Job prospects General Farm Worker in Québec

Job opportunities for General farm workers (NOC 8431) are fair in Québec over the next 3 years. These job prospects are also applicable to people working as a general farm worker.

Note: These employment prospects were published in December 2021 based on the information available at the time of analysis. The next update will be in December 2022. To learn more, see our FAQs. You can also find additional information on the Canadian Online Job Posting Dashboard.

Job opportunities in Québec

general farm worker
Prospects over the next 3 years
Fair

The employment outlook will be fair for General farm workers (NOC 8431) in Québec for the 2021-2023 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

  • Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions. Part of this growth is attributable to the recovery of losses suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
  • There are several unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

It is possible to work in this occupation without any specific training. However, a high school diploma or a diploma of vocational studies in Grandes cultures [field crops], Production animale [animal production] or Production acéricole [maple syrup production] (all three offered in French only) can facilitate access. Basic knowledge of farm machinery maintenance and a class 8 driver's licence (tractors) from the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec are often required. Employers are looking for reliable people who are able to work as part of a team. Candidates must also be physically fit, have manual dexterity and be able to handle heavy loads.

In agriculture, farm size has increased and there is a continued concentration of activity on large farms. As a result, productivity gains from investments in equipment and the increased use of farm machinery are reducing labour requirements. Nevertheless, the industry must rely on foreign workers to fill available jobs, including many temporary positions during the summer. The automation and robotization of the processes used in agricultural production could ramp up to reduce labour requirements and the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks due to the physical proximity of farm workers. Growing public interest in healthy eating, environmental protection, buying local and short-channel marketing is fostering the establishment of small-scale organic vegetable and livestock operations. These new trends are creating additional employment opportunities for the occupation, even though these niches still represent only a small proportion of current production.

While it will be good elsewhere, the employment outlook for this occupation will be fair in the following region:

  • Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, due to a higher proportion of unemployed workers

Here are some key facts about General farm workers in Québec:

Labour Market Information Survey
Date modified: