Agriculture labour shortage feared amid COVID-19 travel bans
Canadian agriculture depends on Temporary Foreign Workers to fill labour market shortages during the spring and summer months, yet COVID-19 travel bans restrict non-residents from entering Canada.
There is never a shortage of work to do on Canadian farms, and as Canada halts most non-residents from entering the country, agriculture industry professionals fear unfilled gaps in the labour market may affect production.
As the ground begins to thaw in the spring, Canadian farmers need to start planting crops for the year’s harvest. Temporary foreign workers (TFWs) come to do the work that farmers cannot find local workers to do. Either there are not enough Canadians applying or they lack the necessary skills for the job.
Many of these workers return to the same farms year after year, knowing the equipment and the fields like the back of their hands.
Many Canadian agriculture industry organizations are working with provincial and federal governments to find some sort of solution. While there is a need to prevent the spread of COVID-19 there is also a need for temporary foreign workers.
Some farms may be at risk of losing their entire operations if they cannot adjust to the lack of workers in time to turn a profit.
The Canada’s agriculture industry has been struggling with labour market shortages for years, looking to immigrants to help support the industry. The need for consistent labour prompted the formation of the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot that is set to launch March 30. The program is intended to provide a pathway to permanent residence for temporary foreign workers, especially those in the mushroom and meat sectors.
Source : canadanews
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