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Seasonal Agriculture Worker Program (SAWP)

You can work as a seasonal farmer if you are from 12 countries

Home > Work in Canada > Temporary Work Permits > Seasonal Agriculture Worker Program (SAWP)

If you are a citizen of the twelve countries listed below, you may be eligible to apply for a Work Permit under the Seasonal Agriculture Worker Program (SAWP). The article explains what the SAWP is, and its requirements for temporary workers.

Overview of the SAWP

The Seasonal Agriculture Worker Program was born more than 50 years ago, following the signing by Canada of bilateral conventions with the participating countries. These conventions describe the responsibilities of the participating countries' governments:

keep a list of farm workers,
help with the gathering of documents, and
provide a person of contact in Canada to supply assistance when in need.

Your Work Permit cannot exceed 8 months, between the January 1st and December 15th of each year.

You may be asked to work on more than one farm while you’re in Canada. You don’t need a new work permit for each employer.

If you are hired to work as a seasonal farmer in Quebec, you will need to apply for a "Certificat d'Acceptation du Québec" (CAQ). You can find more information here.

You will need to enter into contact with your government officials. They are responsible for hiring workers under this program and help you gather all the documents needed to apply for the Work Permit.