MANAGINGLABOURMIGRATION:

THECASEOFTHEAGRICULTURE
ANDFISHERIESSECTOR
2728January2014,Tokyo
The views expressed in this presentation are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the
Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), its Board of Directors, or the governments
they represent. ADBI does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this paper and accepts no responsibility for any
consequences of their use. Terminology used may not necessarily be consistent with ADB official terms.

TheTemporaryForeignWorkerProgram

TheTemporaryForeignWorkerProgram:
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Providesaccesstotemporarylabourtosectorsandregionsexperiencinglabourshortages
Responsivetoeconomicandlabourmarketchanges
Employerscanhirefromanycountry
Nonumericallimits

SupportsCanadianinterestswithkeypartnersviainternationalagreements(e.g.,NorthAmerican
Free Trade Agreement, youth mobility agreements)
FreeTradeAgreement,youthmobilityagreements)
HighskillTemporaryForeignWorkerscantransferuniqueskillsetstoCanadians,andare
increasinglyasourceofpotentialpermanentresidentswhointegratewell

EmploymentandSkillsDevelopmentCanadaandCitizenshipandImmigrationCanadajointlymanage
theProgram

RoleofESDC&CIC

EmploymentandSkillsDevelopmentCanadarendersdecisionsonLabourMarketOpinionapplications
fromemployersbasedon:
o

MakingsurethatCanadiansorpermanentresidentshavefirstchanceatjobopportunities

consistencyoftheemployersjobofferwithCanadianwagesandworkingconditions

the employer's advertisement and recruitment efforts and

theemployer'sadvertisementandrecruitmentefforts;and

whethertheentryoftheforeignworkerwill:
directlycreatejobsorleadtojobretentionforCanadiansorPermanentResidents
resultinthetransferofskillsandknowledgetoCanadianorpermanentresidents;and
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affectanongoinglabourdispute

CitizenshipandImmigrationCanadaissuesworkpermits.Inthisprocess,it:
o

VerifieswhetherEmploymentandSocialDevelopmentCanadahasauthorizedthehiringofthe
workerwithaLabourMarketOpinion,orthatanLabourMarketOpinionexemptionapplies

CollaborateswithCanadaBorderServicesAgencytoensureworker meets temporaryresident

criteria relatedtomedicaltests,criminality andsecurity

Ensuresworkerhasappropriate/requiredskillstoworkintheoccupationinCanada

EntryofTFWsinAgriculture

InCanada,TemporaryForeignWorkersinagriculturaloccupationsenterundereither:
o TheAgriculturalStream
The Agricultural Stream
o TheStreamforLowerskilledOccupations
o TheStreamforHigherskilledOccupations,or
o TheSeasonalAgriculturalWorkerProgram

TheSeasonalAgriculturalWorkerProgramoperatesaccordingtobilateralagreementsbetween
Canadaandeachcountrypartytotheagreement(Jamaica1966,BarbadosandTrinidad&Tobago
1967,Mexico1974)
o Thenumberofworkersundertheprogramhassteadilyincreasedfrom264in1966to25,694
i 2012
in2012

Canadanolongerentersintonewbilateralagreementsinagriculture,butdoesallowCanadian
employerstohireforeignagriculturalworkersfromothercountriesthroughotherTemporary
ForeignWorkerProgramstreams

Additional Requirements under Seasonal Agricultural

Worker Program
TheSeasonalAgriculturalWorkerProgramhasparticularrequirementsonemployers,inadditionto
requirementsspecifiedintheImmigrationandRefugeeProtectionRegulations,including:
o Signinganemployeremployeecontractoutliningwages,duties,andconditionsrelatedtothe
transportation,accommodation,healthandoccupationalsafetyoftheforeignworker
o Payforpartoftransportationtoandfromtheworkerscountryoforigin
o Providefreeaccommodation(exception:BritishColombia)forworkersthatmeetsprovincial
standards
o Ensuretheworkerisregisteredtoprivatehealthinsuranceuntilhe/sheiseligibleforprovincial
healthcoverage;and
o Registertheworkerundertheappropriateprovincialworkerscompensationorworkplacesafety
insuranceplans

Employmentdurationmustnotexceed8monthspercalendaryear
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AdditionalRequirementsforLowerSkilledOccupations(AnyCountry)

Incaseswhereanemployerisinterestedinhiringaforeignworkerinalowerskilledoccupation(inagricultureor
an other sector) there are additional req irements that the emplo er m st be prepared to meet
anyothersector),thereareadditionalrequirementsthattheemployermustbepreparedtomeet:
o
o
o
o
o
o

Signanemployeremployeecontractoutliningwages,duties,andconditionsrelatedtothetransportation,
accommodation,healthandoccupationalsafetyoftheforeignworker
Coverallrecruitmentcostsrelatedtothehiringoftheforeignworker
Helpworker(s)findsuitable,affordableaccommodation
Payfullairfarefortheforeignworkertoandfromtheirhomecountry
Providemedicalcoverageuntiltheworkeriseligibleforprovincialhealthinsurancecoverage
Registerworker(s)undertheappropriateprovincialworkerscompensation/workplacesafetyinsuranceplans

