CIMM – Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program – November 07, 2023

Key Facts and Figures

• The Seasonal Agriculture Worker Program (SAWP) is the most commonly used stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). From January to September 2023, 36K SAWP work permits were issued.

Key Messages

• The SAWP allows employers to hire temporary foreign workers (TFW) when Canadians and permanent residents are not available. Temporary foreign workers must be hired for primary agricultural activities, and must be citizens from Mexico or participating Caribbean countries.
• The SAWP is widely regarded as a model of international labour mobility, illustrating the mutual value of international cooperation in the labour sector. However, Canada acknowledges that workers hired under this program face vulnerabilities such as lower levels of literacy and language proficiency, factors that can create barriers for TFWs to understand their rights and to access community support and resources.

Supplementary Information

• As part of regulatory amendments that were introduced in September 2022, all employers seeking to hire foreign nationals under the TFWP (including under the SAWP) are required to have a signed employment agreement with each foreign worker stipulating the a description of the occupation, wages, and working conditions.
• Within this program, sending country governments are responsible for recruitment and health insurance. Employers must provide free housing (except in BC where there are deductions) as well as arrange and pay for round-trip transportation (although in some cases employers can recover some costs).
• The SAWP applies only to TFWs who are citizens from the following 12 countries: 
  • Mexico
  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Barbados
  • Dominica
  • Grenada
  • Jamaica
  • Montserrat
  • Kitts-Nevis
  • Lucia
  • Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Trinidad and Tobago