Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development

Norfolk County is calling on the Province to help address critical labour shortages in agriculture by supporting targeted immigration, skills training, and employer-focused workforce development initiatives.

Where we’re at

Agriculture is a foundational pillar of Norfolk County’s economy, but the sector is facing a growing labour shortage that threatens both productivity and long-term sustainability. To address this challenge, Norfolk is seeking the Ministry’s support in strengthening workforce development initiatives with a focus on immigration, skills training, and support for agricultural employers.

What Norfolk is asking:

• Attracting new entrants to farming: We propose a multi-pronged approach to attract youth, newcomers, and underemployed populations to careers in agriculture:
  • Awareness campaigns that highlight farming as skilled, innovative, and meaningful work.
  • Apprenticeship-style and internship programs that offer paid, hands-on farm experience.
  • Upskilling initiatives to transition workers from seasonal to year-round employment in agriculture and agri-food sectors.
• Immigration and pathways for new Canadians: Targeted immigration streams and support for newcomers with farming or skilled trade experience would help close the labour gap. We encourage:
  • Enhanced coordination with immigration pathways that match agricultural employers with foreign-trained workers.
  • Support programs for settlement, credential recognition, and language training tailored to agricultural work.
• Support for agricultural employers: Farm operators need support as they invest in training and onboarding new workers. We recommend:
  • Wage subsidies or tax incentives for employers hiring and training new or transitioning workers.
  • Grants or cost-sharing opportunities for farms hosting hands-on training or mentorship programs.
  • Streamlined access to provincial labour market programs for small- and medium-sized operations that may lack HR capacity.