The Mexican-Canadian Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (PTAT) started operations for the 2015 season with a total of 1,001 workers. This season's goal is to make use of the 20,000 vacancies generated in Canada's agricultural sector by permanently sending workers to that country.
A first group of 488 Mexican farm workers travelled to Canada last January 6, while another 414 workers went to the country on Wednesday and 99 more on Thursday; a skilled workforce to meet the demand by Canadian employers.
The Secretariat of Labour and Social Welfare estimated that, via the infrastructure of the National Employment Service (SNE), it would be possible to exploit at least 20,000 vacancies that will be generated in Canada's agricultural labour market, benefiting as many Mexican families.
The Mexican-Canadian Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program is a model of bilateral cooperation between both countries through which guarantees employment for farm workers and an orderly, secure, temporary circular migration flow, in which the workers' labour, social and human rights are respected.
The PTAT, which began with the involvement of 203 workers in 1974, enables Mexican farm workers to have access to formal well-paid employment in Canada, which helps activate local markets in the country as the workers consume during their stay there; and helps boosts the economy and the quality of life of the workers' communities in Mexico through the money they send to their families.
In 2014, after more than 40 years of program execution, it was possible to place an estimated 19,829 agricultural workers in temporary jobs in Canada. That year the program generated remittances of about 170 million Canadian dollars.
The first Mexican worker in the 2015 season is Sergio Manuel Quintero Higuera, from Baja California Sur. He entered the PTAT in 2009 and achieved his nominality the following year. Thanks to his performance and dedication he was requested by the Spring Valley Gardens Company (Niagara), in the province of Ontario.
Source: Quadratin