Trying To Find Help On The Farm Can Be A Challenge

One of the challenges in the Agriculture sector can be trying to find help on the farm or ranch.

Kara Dyer is an Immigration Consultant with Beyond Borders Immigration Consulting at Gull Lake.

She says stats show the employment gaps on the farm are getting worse as we see the growth in farm and ranch operations.

“In 2014, Saskatchewan employed just over 43,000 people in the Agriculture sector total. With that there were over 4500 job vacancies just in the Agriculture sector; which means that was a loss of over $200 million dollars to employers just in this sector alone. “

She notes more and more producers are looking at the option of hiring temporary foreign workers adding that the federal government has worked at improving processing times for applications.

Dyer says there are a number of options federally and provincially depending on what producers are looking for and the skills the foreign worker brings to the operation.

She notes companies like hers can help with the paperwork, red tape, and processing of applications.

“The Federal Government for the LMIA ( Labour Market Impact Assessment ) routes really noticed or picked up on the beginning of this year that employers are going to need the employees for this season. They opened up sending those (applications) to a separate processing center which has allowed for really nice, quick progressing.”

Dyer says anyone looking for help at harvest should consider starting the application process soon.

She notes there are a number of options federally and provincially to help producers depending on what they are looking for and the skills the foreign worker brings to the operation.

Dyer was the guest speaker this month for the Swift Current Chapter of the Canadian Agricultural Farm Advisors.