Canadian Farm Worker Visa: Get Hired as a Farm Worker in Canada

Currently, Canada is one of the world’s leading agricultural countries, and each year, it welcomes thousands of foreign workers to help on its farms, greenhouses, and orchards.

What is the Canadian farm worker visa all about?

There are lots of visa options in Canada, and they serve different purposes.

This particular visa allows foreign workers to come to Canada and work on farms belonging to Canadian employers.

You can obtain a Canadian farm work visa and enter the country under programs like the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP).

Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program is an immigration pathway through which people from selected countries come and work in Canada temporarily during the farming season.

This Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) is under Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

Through the program, Canadian employers can hire temporary foreign workers exclusively from a list of partner countries that have bilateral agreements with Canada.

Once you are hired as a foreign worker, you will apply for a Canadian farm worker visa and get approval before you are allowed to enter Canada.

As a worker under this program, you will do jobs like:

- - Planting crops
  - Picking fruits like apples, berries, and grapes
  - Packing vegetables
  - Working in greenhouses or nurseries

One thing you should know about this visa is that it is not a permanent visa, but you can return year after year.

For example, when the farming season starts (that’s when employers in the farming sector in Canada need your services), you can apply for the visa.

When approved, you will enter Canada, work till the end of the farming season, then leave and go back to your home country.

You will not apply for the visa again until the next farming season, when your services will again be needed by farm employers in Canada.

You can then apply for the same visa and return to Canada to work on their farms.

What is the purpose of the Canadian farm worker visa?

Earlier, we stated that Canada is one of the countries known for its strong agricultural output and global export presence.

Currently, the country is a leading producer and exporter of key crops like wheat, canola, and other grains.

In addition to crops, they are also big players in the international market for livestock like beef, pork, and dairy.

They were recently ranked as the world’s 8th largest exporter of agri-food, fish, and seafood products – that’s how big they are.

This means the country has lots of farms, however, there are not enough local workers to do all the work on the farms.

Farming work is hard, and many Canadians don’t want to do it.

So, the government made this program (the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program) to allow foreign workers to come in and help out during busy times like harvest season.

This helps both sides:

- - Farmers get the workers they need
  - Foreign workers work legally and make good money.

How does the SAWP program work?

The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) is not different from other work visa programs.

Here’s how it works:

First, a Canadian farmer or employer will sign up to hire foreign workers because they can’t get locals to do the job on their farm.
The employer sends a request to the Canadian government asking to be allowed to hire foreign workers to help do the work on the farm.
The government looks at the request and confirms that there are no local workers to do the job.
Then, the government will approve the employer’s request to hire foreign workers to do the job.
The farmer then looks for foreign workers who will come to do the job.
From the available foreign workers, the farmer will select the qualified ones and give them a job offer.
With the offer, the foreign worker will apply for a Canadian farm worker visa and get a work permit.
Once the foreign worker’s visa is approved, the worker can travel to Canada and begin working on the farm.

The jobs usually last up to a few months or one year, depending on the type of crop and location.

What countries can apply for the Canadian farm worker visa?

The SAWP is only open to citizens of countries like:

Mexico
Jamaica
Trinidad and Tobago
Barbados
Saint Lucia
Grenada
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Dominica
Antigua and Barbuda
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Honduras
Guatemala
El Salvador
Nicaragua

These countries have government-to-government agreements with Canada.

Farm workers from there can come to Canada, work on people’s farms and at the end of the contract return to their country.

However, they can reapply annually if they are still needed by their employer.

If you are from a country that does not have this agreement with Canada, you can also enter Canada for farm work through other programs under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

Example: How the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) works

Let’s say you’re from Jamaica.

You register with your country’s Ministry of Labour, which works directly with Canada’s program.
A Canadian farmer requests 20 workers for strawberry picking.
You get selected, receive your work offer, and apply for your visa and get it.
You travel to Ontario, Canada, and work for 6 months during the strawberry season.
After the season ends, you return home.

If you do a good job, you can be called back the next year.

What kind of work do farm workers do in the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program?

Under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) in Canada, farm workers do jobs like:

Picking fruits (e.g., apples, strawberries, cherries)
Harvesting vegetables (e.g., lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers)
Sorting and grading produce
Pruning trees and vines
Planting seeds or seedlings
Watering crops manually or with hoses
Weeding and removing dead plants
Operating basic farm machinery (e.g., tractors)
Carrying baskets or crates of produce
Packing fruits and vegetables
Cleaning and maintaining greenhouses
Applying fertilisers or pesticides (under supervision)
Feeding livestock (if assigned)
Cleaning animal pens or barns
Installing or repairing irrigation systems
Monitoring crop growth and reporting issues
Loading and unloading produce onto trucks
Building or fixing farm fences
Staking or tying plants for support
Working on mushroom farms or nurseries

You’ll likely work long shifts – sometimes 10–12 hours a day, 6 days a week.

But the pay is decent, and employers will still provide you with:

- - Free or cheap housing
  - Transportation to and from work
  - Medical insurance

What are the requirements for a Canadian farm worker visa under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP)?

To apply for a Canadian farm worker visa under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP), you need:

To be from an eligible country
To be at least 18 years old
To be healthy and physically fit
A clean criminal record
To have farming experience (not always required, but helpful)
A valid passport

Most of the time, you don’t apply directly – your country’s labour department or an approved agency will help you apply for the visa.

How much do farm workers earn under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP)?

Your earnings depend on the province and the kind of work you are doing.

On average:

You can earn CAD 13 – CAD 24 per hour
If you work 40–60 hours a week, that means you will make between CAD 2,000 – CAD 3,500 per month
Plus, housing and your other expenses will be covered by your employer.

With this, you can make money, save while in Canada and send money back home to your family.

How to apply for the Canadian farm worker visa

This visa does not have a personalised method of applying for it. It follows the same method as other categories of work visas.

To apply, you should:

Check if your country is eligible for SAWP.
Register with your Ministry of Labour or an approved agency in your country.
Apply to an open farm work opportunity in Canada.
Wait for a job match with a Canadian employer.
Get a job offer from a Canadian employer.
Apply for a Canadian farm work visa.
When your visa is approved, the approval is faster because you already have a job offer in Canada.
Fly to Canada and start work!

If you are working with an agent to get this visa, you must be extremely careful.

Because many people want to go to Canada, there are also fake agents out there.

Be careful!

Make sure you only work with a trusted recruiting agency.
Never pay anyone who promises you a job in Canada.
Always do your proper research before taking any action.

You can get more information from the official Canada immigration site: https://www.canada.ca.

For farm workers from qualifying countries, the Canadian Farm Worker Visa under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program is a good opportunity to work in Canada.

If you’re ready to try something new, you can go for the program.

Canadian Farm Worker Visa: How to work on a farm in Canada legally