Today, IRCC announced the first-ever Express Entry Draw for agriculture and agri-food occupations through category-based selection.
Here are the details of the Latest Express Entry Draw for Agriculture and Agri-food occupations.
Latest Express Entry Draw – September 28, 2023
- Round of Invitation #267
- Express Entry Program: Agriculture and Agri-food Occupations
- Number of invitations issued: 600
- Rank required to be invited to apply: 600 or above
- Date and time of round: September 28, 2023, at 16:45:09 UTC
- CRS score of lowest-ranked candidate invited: 354
- Tie-breaking rule: June 12, 2023 at 10:23:21 UTC
Through these latest rounds of invitations, Canada aims to draw in highly skilled individuals, particularly those with experience in the agriculture and agri-food sectors. This includes professionals like retail and wholesale butchers, farm supervisors, and agricultural service contractors, essential to the country’s workforce needs.
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Agriculture and Agri-food Occupations for Express Entry Draws
The agriculture and agri-food occupations eligible for this latest Express Entry draw include the following 3 occupations:
| Occupations | NOC Code |
| Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance, and horticulture services | 82031 |
| Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors | 82030 |
| Butchers – retail and wholesale | 63201 |
Express Entry Draws in September 2023
CRS Score of Express Entry Draws 2023
Why Agriculture and Agri-food Occupations?
The inclusion of agriculture and agri-food occupations in the category-based draws is based on extensive consultations. Various stakeholders, including the public and provincial and territorial representatives, identified these occupations as a top priority.
At the end of 2022, there were 10,535 job vacancies in agriculture and agri-food occupations, representing a 3.9% vacancy rate. Here’s the provincial breakdown:
- Ontario: 3,070
- Quebec: 1,950
- British Columbia: 2,475
- Alberta: 940
- Saskatchewan: 540
- Manitoba: 550
- New Brunswick: 720
- Nova Scotia: 425
- PEI: 130
What are Express Entry category-based selections?
On May 31st, the Former Immigration Minister, Sean Fraser, announced the introduction of category-based selection draws for Express Entry candidates.
The IRCC has decided to prioritize candidates with strong French language proficiency or work experience in specific fields. These fields include:
- Agriculture and agri-food occupations
- Healthcare occupations
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations
- Trade occupations
- Transport occupations
The selection of these categories was carefully determined based on various factors. The IRCC considered information about labor market shortages and projections, as well as input from their partners, provinces and territories, and stakeholders across the country.
What are the Eligibility Criteria for Agriculture and Agri-food Occupations?
Candidates targeting the agriculture and agri-food occupations category must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Meet Express Entry Criteria: Fulfill the eligibility requirements of one of the Express Entry programs (Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, or Federal Skilled Trades Program)
- Work Experience: Have at least six months of continuous work experience in one of the listed occupations within the past three years
- Fulfill Additional Requirements: Meet all the specific requirements mentioned in the instructions for the category-based draw.
