MEXICO AND CANADA HOLD THEIR ANNUAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL MEETING ON THE SEASONAL AGRICULTURAL WORKERS PROGRAM

• The Canadian government praised the Mexican government for its professionalism and readiness to continually improve the program for the benefit of all involved and the program as a whole.

The 38th annual Intergovernmental Meeting to Evaluate the Mexico-Canada Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP) was held in Ottawa from October 16-17.

The meeting was inaugurated by Frank Vermaeten, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Skills and Employment Branch of the Canadian Department of Human Resources and Skills Development, and Mexico’s Ambassador to Canada, Francisco Barrio Terrazas.

The meeting was attended on behalf of the Mexican Foreign Ministry by the heads of the Directorates General for North America and Protection of Mexicans Abroad, Eduardo Baca Cuenca and Roberto Rodriguez Hernandez, respectively.

Representing the Labor Minstry were the General Coordinator of the National Employment Service, Jorge Barragan Atilano, and its head of International Affairs, Claudia Anel Valencia Carmona.
The Health Ministry’s International Affairs Department also participated.

Both governments reaffirmed the importance and relevance of the program, saying the successful partnership continued to benefit both nations. They stressed the dedication and commitment of both parties, and praised the quality of the Mexican farm workers and the professional way in which the program was being administered.

For the 2013 season, Canada suggested some changes to streamline they way in which employers participated in the program. Both governments agreed to publicize the changes.

This year, more than 17,600 Mexicans worked in 10 Canadian provinces, an increase of 6.8 percent over 2011 . This represents a record high in the 38 years the program has been in operation. Over this period, a total of 247,000 Mexican farm workers have participated in the program, 40% in the current administration.

The SAWP is a bilateral program that provides an orderly, legal and safe way for Mexicans to work in the Canadian agricultural sector for a period of up to eight months, with the same rights as Canadians working in the same occupation. Eighty percent of the workers are requested by name, year after year, by the same employers.

During the meeting, the employer representatives stressed that the success of the SAWP is directly related to the governments’ identification of areas of opportunity such as those addressed at the 38th meeting: hiring, housing and working and living conditions, among others.

The Canadian government expressed its commitment to ensuring that housing conditions continue to improve, and the Mexican government said it would share information in order to identify areas that need attention.

The Canadian delegation praised Mexico for its professionalism and readiness to continually improve the administration of the program to the benefit of all involved and for the program as a whole.  As part of the recent improvements to the program, during the current administration, Mexico has considerably reduced the processing time for workers, thereby streamlining the hiring and documentation processes.
The number of hospitals doing medical checkups for the farm workers before their departure from Mexico has been increased from fifteen to 54, and a free support service has been created in Mexico to assist the workers both while in Mexico and during their stay in Canada.

The SAWPS facilities were modernized and a system was created for employers and workers to evaluate each other. Training courses were given on job rights and responsibilities and safety and health concerns at work.

Both delegations reaffirmed their commitment to the optimal operation of this successful program, stressing the benefits for both the workers and the Canadian employers, as well as for the economies of both countries.