Farm Labour

The Government of Canada strives to ensure that Canadians have the first opportunity for all available jobs. The Government of Alberta works to ensure that Canadians and Albertans have first access to the jobs on Alberta pork farms.

In light of the recent COVID-19 epidemic, many Canadians and Albertans that have been working in the service industries have been recently laid off and are without employment. As an Albertan industry, we are asking you to make special efforts to reach out to unemployed Canadian citizens and permanent residents in your area affected by COVID-19 restrictions and offer employment.

Bringing these workers to the farm will require extra effort on your part to train them, but we believe many Canadian citizens and permanent residents, once introduced to the farming way of life, will find value in the industry. We hope the industry’s stability will act as an incentive and that new employees will remain within the agriculture industry after the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

Finding employment for those who have been impacted by COVID-19 will require all industries to explore new avenues to attract prospective employees. It will also mean considering potential workers from all walks of life and backgrounds. To start looking, a good first step is to advertise positions on the Alberta Pork Classifieds, the Government of Alberta Job Bank and the Government of Canada Job Bank.

You are also encouraged to consult the resources on the Wages and Salaries in Alberta page and the Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council’s (CAHRC) Occupational Matrix for the On-Farm Sector to help guide creating positions.

The recruitment and retention of foreign workers has become an important human resource tool for Alberta pork employers. Selecting the right third-party agent can have a significant impact on recruitment costs, turnover, community support and timing. Before you start, review this checklist.

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) is a Canadian program available for use by qualifying employers. The TFWP was designed as a “temporary” program primarily put in place to fill immediate and/or urgent labour needs. Assisting Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) with achieving permanent residence status in Canada ensures workers can be a continual part of your team. Permanent residence of TFWs can be expedited using the employer driven Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) in unison with TFW Program application requirements.

TFWs enable employers to source skills and people they require to fill vacant jobs and where Canadian citizens and permanent residents are not readily available.  In addition, foreign workers often bring new skills and new knowledge to help Canada’s economy grow.

It is crucial that employers access the most recent details regarding the TFW program streams and the various directives to identify what the best fit is for their businesses’ human resource strategy. Employers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the program on the ESDC website site and regularly update themselves with the latest requirements and changes.

For more information, please contact Charlotte Shipp, Industry Programs Coordinator, Alberta Pork by email at charlotte.shipp@albertapork.com or by phone at 780-491-3528, toll-free at 1-877-247-PORK (7675).

Key documentation and links with up-to-date info can be found in our Resource Centre.