First farm workers to Canada in 2020 depart over weekend
KINGSTON, Jamaica – The first dispatch of Jamaican farm workers to Canada for 2020 will be departing the island over the weekend.
A total of 228 workers are slated to leave between this afternoon and Monday, the Ministry of Labour & Social Security said in a statement Friday.
The majority of the farm workers are destined for the Ontario area and will be taking up employment in areas such as Leamington, Bradford, Simcoe, Milton, Strathroy, Goderich, Tilsonburg and St Thomas, the ministry statement said.
“I understand that the main activities that you will undertake over the next eight months include greenhouse fruit and vegetable production as well as horticulture and poultry rearing,” State Minister of Labour & Social Security, Zavia Mayne, was quoted as saying.
The ministry added that 80 per cent of this year’s workers will be returning to their previous employers.
According to the ministry, preliminary figures for 2019 indicate that the ministry dispatched 16, 819 Jamaicans for employment opportunities in Canada and the United States.
“The largest proportion of these jobs, 9,862, were realised in the Canadian labour market, while the United States Programme accounted for 6,957. The seasonal agricultural workers programme recorded the highest number of placements with 9, 240,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, Mayne encouraged the participants to be good ambassadors and remember that they are always representing the country.
