Sector Need: Workers Program and Labour Gap

sector need: A growing labour gap in agriculture is being driven by a combination of circumstances, including an aging workforce, large seasonal fluctuations in employment, the rural location of many operations, and negative perceptions about working in the sector, said the study, Sowing the Seeds of Growth, according to The Waterloo Record. Simply paying Canadians more to work in the sector or buying more machines may not be possible and will not eliminate the sector need for TFWs temporary foreign workers . The report came on the eve of a soon-to-come announcement by Ottawa to overhaul its temporary foreign workers program. Labour shortages within the sector have already doubled over the past decade and are expected to double again by 2025, reaching 113,800 unfilled jobs, the Conference Board of Canada said in a study released Thursday. Currently, migrant workers account for 12 per cent of Canada agricultural workforce, filling about three-quarters of the sector labour gap, said the study. In 2015, the sector accounted for 58 per cent of the number of positive labour market impact assessments a review by federal officials to ensure there a labour shortage and the hiring of the migrant workers will not take jobs away from Canadians. Twenty years ago, only five per cent of the farm workers were brought in from other countries. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.