Close X
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
ADVT 
National

Canada needs 30,000 new immigrants in agri sector: Report

Darpan News Desk IANS, 19 Apr, 2023 02:09 PM
  • Canada needs 30,000 new immigrants in agri sector: Report

Toronto, April 19 (IANS) Canada needs 30,000 permanent immigrants over the next decade to either start up their own farms, or take over existing ones, to address a looming labour crisis in the agriculture industry, says a new study.

According to a Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) research, 40 per cent of Canadian farm operators will retire by 2033, placing agriculture on the cusp of one of the biggest labour and leadership transitions in the country's history.

Over the same period, a shortfall of 24,000 general farm, nursery and greenhouse workers is expected to emerge, and in 10 years, 60 per cent of today's farm operators will be over the age of 65, that is, close to retirement.

Amidst all this, 66 per cent of producers do not have a succession plan in place, leaving the future of farmland in doubt, the study said.

Canada's agricultural sector is among the most diverse in the world though the degree of demand for foreign workers differs significantly by province and operation.

When it comes to more highly-skilled farm operators, Canada has always welcomed them from India, the Netherlands, China, the US and the UK.

However, in case of immigration of low-skilled labourers, better policies are needed because the Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) program, which remains a critical source of low-skilled labour, is just a provisional solution to a chronic issue, the study said.

Many of these TFWs who develop skills essential to seeding and harvests, must return to their home countries for short periods, and if they are unable to return to Canada, the country's on-farm workforce is dramatically reduced.

RBC researchers said that a pathway to permanent residency for experienced TFWs will immediately address this type of shortage.

Canada had started an agriculture-specific immigration pilot programme in 2020 to give a path to permanent residency for non-seasonal workers with experience, which is set to end in May 2023, a CBC News report said.

As of February 2023, more than 1,500 people have been admitted through the program in Ottawa province.

A department spokesperson told CBC that they are assessing the pilot programme "and the possible extension beyond its scheduled expiry".

The spokesperson added that giving migrants permanent residence "is not the solution to labour shortages".

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. to drop COVID-19 vaccine requirement

B.C. to drop COVID-19 vaccine requirement
The province says that from April 3, BC Public Service employees will no longer be required to provide proof of vaccination. It says more than 98 per cent of employees met the requirement.      

B.C. to drop COVID-19 vaccine requirement

Vancouver Police's arrest attempt leaves 25 year old man seriously injured

Vancouver Police's arrest attempt leaves 25 year old man seriously injured
Officers were made aware the man had a BC-wide warrant.  While they attempted to speak to the man in the hallway of the building, witnesses saw him fall from his balcony. The 25-year-old man was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Vancouver Police's arrest attempt leaves 25 year old man seriously injured

COVID-19 'steady' but not over in Canada, Tam says

COVID-19 'steady' but not over in Canada, Tam says
Tam says population immunity is high due to an overall high vaccine uptake combined with the immunity people got from infection. She says officials are continuing to watch for new strains of the virus that can evade people's immune systems.

COVID-19 'steady' but not over in Canada, Tam says

Why Canadian time changes hinge on U.S. law

Why Canadian time changes hinge on U.S. law
Daylight time, which sees people enjoy an extra hour of daylight at the end of the day starting March 12, ends on Sunday. The standard function of DST is to set clocks forward by one hour in the spring and thus the phrase spring forward, and to set clocks back by one hour in the Fall thus the phrase fall back to return to original clock time.     

Why Canadian time changes hinge on U.S. law

High court upholds B.C. man's voyeurism conviction

High court upholds B.C. man's voyeurism conviction
Randy Downes had coached minor hockey and children's baseball in Burnaby and Coquitlam for 30 years when he was charged in 2016 after border agents found images on his phone as he returned to Canada from Washington state.

High court upholds B.C. man's voyeurism conviction

Freeland to table 2023 federal budget March 28

Freeland to table 2023 federal budget March 28
The Canadian economy is expected to slow significantly this year and potentially enter a recession as high interest rates squeeze the budgets for individuals and businesses alike. Freeland has stressed that the Liberal government is focused on fiscal restraint, so as to not work against the Bank of Canada's efforts to tame inflation.

Freeland to table 2023 federal budget March 28