Canada to conduct the very first express entry draw for agriculture and agri-food occupations. Read Further for exact details.
Marc Miller, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced on September 27 that a new Express Entry draw will be held this week, the first of its kind, for profiles with experience in agriculture and agri-food occupations.
Through these new rounds of invitations, Canada will be able to recruit the skilled workers it needs, with a focus on applicants with expertise in the agriculture and agri-food industry, such as retail and wholesale butchers, farm supervisors, and agricultural service contractors.
CBS Express Entry Draw Highlights
| Selection type | Category-based selection |
| Targeted Category | Agriculture & Agri-Food Occupations |
| Date | to be updated |
| No of Invitations to apply (ITA) | 500-700 (expected) |
| Rank | to be updated |
| CRS Cutoff | to be updated |
| Tie-Breaking rule | to be updated |
This new Express Entry invitation round will target people who have at least 6 months of experience in one of the following occupations.
| NOC CODE | OCCUPATION NAME | PROFILES |
| 82031 | Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services | Greenhouse supervisorGrounds maintenance contractorGroundskeeping supervisorHorticulture workers supervisorInterior landscaping contractorLandscaping contractorLandscaping foreman/womanLandscaping supervisorLawn care contractorNursery foreman/womanPark maintenance supervisorTree service contractor |
| 82030 | Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors | Artificial insemination service contractorCrop harvesting service contractorFarm foreman/womanFarm supervisorFeedlot foreman/womanHog operation supervisorLivestock breeding service contractorPoultry farm foreman/womanRanch foreman/womanVegetable farm foreman/woman |
| 63201 | Butchers – retail and wholesale | Apprentice butcher – retail or wholesaleButcher – butcher shopHead butcher – wholesaleRetail butcher |
Category Based Selection & Express Entry
Express Entry is a points-based immigration system that allows skilled workers to apply for permanent residence in Canada. To be eligible, you must have a job offer in Canada, or be a recent graduate from a Canadian university. You will also need to meet certain language and education requirements.
The Federal Skilled Worker Program, Provincial Nominee Program, Canadian Experience Class, and Federal Skilled Trades Program are all programs that are part of Express Entry. Each program has its own eligibility requirements, but they all assess your skills and experience to determine if you are eligible for permanent residence in Canada.
The new Category-Based EE Draw for Agriculture & Agri-Food Occupations is a new pilot program that targets skilled workers with experience in agriculture and agri-food occupations.
On May 31, 2023, former Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced a new program called category-based selection, which would give qualified immigrants with work experience in 82 occupations a better chance of becoming permanent residents by filling existing labor market gaps in the following sectors:
- Healthcare Occupations
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations
- Trade occupations
- Transport occupations
- Agriculture and agri-food occupations
Upcoming Category-Based Express Entry Draws
IRCC will reveal the specifics of the upcoming draw on September 28, 2023, and based on our projections, the quantity of invitations is predicted to remain within the range of 500-700.
The lowest-ever Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off score is expected in the category-based Express Entry draws, with only three occupations eligible for the Agriculture and Agri-Food round of invitations.
Canada is dedicated to recruiting top talent from all over the world and assisting in addressing the need for workers in the agriculture and agri-food sectors to boost the economy through the Agri-Food Pilot and category-based selection.
Canada is hoping to address the growing need for workers in critical roles that advance the country’s farming and food processing industries by prioritizing the invitation of qualified immigrants with previous work experience in agriculture and agri-food positions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Canada is looking to attract skilled workers from all over the world to fill in the labour market gaps in the agriculture and agri-food sectors. The Category-Based EE Draw for Agriculture & Agri-Food Occupations is a new pilot program that targets skilled workers with experience in agriculture and agri-food occupations. This program is expected to help Canada address the growing need for workers in critical roles that advance the country’s farming and food processing industries.