On May 8, Citizenship and Immigration Canada made a surprise announcement. They announced that they would be extending the Agri-Food Pilot Program
and the Agri-Food Pilot Program, as well as some changes to the application requirements.
The program was scheduled to end in May of this year.
With the end of the program just around the corner, the USCIS suddenly announced the new changes, raising even more eyebrows.
On the one hand, the sudden announcement could be attributed to the many benefits of the agricultural pilot immigration program.
of the agri-food pilot program. The pilot program was designed to solve labor problems in the agricultural and food industries, which are directly related to people's lives.
As it is a pilot program designed to solve labor problems in areas directly related to people's lives, such as the agricultural and food industries.
Therefore, the relevant sectors should explore various ways to actively accept immigrants even after the pilot program ends,
to actively accommodate immigrants after the program ends.
Before we dive into the details of the changes, let's take a quick look at how to apply through the Agri-Food Pilot Immigration Program
The program is relatively straightforward, requiring applicants to work in a field designated by Citizenship and Immigration Canada as being related to agriculture, livestock
and food production-related occupations designated by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. The designations
Agriculture, including the production of plants in greenhouses, nurseries, etc., including mushroom production. Animal husbandry, excluding aquaculture,
manufacturing of meat products. Based on this, you can work full-time in a butcher shop, food processing field, farm, etc.
You only need to work full-time, have a CLB 4 or higher in English, and be a high school graduate.
It's a temporary immigration program that makes it easy to apply if you have one year of experience in a specific industry.
program, but the changes announced with this extension will make it easier for more people to apply.
A closer look at the amendments reveals five main changes to the program
changes. The first is the extension of the program. Instead of ending in May 2023, the program will now run for an additional
will now run for two more years, until May 2025. Since one year of work is required to apply for a green card
is required to apply for a green card, so the two-year extension is more than enough time to fulfill the requirements.
Second, we have eliminated the cap on the number of applications based on industry sector. The Agriculture Pilot Program opens the application pool on January 1 of each year.
1 of each year, the application pool is capped at 2,750 total green card applicants, but the
the total number of applicants was capped by sector, which meant that there was a limit to the number of applicants based on occupation.
1,470 butchers could apply, while 730 food processors could apply.
This revision removes the restrictions based on occupation, but keeps the total number of applicants the same, adding flexibility to the application and issuance of permanent residency.
This will allow for greater flexibility in applying for and issuing green cards.
Third, the pilot program will allow more applicants to issue open work permits to their families.
Under the previous program, depending on the applicant's occupation and skill level, their family members may not be eligible for open work permits.
This amendment will make the entire family of the applicant eligible for an open work permit, which means that the entire family, including the applicant, will be eligible for an open work permit.
We expect this to have a positive impact on immigration in Canada in the long term, as it will provide more stability for the entire family, including the applicant.
immigration in Canada in the long run.
Make the fourth work experience verification acceptable through a union, not just an employer reference.
This will provide greater protection for applicants during their employment, and the diversity of documentation will make immigration applications easier.
immigration applications will be easier.
Fifth, we will introduce a median wage requirement for applicants who are resident in Canada.
Job Opportunities, including the median wage requirement, and expanding the number of educational credentials that can be recognized. These are still
yet to be announced, so we don't have a lot of details about the choices immigration will make, but to summarize
It's clear that those who live and work in Canada will be in a much more favorable position to apply than others.
will be in a much more favorable position.
It's worth noting that these changes aren't all in place yet and will be rolled out gradually.
so it'll be a while before they're fully implemented. However, the announcement is a great reason to start
there's still plenty of time to complete the required one year of experience, so you'll probably be able to get all the details in place before you apply.

It's a pilot program, so it's pretty radical compared to existing immigration programs,
and there's no guarantee that it will be reinstated in the same form after the program ends, so taking the plunge now could give you a head start on your immigration application.
The Agri-Food Pilot Program is designed to provide an opportunity for applicants to apply to the program without having to meet the
is a very good immigration program for applicants because it is not difficult to meet the requirements.