Close X
Friday, November 29, 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

Immigration minister meeting counterpart in D.C.

Immigration minister meeting counterpart in D.C.
Sean Fraser's office said the minister would be meeting with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas before he holds a news conference at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Immigration minister meeting counterpart in D.C.

Surrey reconsiders 17.5 per cent tax increase

Surrey reconsiders 17.5 per cent tax increase
Nearly 10 per cent of the original 17.5 per cent tax hike was related to the cost of Mayor Brenda Locke's pledge to keep the Surrey RCMP detachment and scrap a transition to a municipal police force.

Surrey reconsiders 17.5 per cent tax increase

Trudeau asks for new foreign interference probes

Trudeau asks for new foreign interference probes
The National Security and Intelligence Review Agency will look at the work Canada's intelligence agencies have done on foreign interference. Trudeau will also appoint a "special rapporteur" to independently review their work to ensure there are no gaps.

Trudeau asks for new foreign interference probes

B.C. court tosses guilty pleas amid Charter claim

B.C. court tosses guilty pleas amid Charter claim
Beverley Keith Klassen was arrested in Surrey, B.C., in August 2016 and pleaded guilty to drug trafficking midway through a trial, while his female co-accused was later found guilty.

B.C. court tosses guilty pleas amid Charter claim

B.C. plans online image sharing law

B.C. plans online image sharing law
Niki Sharma told the legislature that the legislation would create new legal rights and remedies people could use to stop the distribution of their intimate images and to seek compensation for the harms it caused.

B.C. plans online image sharing law

North Van collision claims life of a cyclist in her 40's

North Van collision claims life of a cyclist in her 40's
The cyclist has been identified as a resident of North Vancouver in her 40’s. Police are in the process of conducting a next of kin notification. The cause of the collision is still under investigation.

North Van collision claims life of a cyclist in her 40's