Fruit picking jobs in Canada: strawberries, cherries, blueberries and apples

This page in other languages : Français

What does a fruit picker do in Canada?

Pickers harvest by hand, sort in the row and fill baskets, flats or large bins. The work is done kneeling in strawberry fields or on ladders in apple and cherry orchards, often from dawn to avoid the strongest heat of July and August afternoons.

Farms also hire seasonal staff for pruning, apple thinning in June, installing bird nets and loading trucks. Pickers who can switch between tasks keep more hours when rain stops the harvest, which matters because most pay is calculated only on hours or kilos actually worked.

Harvest calendar by fruit

Strawberries run from June to early August in Quebec and Ontario, raspberries in July, cherries from late June to August in the Okanagan, wild blueberries in August around Lac-Saint-Jean and in Nova Scotia, Niagara peaches in August, then apples from September to late October nationwide.

Where are the orchards and berry farms?

In autumn 2026 Job Bank listed about 1,136 fruit farm worker postings: 744 in Quebec, 180 in Ontario and 142 in British Columbia, followed by Saskatchewan, Alberta and Nova Scotia. Île d'Orléans, Montérégie, Niagara and the Okanagan Valley account for most of the work.

Short seasons, possible combinations

Each fruit gives only a few intense weeks. Mobile pickers combine Quebec strawberries, British Columbia cherries and then apples, provided they hold an open work permit. An employer-specific permit, by contrast, does not allow moving to another farm without new authorization.

Who can legally pick fruit in Canada?

Apart from citizens and permanent residents, everyone needs a work permit. Europeans have no automatic right to work, and entering as a tourist with an electronic travel authorization does not allow harvesting, not even unpaid work exchanged for food and a bed.

The open permit from International Experience Canada fits seasonal picking well: French citizens aged 18 to 35 can work up to 24 months, Belgians aged 18 to 30 for 12 months, Germans up to 35 for 12 months. Candidates are drawn from 2026 pools.

SAWP for Mexico and the Caribbean

Most foreign pickers arrive through the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program, reserved for Mexico and eleven Caribbean countries. Contracts last up to eight months between January 1 and December 15, with at least 240 hours of work offered within six weeks or less.

The agricultural stream of the TFWP

Nationals of other countries, such as Guatemala or the Philippines, are recruited through the agricultural stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The employer obtains an LMIA, then the worker receives an employer-specific permit, with pay equal to Canadian workers in the same job.

Protections for workers on closed permits

Workers on employer-specific permits must be paid for all hours, covered by workplace safety insurance and allowed to keep their identity documents. Employment and Social Development Canada refuses an LMIA when the offered wage falls below the prevailing wage for the occupation.

Pay, piece rates and conditions

Quebec's minimum wage has been CAD 16.60 since May 1, 2026, and the CNESST sets minimum piece rates of CAD 1.32 per kilo of strawberries and CAD 4.93 per kilo of raspberries. British Columbia has required CAD 18.25 an hour since June 2026.

How to get hired as a fruit picker

1. Choose a region according to the fruit and your arrival month.
2. Secure an IEC permit or confirm that an employer is filing an LMIA.
3. Browse Job Bank fruit farm worker postings from March onwards.
4. Contact orchards and berry farms directly by email or phone.
5. Get hourly or piece rates and housing terms in writing.
6. Plan a car or rideshare, since farms are rarely served by transit.
7. Apply for a Social Insurance Number right after arrival.

Mistakes pickers should avoid

• Assuming piece rates can fall below the legal minimum without consequences.
• Paying an agency for a picking job in Canada.
• Arriving after the strawberry or cherry peak has passed.
• Neglecting sun protection and water during heat waves.
• Accepting shared housing without a written price.

Keeping a copy of every pay stub and noting daily kilos and hours makes it possible to dispute an error with the CNESST or a provincial employment standards branch without losing several weeks of earnings at the end of a short season.

Housing and farm life

Farms employing SAWP workers provide inspected accommodation. Working holiday pickers sometimes get campsites or rooms on the farm, but the Okanagan and Île d'Orléans run short of beds at the peak, so housing should be arranged before travelling.

Fruit picking in Canada: FAQ

The answers below apply to the 2026 season. Piece rates and minimum wages are reviewed every year by the provinces, usually in spring or autumn, so they should be checked again before signing any contract or booking travel to a farming region.

How many kilos of strawberries can you pick per hour?

Beginners often pick 10 to 15 kilos of strawberries an hour, trained pickers much more. At Quebec's rate of CAD 1.32 per kilo, earnings only exceed the hourly minimum after a few days of practice, which is why an hourly contract helps at first.

Do I need English to pick fruit?

Not in Quebec, where most farms operate in French and Spanish. In Ontario and British Columbia, basic English is enough for instructions, but it helps considerably when negotiating housing, understanding safety rules and finding the next job after the season.

Can I pick fruit in Canada after 35?

Yes, but not on a working holiday permit. You need an employer willing to obtain an LMIA in the agricultural stream, which means an employer-specific permit, often a contract of several months and recruitment organised long before the harvest starts.

Which season suits a first experience?

The apple harvest, from September to October, suits beginners: a longer season, moderate temperatures and many orchards in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia. Strawberries are physically harder but in high demand and start earlier in the summer.