the low-income cut-off for urban areas, based on family size) unless already working in Canada with a valid work permit. These changes made the program more inclusive but couldn’t offset the impact of the reduced cap and closure.
Impact on Workers and Employers
The Agri-Food Pilot’s closure is a blow to Canada’s agriculture and food processing sectors, which rely on foreign workers to fill persistent labor gaps. The program supported roles critical to food security, from meat cutters to livestock laborers, and its end leaves employers in provinces like Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia seeking alternatives. Workers who missed the application window face uncertainty, particularly those already in Canada on temporary work permits.
The closure also highlights broader challenges in the agri-food sector. For instance, China’s March 2025 tariffs on $2.6 billion worth of Canadian agricultural products, including some food processing exports, add pressure to an industry already grappling with labor shortages and rising costs. While canola was excluded from these tariffs, potentially leaving room for trade negotiations, the sector’s stability remains at risk without programs like the Agri-Food Pilot.
Alternative Immigration Pathways
For agri-food workers seeking permanent residency, several alternatives remain:
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs): Provinces like Ontario and Saskatchewan offer streams tailored to agriculture and food processing. For example, Ontario’s Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Stream lists agriculture as a priority occupation, making it a viable option for those with job offers.
Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP): Despite its own challenges, including reduced allocations and sector restrictions in 2025, the AIP remains open in provinces like Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, offering a pathway for workers with job offers from designated employers.
Rural Community Immigration Pilot: Launched in 2024, this employer-focused pilot targets 14 designated communities, providing opportunities for workers in rural agri-food sectors.
Express Entry: High-skilled workers in agri-food occupations may qualify for Express Entry, though it requires higher language proficiency and comprehensive ranking system (CRS) scores.
Saskatchewan’s new PNP pathways for agriculture, introduced in August 2024, also offer hope for workers in this sector. Additionally, Quebec’s pilot programs for food processing workers, reopened in January 2025, provide options outside Atlantic Canada, though they are limited to specific occupations.
Looking Ahead
The Agri-Food Pilot’s closure marks the end of a transformative initiative that strengthened Canada’s agri-food workforce. While its success is undeniable—supporting thousands of workers and bolstering an essential industry—the lack of a permanent replacement raises questions about how Canada will address ongoing labor shortages. The government’s focus on other pilots, like the Rural and Francophone Community Immigration Pilots, suggests a shift toward community-specific solutions, but these may not fully replace the Agri-Food Pilot’s targeted approach.
For workers and employers, staying proactive is key. Exploring PNPs, securing job offers in designated communities, or consulting immigration professionals can help navigate this transition. The agri-food sector remains a cornerstone of Canada’s economy, and while the Agri-Food Pilot has closed, the need for skilled workers persists, promising new opportunities in the years ahead.
January 17, 2025
Agri-Food Pilot : 2025 Update
The Agri-Food Pilot tests a new approach to help address the labour needs of the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector.
The pilot lets experienced, non-seasonal workers in specific industries and specific occupations immigrate permanently to Canada.
Fees : Starting from $1,525
Deadline: May 14, 2025
Cap: 1,010
january 10, 2025
Agri-Food Immigration Class
Canada Gazette: Ministerial Instructions – Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
Processing of applications under the Agri-Food Immigration Class
Effective January 1. 2025, the cap on the number of applications to be accepted for processing in 2025 using online and alternate formats is 1,010.
Processing of applications for a permanent resident visa made by parents or grandparents of a sponsor as members of the family class and the processing of sponsorship applications made in relation to those applications
Effective January 1, 2025, no new permanent resident visa applications made by parents or grandparents of a sponsor and no sponsorship applications made in relation to those applications are received for processing until further Instructions are issued. Unless a new intake for the 2025 calendar year is implemented, for the 2025 calendar year, IRCC will only be accepting for processing permanent resident visa applications made by parents or grandparents of a sponsor and sponsorship applications made in relation to those applications that were received in 2024 pursuant to the conditions outlined.
Applications received in 2024
Applications received in 2024 and made in relation to applications for a permanent resident visa, which are made by sponsors’ parents or grandparents under the family class, will be accepted for processing in the 2025. Applications will be accepted into processing in accordance with the conditions established in the Instructions given on April 12, 2024, for applications received by the Department in the 2024 calendar year.
November 16 - Eligible industries & occupations
On November 16, 2022, we switched to the 2021 version of the National Occupational Classification (NOC).
Use the NOC 2016 page if you submitted your application on or before November 15, 2022.
Eligible industries
Eligible industries under the pilot are:
meat product manufacturing (NAICS 3116)
greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production, including mushroom production (NAICS 1114)
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
Eligible occupations
Occupations are classified by the National Occupational Classification (NOC) code. You can see the duties for each occupation by searching the National Occupational Classification website.
