Come to Canada!

Large Crop Farms (800 -10000 hectares)
Mixed Crop and Beef Farms
Cattle Ranches
Dairy Farms
Home Management (rural)
Home Management with Farm Chores
Sheep Farms (very limited)
Market Gardens (very limited)
Greenhouse (very limited)

You must be between the ages of 18 and 35 when making the initial application.

For Agriculture placements, you must have a minimum two years’ practical experience driving farm machinery and/or handling farm animals.  Education in agriculture or as a mechanic is an asset, but not required.

For Horticulture placements, you must have a minimum two years’ practical experience and/or education in horticulture.

You are required to hold a valid driver’s license from your home country. An international driver’s license may also be required.

If accepted to this program, you will be required to provide criminal record checks to the Canadian government - from your home country and all other countries you visited for more than 6 months within the past 5 years.

You may not bring a spouse or dependent child to Canada on this program.

You will earn an hourly wage during the work placement.  Wages are set by International Rural Exchange Canada.

The wage is paid by the host employer. Host employers deduct taxes from your wage as required by the Canadian government. 

Please contact our partner organization in your home country for more information about wages. 

You need a good working ability to speak English before you arrive at your placement. We understand that your English won’t be perfect when you arrive, but you need to be able to understand instructions that your host will give you to work safely and well. It is possible to go to English school in Canada before you go to your placement.

Most crop farms would have four wheel driver tractors, air seeders, sprayers, swathers and combines. Beef and dairy farms would also own haying and fencing equipment. There is a wide variety of equipment on farms in Canada. Some farms have new equipment, but many farms in Canada keep their costs lower by using older machinery. Farms in Canada receive no money from the government, and have to carefully manage their resources. As a trainee, you might not drive all of the equipment. It would depend on your skill level and how careful you are with equipment.

Canada is a very big country, and farms are often several kilometers apart, and 10-30 kilometers from the nearest town. It is very important that you have a driver’s license and can drive well if you want to come to Canada as a trainee.
Some host farms have cars or trucks that their trainees are able to use (or lease from the farm for a low cost).
Some trainees prefer to buy their own vehicle while they are in Canada.

If you are able to arrive in Canada by the middle of April, you would be able to attend our Annual Training and Orientation Seminar. Trainees often organize informal gatherings with each other on weekends and travel together during their holidays.
We also provide a trainee directory, so that you can find trainees in your area.

Trainees in Canada for at least six months are able to take three weeks of unpaid holidays in Canada. Most hosts prefer that those holidays be taken in July, but sometimes other months are better.
Often, trainees take holidays together and visit the Rocky Mountains and the West Coast, or Niagara Falls and larger cities such as Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal. Canada is such a large country that it would take at least 8 days just to drive across the country, not allowing much time for stops. It is usually best to plan on visiting one region of the country.
Some trainees also like to take their holidays in the United States. If you are from a Western European country, or Australia or New Zealand, you do not need a visa to enter the United States as a tourist, but it is best to register with ESTA before entering the United States.

Most trainees in Canada live on the farmyard with the host family. Many would have a room in the family home, and some would have a separate house or trailer. Meals are usually eaten with the family, but sometimes, trainees do their own cooking.

Please contact our partner organization in your home country for information about the cost to participate.

Our staff would contact you and your host regularly by email or phone to see how things are going. Often, differences between hosts and trainees can be worked out with more communication. If there is a conflict that cannot be solved, we would try to send you to another placement. However, if you have been dishonest about your ability or experience you might be sent home.

First, check to see if we have a partner in your home country. For a list of our partners. You will need to contact one of our partners in order to obtain the application, which they can email to you. You cannot directly apply with IRE Canada – you must go through one of our partner organizations. If your country is not in the list, please contact the country partner closest to you. We hope that you will consider coming to Canada!