In the latest update from the Western Agriculture Labour Initiative (WALI), the association estimates that the first charter flight of workers from Mexico could be arriving during the week of April 13, 2020.
This will be dependent on whether BC protocols for foreign temporary workers are released and approved by the Government of Mexico next week. Timelines may change due to the evolving situation in Mexico and Canada.
Mi Tierra Holidays is currently negotiating with airlines to secure two charter flights per week from Mexico City to Vancouver International Airport, with approximately 150 seats on each flight. The cost to bring in seasonal workers will be considerably higher with chartered flights, notes WALI. Once flights are secured, this is the general procedure that may occur:
- Employers who had workers scheduled will be contacted by Mi Tierra Holidays in order of their original arrival date to confirm whether they a) still require workers and b) are able to comply with the protocols set out
- Employers will be asked to sign an agreement accepting responsibility for both federal and provincial protocols
- The Ministry of Labour in Mexico will contact the worker(s) to a) determine their availability to travel and b) provide them with travel details and logistical information
- Workers will be pre-screened before boarding the plane and again when they arrive
- Mi Tierra Holidays will organize transportation (following all protocols) from YVR to the quarantine location provided by each employer.
Print this page
