Close
FREE ASSESSMENT

Any Questions? Call us

+1 437 974 4650

Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP)

The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) allows employers to hire temporary foreign workers (TFW) when Canadians and permanent residents are not available.

These employers can hire TFWs from participating countries for a maximum period of 8 months, between January 1 and December 15, provided they are able to offer the workers a minimum of 240 hours of work within a period of 6 weeks or less.

To qualify for the SAWP, employers must meet 3 criteria:

  •       the TFWs hired must be citizens from Mexico or participating Caribbean countries
  •       production must be in specific commodity sectors
  •       the activity must be related to on-farm primary agriculture

Participating countries

The SAWP applies only to TFWs who are citizens from:

  1.     Mexico
  2.     Caribbean countries of:
  3.     Anguilla
  4.     Antigua and Barbuda
  5.     Barbados
  6.     Dominica
  7.     Grenada
  8.     Jamaica
  9.     Montserrat
  10.   St. Kitts-Nevis
  11.   St. Lucia
  12.   St. Vincent and the Grenadines
  13.   Trinidad and Tobago

If an employer meets the requirements for the SAWP, they can apply for an LMIA and easily hire qualified workers with experience and who can meet the additional requirements of working in Canada.

Note:

  •       For the 2021 SAWP season, work permits for SAWP will indicate a 9-month work duration instead of the usual 8-month duration to accommodate the quarantine period (noting that work terms cannot exceed December 15, 2021).
  •       Employers will continue to submit LMIAs that reflect their labour needs, which will not include the additional time to account for the quarantine period.
  •       While the quarantine period is considered work, for program administrative purposes, the quarantine period will not count towards the work duration for the SAWP LMIA applications.

Apply Today with our Expert Immigration Team

Apply Now
Whatsapp

Quick Links

Our Programs