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Farm work in Canada

Seasonal and agricultural workers

Farm work2 min read
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In one sentence. Canadian farms hire thousands of workers from abroad every year. Here is how the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program and the Agricultural stream work, what your contract guarantees, and the rights you have on the farm.

The food on Canadian tables depends in large part on workers who come from abroad to plant, tend and harvest it. If you are one of them, or hope to be, you deserve to know exactly what your program promises. This guide explains the two main ways farms hire, and the protections built into your contract.

In one sentence: the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) brings workers from Mexico and the Caribbean for up to 8 months between January 1 and December 15, while the Agricultural stream lets farms hire workers from any country, all year round.

The two main programs

Seasonal Agricultural Worker ProgramAgricultural stream
Workers fromMexico and 11 Caribbean countriesAny country
How longUp to 8 months, between January 1 and December 15Up to 2 years for low-wage jobs, 3 years for high-wage jobs
RecruitmentBy the workers’ own governments; private recruiters are not allowedBy the employer; no recruitment fees can be charged to workers
HousingFree, except in British Columbia, where a set daily amount can be deductedUp to $30 a week for on-farm housing
Hiring for primary agriculture (ESDC)

Both programs cover work on a farm, in a nursery or in a greenhouse, for commodities on the national list such as fruits and vegetables, dairy, poultry, mushrooms, maple syrup and apiary products. Farms can also use the regular high-wage and low-wage streams, and primary agriculture has no cap on its share of low-wage workers.

What your SAWP contract guarantees

  • At least 240 hours of work within 6 weeks or less.
  • Round-trip travel paid by your employer, who may recover part of it through payroll in every province except British Columbia.
  • Free daily transport between your housing and work, and housing inspected before you arrive.
  • One rest day for every 6 days worked, two 10-minute breaks a day and a 30-minute meal break.
  • Free safety training and protective equipment.
  • Your identity documents stay with you: employers may not take them away.
The 2026 Mexico and Caribbean contracts added new protections: you can refuse extra hours, your private life on days off must be respected, housing must have locking doors and windows, and a weekly laundry allowance of $16.83 applies.

From job offer to the farm

  1. 01

    Your government selects you

    For SAWP, apply through your own country’s labour ministry. For the Agricultural stream, the employer finds and hires you.

  2. 02

    The employer gets an LMIA

    There is no LMIA processing fee for primary agriculture. A SAWP LMIA is valid until December 15.

  3. 03

    You apply for a work permit

    You pay the $155 work permit fee to IRCC. Your permit is for the employer named in the LMIA.

  4. 04

    Travel and start work

    SAWP employers pay your round trip. Under the Agricultural stream, your employer must pay for private health insurance until your provincial coverage begins.

  5. 05

    Know where to turn

    If something is wrong, you have the right to speak up. ESDC’s pages for temporary foreign workers explain your rights and how to report a problem.

Frequently asked questions

Can my employer lend me to another farm?

Not informally. Moving SAWP workers between employers without approval can bring fines of up to $50,000 and imprisonment.

Do I pay for my housing?

Under SAWP, housing is free except in British Columbia, where a set daily amount can be deducted. Under the Agricultural stream, on-farm housing can cost at most $30 a week.

Can I come from a country outside Mexico and the Caribbean?

Yes, through the Agricultural stream or the regular high-wage and low-wage streams, which accept workers from any country.

Can I refuse to work extra hours?

Yes. The 2026 Mexico and Caribbean contracts say workers can refuse extra hours.

Your work feeds the country, and your rights matter just as much as the harvest. Keep a copy of your contract, know your rest days and breaks, and check ESDC’s pages whenever something feels wrong.

You don’t have to face the wait alone.

Thousands of people have shared their real timelines so the next person isn’t left guessing in the dark. Add yours, keep your own application and your family’s together in one place, and see a grounded estimate of how long your decision might take, drawn from people who are walking the same path.

  • Share your timeline and help the next applicant find their footing.
  • Track your own and your family’s applications together, in one calm place.
  • See a realistic estimate of your wait, based on people on the same journey.
Browse the tracker

It’s free, and what you track stays private to you. Sharing your timeline with the community is always your choice.

Key takeaways

  • SAWP brings workers from Mexico and the Caribbean for up to 8 months a year.
  • The Agricultural stream lets farms hire workers from any country, all year round.
  • Your contract guarantees rest days, breaks, free transport and safe housing.
Sources

Last reviewed: Nov 8, 2026

This is a plain-language summary of official IRCC information, not legal or immigration advice. Rules do change, so please confirm anything that affects you on canada.ca.
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