AgriculturalStreamrequirements:Similartothoseofgenerallowskilledstream

WhiletherearedifferencesbetweenrequirementsfortheSeasonalAgriculturalWorkerProgramandgeneral
requirementsforlowskilledoccupations,effortshavebeenmadetoensurecostsandprotectionsforworkersto
be as equivalent as possible
beasequivalentaspossible

AllTemporaryForeignWorkersworkinginagricultureandrelatedindustriesmayworkinCanadafora
maximumcumulativeperiodof4yearsbeforetheymustwaitanadditional4yearsbeforebeingeligibletowork
inCanadaagain.SeasonalAgriculturalWorkerProgramworkersareexemptfromthisrule,however,givenpre
existinginternationalagreements
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SeasonalAgriculturalWorkerProgram,AgricultureandFisheries

SeasonalAgriculturalWorkerProgramparticipantsmustbeworkingonafarmona
Seasonal
Agricultural Worker Program participants must be working on a farm on a
commodityrelatedtoprimaryagriculture

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TemporaryForeignWorkersworkinginfisheriesarenoteligibletoparticipateinthe
SeasonalAgriculturalWorkerProgram.However,theymaybeeligibletoworkinCanada
underthegenerallowskilledstreamforTemporaryForeignWorkersinlowerskilled
occupations

MostTemporaryForeignWorkersworkinginfisheriesareworkinginfishplantsor
factoriesrelatedtoseafoodproductpreparation,whichisconsideredtobefood
manufacturingandnotagriculture

Agriculture
AgriculturalsectorisheaviestuserofTemporaryForeignWorkers
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o Morethan30,000TemporaryForeignWorkersworkinthissectoreveryyear,with
mostenteringthroughtheSeasonalAgriculturalWorkerProgram
Concentrated in lowerskilled, lowerwage occupations in crop production industries
Unemployment rate and use of Employment Insurance by Canadians is relatively high, given
seasonal nature of the work
EmployersstateinternationalcompetitioninhibitsofferingwagesattractivetoCanadian
workersfromjobsinotherprimaryresourceindustries(e.g.oil&gasextraction)

FoodManufacturing
In2012,thesectoraccountedfor1.4%ofrealGrossDomesticProductand1.5%of
Canadianemploymentor266,000workers
ConcentratedinOntario,QuebecandBritishColumbia,duetotheavailablelabourpooland
proximitytoconsumersinurbancentres,andtheUnitedStates.However,seafoodproduct
preparationandmanufacturingindustriesaremostlyconcentratedincoastalregions
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Themajorityofworkers(68%)inoccupationsrequiringasecondaryschooldiploma,
occupationspecifictrainingoronthejobtraining
Concentratedinlowerskilled,lowerwageoccupations,suchas:FishPlantWorkers;
IndustrialButchersandMeatCutters,PoultryPreparersandRelatedWorkers;and
LabourersinFood,BeverageandTobaccoProcessing

WorkerProtection

TemporaryForeignWorkershavethesamerightsandprotectionsasallCanadians

TemporaryForeignWorkersmustbepaidthesamewagesasCanadianworkersforsamejobinsamelocation

ProvincesandTerritoriesareresponsibleforenforcinglabourstandardsfor90%ofoccupationsacrossCanada
o

Someprovincesandterritorieshavetakenadditionallegislativeorregulatoryactiontoreduceexploitationand
abuseofTemporaryForeignWorkers(i.e.Ontario,Manitoba,Saskatchewan,andNovaScotia)

Theremaining10%ofoccupationsarefederallyregulatedandaremonitoredandenforcedbyLabourCanada

Specificemployerrequirementsinlowskillprograms
o

EmployersoflowerskillTemporaryForeignWorkershaveadditionalresponsibilitiesintheareasoftransportation
costs,accommodation,healthinsurance,andworkerscompensation

TheGovernmentofCanadahasrecentlyintroducednewregulationsandothermeasurestoimproveworkerprotection
andprogramintegrity

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KeyPoints

TheGovernmentofCanadadoesnotrecruitTemporaryForeignWorkersnorareofficialsdirectly
The
Government of Canada does not recruit Temporary Foreign Workers nor are officials directly
involvedinadvisingemployersonrecruiting

TemporaryForeignWorkersarerecruitedbyemployers,sometimeswithassistanceoflabourrecruiters
andemployerassociations

InthecaseoftheSeasonalAgriculturalWorkerProgram,industryorganizationsrecruitworkerson
behalfofemployers.

Recruitmentprocessalsoexpeditedthroughassistanceofsourcecountryofficialswhoparticipatein
recruitment,selectionanddocumentationofworkers,andmaintainpoolofworkersreadytogoto
C d h
CanadawhenrequestsreceivedfromCanadianemployers
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TheprimaryobjectiveoftheTemporaryForeignWorkersProgramistomeettemporarylabourmarket
needsinCanada.

Maybeadditionalbenefitsderivedfromcertainaspectsoftheprogram,includingremittancesto
familymembersinsourcecountries,internationalcooperationinmanagingtheSeasonalAgricultural
WorkerProgramandotherinternationalagreements,andskillsdevelopmentthatTemporaryForeign
WorkersbringtoCanadaortakebacktotheirsourcecountries

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Questions?

FurtherdetailsonCitizenshipandImmigration
Canadasprogramsandservices:
www.cic.gc.ca
g
Thankyou/merci.
Thank you/merci

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