QUESTION PERIOD — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Temporary Foreign Workers
June 3, 2026
Senator Moreau, in May 2025, the federal government ended the Agri-Food Pilot, a program that helped temporary foreign workers in meat-packing plants, mushroom farms, livestock farms and greenhouses become permanent Canadian residents. The pilot, which began in 2020, provided 2,750 annual immigration spots for temporary foreign workers who were employed at agri-food jobs in these specific industries.
Jobs like meat processing aren’t seasonal or temporary work, but they do struggle to attract Canadians. The Canadian Meat Council says that the meat processing sector has gone from 1,700 to over 10,000 empty butcher stations over the past few years.
What’s the government’s plan moving forward?
Thank you for that important question.
The government knows that some rural regions face persistent labour shortages, despite ongoing recruitment efforts. At the request of provinces and territories, the federal government has made time-limited and targeted changes to the program to support rural businesses and communities. The agricultural workforce of the future needs the right mix of skills, youth, new entrants and under-represented groups. A number of additional programs support the sector, including the Youth Employment and Skills Program, the Provincial Nominee Program, the Atlantic Immigration Program and the AgriDiversity Program.
The government remains committed to rural immigration, and that is why the government’s new one-time In-Canada Workers Initiative will give permanent residents a quicker opportunity to select applications, including those in the Agri-Food Pilot and the Rural Community Immigration Pilot.
Thank you for that, Senator Moreau.
The Agri-Food Pilot allowed experienced non-seasonal workers in specific industries and specific occupations to immigrate permanently to Canada.
Since the Agri-Food Pilot was a pilot program, when will the Government of Canada release a report on the outcomes of the program so that affected industries can plan for their employment needs going forward?
Thank you for that question as well.
I can tell you that the minister is aware that some stakeholders are calling for international workers to continue as an important part of the agricultural workforce, particularly given the labour needs of rural and remote communities. For example, the Rural and Francophone Community Immigration pilots are pathways for permanent resident workers who want to work and settle in rural and more remote communities.
Thank you for the question. I’m sure that the minister is listening.