Eligible jobs for each eligible industry are listed below.
For meat product manufacturing (NAICS 3116), eligible jobs are
NOC 63201 - Butchers - retail and wholesale
NOC 65202 - Meat cutters and fishmongers - retail and wholesale
NOC 94141 - Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers
NOC 82030 - Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors
NOC 84120 - Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators
NOC 85100 - Livestock labourers
NOC 95106 - Labourers in food and beverage processing
Agri-Food Pilot - 2,750 Applications Limit
Application limits by eligible occupation
There are annual limits on the number of applications that will be processed for each eligible occupation.
Starting on January 1, 2023, applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. This pilot will last for 3 years.
January 5, 2022 - Agri-Food Pilot: permanent residence Process
To apply for permanent residence, make sure both your job offer and work experience meet the requirements. If you don’t meet both requirements, your application for permanent residence will be refused. Send IRCC the complete application.
April 2021 - Agri-Food Pilot: About the pilot
The pilot provides a pathway to permanent residence for experienced, non-seasonal workers in specific industries and occupations. It will run until May 2023.
About the process
To apply for permanent residence under the Agri-Food Pilot, you need
eligible Canadian work experience in one or more of the eligible industries and occupations
a full-time, non-seasonal job offer from a Canadian employer in one of the eligible industries and occupations (outside of Quebec)
to meet or exceed the language requirements
to meet or exceed the educational requirements
to have settlement funds (if applicable)
to maintain temporary resident status (if already in Canada)
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must
have an eligible job offer
meet or pass the language requirements
meet or pass the educational requirements
prove you have enough money to settle in Canada (if applicable)
have maintained your temporary resident status (if already in Canada)
Work experience
You must have eligible Canadian work experience.
Your Canadian work experience must be
a minimum of 1 year of non-seasonal, full-time work in the past 3 years (at least 1,560 hours)
in 1 or more of the eligible occupations listed under 1 of the eligible industries
through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program
A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) with a minimum 12-month duration must have been submitted by your employer when hiring you. If you’re not sure, you can ask your former or current employer about the duration.
Job offer
You must have a genuine job offer.
The job you’re offered must meet all of the following requirements:
The job must be in an eligible occupation listed under 1 of the eligible industries.
The job must be full time.
This means you work at least 30 paid hours per week.
The job must be non-seasonal.
In general, this means you have consistent and regularly scheduled paid employment throughout the year.
Your employment is permanent.
This means that there is no set end date.
For unionized positions, the wage must be determined by the applicable collective agreement.
For non-unionized positions, the wage must meet or exceed the Job Bank’s prevailing (median) wage for the occupation listed on your job offer in the province of employment (or at the national level if no provincial rate is available).
Your job offer must be for a job in Canada outside of Quebec.
Language requirements
You must prove your ability in English or French.
The minimum language requirements are Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) Level 4 in :
reading
writing
speaking
listening
You must submit your results from an approved language test. These results must be less than 2 years old when you apply.
Educational requirements
You must have at least
a Canadian high school diploma, or
an educational credential assessment (ECA) report from a designated organization or professional body showing that you completed a foreign credential at the secondary school level or above
The ECA report must be less than 5 years old on the date of your application.
The original ECA report must have been issued on or after the date the organization was designated.
Settlement funds
You must prove that you have enough money to settle in Canada. You’ll need to prove that you have enough funds to support yourself and any family members you may have, even if they’re not coming to Canada with you.
If you’re already working in Canada with a valid work permit when you apply, you don’t need to provide proof of settlement funds.
March 30 - Update to Pilot
As the Government continues its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot is now scheduled to open on May 15, 2020, and will accept applications until May 14, 2023.
Information on how to apply will be posted online and shared via social media closer to the launch date.
Applicants currently preparing to apply should expect delays in receiving supporting documentation, such as proof of education and official language proficiency. Organizations that provide these services have temporarily reduced or suspended their operations in response to COVID-19.
The pilot will help address the labour needs of the Canadian agri-food sector, particularly in meat processing and mushroom production, by testing a new industry-specific approach.
Read more about the pilot here:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/agri-food-immigration-pilot.html
August 14 - IRCC launches Agri-Food Immigration Pilot
IRCC is launching a new 3-year economic immigration pilot that will fill labour shortages mainly in meat processing and mushroom production, within the agri-food sector.
The agriculture and agri-food industry are an important contributor to Canada’s economic growth and supports 1 in 8 jobs in Canada.
Meat processing and mushroom production industries have experienced constant difficulty in finding and keeping new employees over the past several years.
This new pilot aims to attract and retain workers by providing them with an opportunity to become permanent residents.
Temporary foreign workers with more than 12 months of Canadian work experience in some occupations be able to apply under this pilot program as of 2020.
The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot complements the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, the Provincial Nominee Program and the recently launched Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot.
