Minister Charles leads Jamaica’s SAWP 60th Anniversary mission to Canada

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Pearnel Charles Jr., MP, JP, will lead a high-level delegation to Canada from July 23 to 29, 2026, to participate in a series of engagements commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme (SAWP), commonly referred to as the Canadian Farmwork programme.

The anniversary which is being celebrated under the theme, “Sixty Years Strong: Building Partnerships, Shaping Futures”, commemorates six decades of cooperation and shared successes between Jamaica and Canada.

Minister Charles will arrive at Toronto Pearson International Airport on July 23 alongside more than 100 Jamaican farm workers.

“This visit is about honouring Jamaican workers whose discipline, dedication and excellence have helped to sustain Canada’s agricultural sector while building families and communities at home. It is equally about shaping the future and recognising our employers, without whom there would be no programme. We must ensure that the programme continues to deliver meaningful opportunities for generations to come.” Minister Charles said.

During the visit, Minister Charles will engage Canadian government officials, agricultural industry organisations, employers, Jamaican liaison personnel, diaspora leaders and workers across Ontario and British Columbia. The programme includes discussions with the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Canada’s Minister of Jobs, Families, and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario and the Honourable Charmaine Williams, Ontario’s Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity.

The Minister and his delegation will also meet with representatives of Foreign Agricultural Resource Management Services (F.A.R.M.S.), the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA), the British Columbia Fruit Growers’ Association (BCFGA), and other industry partners to review programme performance, workforce needs, operational effectiveness and growth opportunities. 

In Ontario, seventeen long-standing employers and nineteen outstanding workers will be recognised at a special event. In British Columbia, fifteen employers and twenty-four outstanding workers will be recognised at another special event. A further certificate presentation will honour thirty workers whose service and contribution reflect the human legacy of the programme.

Farm visits, worker consultations and a roundtable with Jamaican liaison officers will provide additional opportunities for the Minister and the delegation to assess the programme, worker welfare and the responsiveness of Jamaica’s support services. These engagements will also capture the experiences of workers and employers whose stories demonstrate the programmes impact.

“Strong partnerships require strong support systems! Jamaica remains resolute in improving the programme and responding to the concerns of workers and working with our Canadian partners to maintain a programme grounded in fairness, respect and mutual benefit,” Minister Charles added.

Minister Charles’ Canadian visit is one of the major activities being undertaken as part of the year-long SAWP 60th anniversary commemorative calendar. Other activities include the launch of several scholarships, Church services in Canada and Jamaica, illumination of the Niagara Falls in the colours of the Jamaican and Canadian flags as well as the naming of the Ministry’s buildings in honour of former Ministers of Labour. Later in the year, Jamaica will host the Commonwealth Caribbean Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme (CCSAWP) Annual Review meeting.