Farm Worker — Field, Greenhouse and Livestock Operations, Canadian Employers

Fruit and vegetable growers, greenhouse operators, dairy and poultry farms and grain producers across Canada hire farm workers year round, with large seasonal intakes for planting and harvest. It is one of the most accessible jobs in the country for someone with no qualifications, and one where the route you can use depends entirely on your nationality.

What the work involves

Planting, weeding, thinning and harvesting in fields and orchards; pruning, picking and packing in greenhouses; feeding, milking and general animal care on livestock operations; and equipment operation for those with the experience. Peak season means long days, and the weather sets the schedule rather than the calendar.

Requirements

• Physical stamina and the ability to work outdoors in changing weather
• Willingness to work long hours through the peak of the season
• Basic farm safety awareness; formal education is rarely required
• Crop, livestock or machinery experience is an asset rather than a condition
• For applicants outside Canada: a work permit under the route that fits your nationality, not a "sponsor"

The two foreign worker routes, which are not interchangeable

• Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program. Bilateral agreements with Mexico and eleven Caribbean countries only. Workers are selected by their own country's labour ministry, not through job boards. Maximum eight months, between 1 January and 15 December
• Agricultural Stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Open to any nationality, requires the employer to hold a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment, and permits run up to two years
• Housing is a program requirement under the Agricultural Stream, with an inspection from within the last eight months filed as part of the LMIA

Before you apply

Work out which route your passport allows before you spend a week applying. If your country is not one of the twelve in the seasonal program, that route is closed to you regardless of your experience, and the Agricultural Stream with an LMIA-holding employer is the one to pursue.

Note: pay, housing arrangements, program eligibility and permit conditions are set by employers and by Canadian law — not by JobGader. No legitimate employer or agent should charge you a placement fee. Confirm the details on the employer's own advertisement before applying.