The number of agriculture employees in Canada reached 278,373 in 2022, up 0.5% from 2021.
In 2022, nearly one in two agriculture employees were seasonal workers.
The majority of agriculture employees worked in Ontario (79,852), followed by Quebec (68,478) and British Columbia (33,135). Combined, the Prairie provinces had 78,988 agricultural workers, while the Atlantic provinces had 17,919.
Horticulture, which includes the production of fruit and vegetables, employed the most workers.
Nearly one in four agriculture employees (23.2%) in 2022 were temporary foreign workers, mostly from Central and South America.
Description - A look at agricultural workers in 2022
A look at agricultural workers in 2022
In 2022, 278,373 people were employed in Canada’s agriculture sector, up 0.5% from 2021 (276,977).
Ontario had the most workers, followed by Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia.
Number of agriculture workers, by province, 2022
|
Geography |
Year (2022) |
|
Canada |
278,373 |
|
Newfoundland and Labrador |
1,358 |
|
Prince Edward Island |
4,352 |
|
Nova Scotia |
6,426 |
|
New Brunswick |
5,783 |
|
Quebec |
68,478 |
|
Ontario |
79,852 |
|
Manitoba |
17,109 |
|
Saskatchewan |
23,521 |
|
Alberta |
38,358 |
|
British Columbia |
33,135 |
In 2022, close to half of the agriculture workforce were seasonal employees
Seasonal employees: 49.6%
Full-time employees: 36.5%
Part-time employees: 13.9%
Number of temporary foreign workers (TFWs) employed, by agricultural operations, by farm revenue, 2022
|
Farm revenue |
Number |
|
Total |
64,660 |
|
Less than $100,000 |
2,922 |
|
$100,000 to $249,999 |
908 |
|
$250,000 to $499,999 |
2,017 |
|
$500,000 to $999,999 |
4,178 |
|
$1,000,000 to $1,999,999 |
7,124 |
|
$2,000,000 and over |
47,513 |
Temporary foreign workers (TFWs) in Canada’s agriculture sector
The agriculture sector employed 64,660 TFWs in 2022, up 6.0% from a year earlier and the third consecutive annual increase.
Agricultural industries that employed the most TFWs
- Greenhouse, nursery and floriculture: 24,701
- Vegetable and melon farming: 14,702
- Fruit and tree nut farming: 12,249
Three main countries of origin of TFWs employed in Canada’s agriculture sector
- Mexico: 44.3%
- Guatemala: 25.2%
- Jamaica: 13.3%
Source: Statistics Canada, Agriculture and Agri-food Labour Statistics Program, 2022.
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