Job prospects Farm Hand - Harvesting in Ontario

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "farm hand - harvesting" in Ontario or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Ontario

These outlooks were updated on December 11, 2024.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be good for Harvesting labourers (NOC 85101) in Ontario for the 2024-2026 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment is expected to remain relatively stable.
• A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
• Due to the seasonal nature of this occupation, employment opportunities tend to be more favourable during the summer months.

What Types of Employers Are Out There?

• Most work on farms

What are the Main Trends Affecting Employment?

• Population growth, and local and overseas demand for agricultural goods will support job prospects in this occupation
• However, the agricultural industry can be sensitive to factors such as extreme weather conditions and global trade policies

What Skills Do I Need to Succeed?

• Formal education is usually not required and employers often provide on-the-job training

What Other Information Will I Find Helpful?

• Harvesting labourers is one of the key temporary foreign agricultural worker occupational groups that support activities in primary agriculture
• Most farms are located in southern Ontario.

Here are some key facts about Harvesting labourers in Ontario:

• Approximately 8,450 people work in this occupation.
• Harvesting labourers mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Agriculture (NAICS 111, 112, 1151, 1152): 94%
  • Management and administrative services (NAICS 55, 56): 6%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 76% compared to 81% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 24% compared to 19% for all occupations
• 35% of harvesting labourers work all year, while 65% work only part of the year, compared to 63% and 37% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 32 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
• 5% of harvesting labourers are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 54% compared to 52% for all occupations
  • Women: 46% compared to 48% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: 54% compared to 9% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 30% compared to 25% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: less than 5% compared to 8% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 7% compared to 22% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 5% compared to 24% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 13% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in Ontario by economic region.

Source Labour Market Information | Prospects Methodology

Job prospects elsewhere in Canada

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "farm hand - harvesting" in Ontario or across Canada.

Learn more