Seasonal jobs in Canada: harvests, tree planting, fish plants and resorts

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What seasonal work looks like across Canada

The farm year starts in April in the greenhouses of Ontario and Quebec, peaks from June to October with strawberries, blueberries, cherries, apples and field vegetables, and ends with winter packing of stored potatoes and apples in large warehouses and packing houses.

Beyond agriculture, three sectors hire heavily: reforestation from May to August in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec, fish and seafood processing in the Atlantic provinces, and tourism, from national parks and lodges in summer to ski resorts in winter.

Provinces and harvest calendar

British Columbia's Okanagan Valley runs cherries and apples from June to October. Quebec leads in June and July strawberries, Lac-Saint-Jean blueberries in August and Montérégie vegetables. Ontario combines Niagara orchards, Holland Marsh vegetables and Leamington greenhouses almost all year round.

Sea, forest and mountains beyond farming

Lobster is landed in spring and autumn in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, while snow crab runs from April to July in Gaspésie and Newfoundland. Whistler, Banff and Mont-Tremblant hire from November to April for lifts, rentals and food service.

Ski resorts and national park lodges usually recruit in late summer for winter and in early spring for summer. Many offer staff housing for a weekly deduction, a key advantage in towns such as Banff, Jasper or Whistler where rental vacancy is close to zero.

How many vacancies and how much competition

The federal Job Bank listed more than 1,100 fruit farm worker postings in autumn 2026, about two thirds of them in Quebec. Many positions are filled months ahead by temporary foreign workers, leaving fewer openings for candidates who simply turn up in the region.

Who is allowed to take a seasonal job in Canada?

Canadian citizens and permanent residents work freely. Anyone else needs a work permit: there is no free-movement arrangement similar to the European Union, and a visitor visa or electronic travel authorization never allows paid work, not even a single week of picking.

For young people from partner countries, the easiest route is International Experience Canada (IEC). Its Working Holiday category issues an open work permit without a prior job offer, so holders can change employer and province as one season follows another.

International Experience Canada: ages and duration

Age limits are generally 18 to 35, or 18 to 30 for some countries. French, German and Australian citizens qualify up to 35, Belgians up to 30. Durations range from 12 to 24 months, and candidates are drawn at random from pools opened for the 2026 season.

Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP)

SAWP is reserved for nationals of Mexico and eleven Caribbean countries, recruited through their governments. Employers may hire for up to eight months between January 1 and December 15, and must offer at least 240 hours of work within six weeks or less.

Employer-specific permits under the TFWP

Other nationalities use the Temporary Foreign Worker Program: the employer obtains a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), then the worker receives a permit tied to that employer. The agricultural stream accepts workers from any country, subject to a positive LMIA decision.

Quebec applies its own immigration selection on top of federal rules, and some employer-specific permits for Quebec also require a Quebec Acceptance Certificate. IEC participants are exempt, which explains why so many young Europeans start their Canadian seasons in Quebec orchards and strawberry fields.

Minimum wages and working conditions in 2026

Each province sets its own minimum wage. Quebec pays CAD 16.60 an hour since May 1, 2026, British Columbia CAD 18.25 since June 1, 2026, and Ontario CAD 17.95 since October 1, 2026. Overtime rules for farm work often differ from standard employment.

Steps to land a seasonal job in Canada

1. Pick a sector and province according to the harvest, fishing or snow calendar.
2. Check IEC eligibility or find an employer willing to apply for an LMIA.
3. Create an IEC profile as soon as the pools open and wait for an invitation.
4. Write a Canadian-style resume without photo or date of birth.
5. Apply on Job Bank, provincial portals and employer career pages.
6. Get a written contract stating pay, hours, housing and dates.
7. Buy insurance, book flights and activate the permit at the port of entry.

Common mistakes and scams

• Paying a so-called recruiter for a job offer or LMIA: employers may not charge such fees.
• Entering as a visitor and hoping to change status after arrival.
• Accepting camp housing without knowing the daily charge or camp rules.
• Reaching the Okanagan in June without contacts, when orchards hire in spring.
• Forgetting that health insurance must cover the whole permit period.

Report withheld passports, placement fees or pay below minimum wage to the provincial employment standards office. No employer may confiscate a foreign worker's identity documents, whatever program brought that worker to Canada, and workers are protected against reprisals.

Cost of living and start-up budget

Budget for flights, several weeks of rent before the first pay, usually issued every two weeks, and suitable gear: boots, rain jacket, gloves and, for planting camps, a tent and sleeping bag. Resort and tourist towns face a chronic shortage of affordable housing.

Seasonal work in Canada: frequently asked questions

These answers cover the most common situations of international candidates. Immigration rules change every year, so the official conditions published by IRCC and Employment and Social Development Canada remain the reference to check before booking any travel.

Can I work in Canada on an eTA?

No. An electronic travel authorization only covers tourism or short business visits. Any paid activity, even one week of fruit picking, requires a work permit, either an open IEC permit or an employer-specific permit linked to a positive LMIA.

Is French enough to find work?

In Quebec and the Acadian areas of New Brunswick, yes for picking, packing and many crab and lobster plants. Elsewhere, functional English is expected, especially in tourism, tree planting camps and western ski resorts, where safety briefings are given in English.

Do seasonal workers pay tax?

Yes. Employers deduct federal and provincial income tax, Canada Pension Plan contributions and Employment Insurance premiums. A Social Insurance Number is required before the first pay, and filing a return after the season often recovers part of the deductions.

How much can you earn in one season?

At 50 hours a week on Quebec's minimum wage, a seasonal worker earns about CAD 830 gross. Experienced tree planters and crab plant workers on overtime earn considerably more, while bad weather can cut picking hours sharply in a short season.