Agriculture is one of Canada’s key industries. This is because Canada has a vast amount of land, a small population, and a high concentration of wealth. However, Canada’s agricultural industry is in dire need of more employees. The majority of Canadians have little to no interest in working on farms, especially given the seasonal nature of many farms’ employment. The majority of farms are found in isolated or rural areas, which Canadians frequently avoid.
As a result, foreign workers can find plenty of farm jobs in Canada. The Canadian government reports that 61 735 temporary foreign workers were employed in Canada’s agricultural sector. Canada has a huge demand for farm workers during each harvest season.
The fact that nine of Canada’s provinces have extensive farming and agricultural infrastructure makes it challenging to determine which is the best province in which to work. Actually, there isn’t a single province in Canada that is the best for employment in the agricultural sector. To assist you in choosing the best province in Canada for farm jobs, the farming data for these nine provinces are broken down below.
Alberta
Alberta is regarded as one of Canada’s top agricultural provinces. This is a result of the significant wheat, canola, and cattle farming industries. These three industries have a combined value of about $10,2 billion in Alberta alone.
As a result, there are always a lot of jobs available in Alberta. The majority of open positions in Alberta’s agricultural sector are for seasonal workers on beef or vegetable farms. However, there are also tens of thousands of open positions for full-time technical services like equipment technicians and mechanics as well as managerial positions like forepersons.
In Alberta, wage rates for farm labourers range from $15 to $20 per hour, with 40-hour work weeks being the norm. However, the length of the workday increases during harvest, and overtime is frequently required of the workforce.
The convenience of living close to two of Canada’s largest cities, Calgary and Edmonton, is another benefit of working in Alberta.
Saskatchewan
The largest farming province in Canada, Saskatchewan also produces some of the country’s major exports. In addition to being Canada’s second-largest producer of cattle, Saskatchewan is also the world’s largest exporter of lentils, mustard seeds, durum wheat, flaxseed, oats, and peas.
The majority of Canada’s farmland is in Saskatchewan, the nation’s breadbasket. With 66.9% of its total farmland being cropland, Saskatchewan is primarily a grain-producing province. About 40% of Canada’s total cropland is located in Saskatchewan alone.
In addition to having the most cutting-edge technology in Canada, Saskatchewan farms are seeing a significant increase in the number of female operators and workers.
Due to the abundance of labour, operating, and more specialised positions like mechanics available to immigrants in Canada, Saskatchewan is widely regarded as the best place to work in agriculture.
British Columbia
Let’s say you want to work for a slightly smaller company. British Columbia might be the best province in Canada to work in that situation. British Columbia is ideal for smaller, more specialised farming operations due to its varied terrain, high land value, and dense population.
As a result, British Columbia is one of the top provinces for vegetable farming and is responsible for the majority of Canada’s exports of highbush blueberries and sweet cherries.
However, the farming sector in British Columbia is currently in decline. The average age of farm operators is rising as a result of the closure of numerous small farms, and is expected to reach 57.8 years in 2021. The province, however, is in desperate need of new employees for management positions due to the ageing demographic of farm operators.
Therefore, British Columbia is undoubtedly worth considering if you’re looking for a more permanent position in Canadian agriculture.
Manitoba
An enormous agricultural powerhouse in Canada, Manitoba produces some of the country’s most important exports. Additionally, Manitoba can provide plenty of jobs for immigrants in Canada thanks to its 17.1 million acres of farmland.
The farming sector in Manitoba is thriving. With the second highest average farm revenue in Canada, it means that farm workers have access to better facilities, better pay, better equipment, and a higher standard of living. With more pigs per farm than any other province in Canada, Manitoba leads the country in pig farming. With over 90% of Canada’s sunflower seed cropland, Manitoba is also a national leader in many field crops.
Additionally, compared to many other Canadian provinces, Manitoba uses more environmentally friendly farming practises, such as windbreaks and shelterbelts. Additionally, Manitoba produces more renewable energy than the nation as a whole. Therefore, Manitoba is an excellent place to find the farm job you’re looking for, with top benefits and lots of chances to advance and broaden your farming knowledge.
Ontario
Since Ontario is Canada’s economic hub, it also provides a sizable portion of the nation’s agriculture. As a result, greenhouse farming, a significant employer of temporary foreign workers, is an important industry in Ontario. The greenhouse area in Canada is made up of 61.8 percent greenhouses in Ontario.
Ontario is a major region for raising livestock, with cow farms reporting a 4.9 percent increase in livestock since 2016 and pig farms reporting a 22.8 percent increase in market pigs since 2016. In addition, Ontario is a leader in integrating technology into agriculture and in sustainable farming, necessitating a large number of farm workers and specialised experts in those fields.
One of the best provinces in Canada for farm jobs is Ontario because it offers many opportunities to start a farm job and advance in a career in agriculture.
Quebec
Quebec, the original home of Canada’s most iconic export, maple, is home to some of the country’s largest farms. As a result, Quebec contributes significantly to some of Canada’s major exports, such as dairy, pigs, and oilseed.
Quebec is very much at the forefront of modern farming. As a result, it appears that it will soon become a significant player in Canada’s agricultural industry. Quebec has the most organic farms, direct sales, renewable energy production, robotic milking technology, and a preference for younger farming operators. As a result, it’s no surprise that the number of farms in Quebec is growing while the national number of farms is decreasing.
Currently, Quebec has a great need for French-speaking foreign labourers to assist in carrying out the province’s enormous amount of farming. So let’s say you want to work in the large and expanding agricultural sector. Quebec is the first place to look in that situation.
New Brunswick
While the farming sector in New Brunswick may not be the biggest in Canada, it does offer excellent opportunities for those seeking employment in the potato, beef, or blueberry farming industries. The second-largest producer of blueberries in Canada is located in New Brunswick.
Additionally, about 28.2 percent of New Brunswick’s total farming income comes from the province’s potato farms. The number of maple taps per farm has increased from 10 782 to 18 744, reflecting the growth of maple farming. As a result, New Brunswick will rank as Canada’s second-largest producer of maple syrup as of 2022. In addition to being smaller than the national average, farms in New Brunswick tend to be independent or non-corporate.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Although farming in Newfoundland and Labrador can be difficult due to the region’s geography, the industry is open to newcomers to meet its demand. In Newfoundland and Labrador, the average age of farm owners is rising while the number of open positions is falling. Many farms address this by searching outside of Canada for immigrants to fill these crucial positions.
Vegetables and melons are the main food products. The majority of the farmland is, however, comprised of beef farms. is also working to increase the use of renewable energy sources. primarily needs labourers and farm workers, and finding employment as an immigrant from abroad is not difficult.
Through immigration programmes like the Atlantic Immigration Pilot or the Agri-Food Pilot, working in may also open up opportunities for total immigration to Canada and permanent residency.
To speak with a Regulate Canadian Immigration Consultant, click the button below if you’re unsure of your eligibility for those programmes (RCIC). They can aid you in applying and determine whether you qualify for these programmes.
Prince Edward Island
One of Canada’s newest emerging farming provinces is Prince Edward Island, which produces the majority of the country’s potatoes. Currently, since 2016, the number of beef and feedlot farms on Prince Edward Island has increased by 6.3 percent. Prince Edward Island’s farms, like those in most of Canada’s northern provinces, are typically smaller than the country as a whole, but they are still in dire need of farm hands and other labourers.
Prince Edward Island leads the way in environmentally friendly agriculture and generates more bioenergy than the rest of Canada combined. In order to ensure that the adoption of renewable energy proceeds without a hitch, mechanics and engineers are also greatly needed.