Agricultural Workers in Canada: SAWP and the Agricultural Stream
Canadian farms can hire temporary foreign workers through four LMIA-based streams, including the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP). The right stream depends on the worker’s country and on what the farm produces. This guide shows employers and workers how each one works.
since 1991
What is the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program?
The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) lets farms hire temporary foreign workers when Canadians and permanent residents are not available. Workers must be citizens of Mexico or a participating Caribbean country, and the work must be on-farm primary agriculture in a listed commodity.
Workers can stay a maximum of 8 months, between January 1 and December 15. The employer must offer at least 240 hours of work within 6 weeks or less (ESDC).
Which stream fits your farm?
ESDC lists four agricultural streams. The SAWP and the agricultural stream need production on the national commodity list. The high-wage and low-wage streams cover farms that are not on that list. The agricultural stream accepts workers from any country, and the employer can ask for up to 2 years for a low-wage job or up to 3 years for a high-wage job.
What counts as primary agriculture?
- Location: the work happens inside a farm, nursery or greenhouse
- Activity: running machinery, caring for animals, or planting, caring for and harvesting crops, trees, sod or plants for market
- Occupation: one of NOC 80020, 80021, 82030, 82031, 84120, 85100, 85101 or 85103
- Commodity: for example fruit, vegetables, dairy, poultry, greenhouse and nursery products, maple syrup or grains
Is this page for you?
A quick check before you hire or apply.
Read this if you
- Run a farm, nursery or greenhouse and need seasonal or year-round help
- Are a farm worker from Mexico or a Caribbean country
- Want to know which LMIA stream your farm fits
Look elsewhere if you
- Need a worker for a job off the farm
- Are a caregiver, see our caregiver guide
- Want permanent residence, see Express Entry or the provincial nominee programs
See the LMIA work permits guide, the hire a foreign worker guide and the work permits hub.
Five agricultural hiring routes
Pick the route that matches your farm and your workers. Source: ESDC.
SAWP
Workers come from Mexico or participating Caribbean countries. Their home governments recruit them under bilateral agreements. Stay is up to 8 months.
Agricultural stream
Workers can come from any country. Your production must be on the commodity list. You can ask for up to 2 years (low-wage) or 3 years (high-wage).
High-wage stream
For a high-wage agricultural job where your production is not on the commodity list.
Low-wage stream
For a low-wage agricultural job where your production is not on the commodity list.
Quebec farms
Quebec employers follow rules and wage tables from Quebec’s immigration ministry. Check them before you plan.
Need farm workers or a farm job?
We match your farm or your offer to the right stream before you file.
Rules to know first
Pay the prevailing wage
You must meet or beat the wage table or the minimum wage, whichever is higher. A lower wage brings a negative LMIA.
Equal benefits
Temporary workers get the same wages and benefits as Canadians and permanent residents in the same job.
Safety insurance
Employers must provide workplace safety insurance and pay for all work, including overtime where the law requires it.
Never hold ID
An employer must not take a worker’s identification.
Suspensions happen
Service Canada can suspend LMIA processing if workers’ health or safety is at serious risk.
Check the page date
Streams, lists and wages change. Check ESDC before you file.
Related pages
These pages cover LMIA, work permits and worker rights.
How to hire agricultural workers
Five actions, in order.
Check your production
Compare it with the national commodity list.
Pick the stream
Choose SAWP, agricultural, high-wage or low-wage.
Set the wage
Match the wage tables or the minimum wage.
Recruit and advertise
Follow the stream’s recruitment rules.
Apply for the LMIA
Then the worker applies for a work permit.
Agricultural workers, step by step
Six steps from farm to work permit.
Check primary agriculture
Confirm the work, the NOC code and the commodity.
Choose your stream
Pick SAWP, agricultural, high-wage or low-wage.
Set a legal wage
Match the prevailing wage or the minimum wage, whichever is higher.
Advertise and recruit
Follow the recruitment rules for your stream.
Apply to Service Canada
Your employer submits the LMIA. A positive one lets the worker apply for a work permit.
Five mistakes in agricultural hiring
These mistakes cost a season.
Wrong stream
A farm not on the commodity list cannot use the SAWP or the agricultural stream.
Under the wage
A wage below the prevailing rate brings a negative LMIA.
Late filing
LMIA processing takes time. Plan well ahead of planting.
Off-farm duties
The work must be primary agriculture on the farm.
Ignoring worker rights
Exploitation breaks Canadian law and can end your hiring rights.
Want a second set of eyes?
We check your stream and your offer before you file.
Agricultural worker facts at a glance
Key facts from ESDC, checked October 2026. Last updated: October 2026. Source: IRCC.
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Agricultural worker FAQs
What is the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program?
It is a program that lets employers hire temporary foreign workers from Mexico and participating Caribbean countries for on-farm primary agriculture. Workers can stay up to 8 months, between January 1 and December 15.
Which countries are in the SAWP?
Mexico, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.
What is the agricultural stream?
It is a stream for farms on the national commodity list that want workers from any country. Employers can ask for up to 2 years for a low-wage job or up to 3 years for a high-wage job.
What does primary agriculture mean?
The work must happen within a farm, nursery or greenhouse and involve activities like running farm machinery, caring for animals or growing and harvesting crops. It must match NOC 80020, 80021, 82030, 82031, 84120, 85100, 85101 or 85103.
Do farms need an LMIA?
Yes. All four agricultural streams are LMIA-based. Service Canada must issue a positive LMIA before the worker applies for a work permit. See our LMIA guide.
What wage must a farm pay?
The farm must pay at least the wage in the wage tables or the minimum wage, whichever is higher. A lower wage brings a negative LMIA.
How many hours must a SAWP job offer?
A minimum of 240 hours of work within 6 weeks or less.
Who recruits SAWP workers?
The home governments recruit and select workers under bilateral agreements with Canada. They also make sure workers have the right documents.
What if a worker is being mistreated?
Canadian law protects temporary foreign workers, and exploitation is a violation of the law. See our vulnerable workers guide for open work permit options.
Can an agricultural worker become a permanent resident?
A work permit does not lead to PR by itself. Check Express Entry and the provincial nominee programs, since eligibility depends on the job and skill level.
Do Quebec farms follow the same rules?
No. Employers hiring in Quebec must follow information from Quebec’s immigration ministry, including its wage table.
Where can I get help hiring farm workers?
Book a Strategy Consultation with Amir Ismail, RCIC R412319. We pick the stream, check your offer and prepare the LMIA file.
