Statistics Canada is reporting that in 2021, the number of temporary foreign workers saw its strongest growth since 2016.

Canada welcomed 61,735 temporary foreign workers in the agriculture sector, up 11.9% from 2020. 

In addition, 30,695 temporary foreign workers came to work in the food and beverage manufacturing sector in 2021, up 8.1% compared with 2020.

In Canada, temporary foreign workers represented around one-quarter of all agriculture workers in 2021.

A total of 168 countries were represented among the temporary foreign worker population who worked in Canada's agriculture sector in 2021.

In 2021, 43.8% of temporary foreign workers came from Mexico, 23.3% from Guatemala and 14.1% from Jamaica. The increase of temporary foreign workers from Guatemala was the biggest, rising by 3,091 from 2020 to 2021.