Harvesting labourers in Outaouais

The employment outlook will be Moderate for harvesting labourers (NOC 85101) in the Outaouais region for the 2025-2027 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.
• Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

As activity becomes more concentrated on large farms, productivity gains from investments in machinery and equipment have reduced the demand for agricultural labour.

However, some tasks remain difficult to mechanize, and the industry relies on these labourers to perform manual work. Recruitment remains challenging due to difficult working conditions, and the industry must often resort to temporary foreign workers to fill available positions.

Nevertheless, the increased interest in buying local products and eating a more diverse diet is encouraging the development of niche products by small, local businesses, which could create additional employment opportunities in this occupation.

Here are some key facts about harvesting labourers in the Outaouais region:

• Approximately 70 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
• Harvesting labourers mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Agriculture (NAICS 111, 112, 1151, 1152): more than 95%