Shortages of workers in the agricultural sector are a known fact, and contractors have been calling on governments for many years to find support and solutions. Hiring immigrant workers has become necessary because the local populations deserted the agricultural jobs to take over other economical fields. 

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The Diocese of Montreal has been supporting temporary agricultural workers for 5 years now. In Quebec, around 10 000 workers arrive each year, mostly from Mexico and Guatemala, but also in smaller numbers from Honduras and Peru. 

 

The main goal from this service of the Diocese of Montreal is to facilitate their integration in a rural and French-speaking environment. The Diocese organizes occasional visits in the farms, and works to reduce the isolation they face during their stay in Quebec. We wish to create bridges between the workers and local populations in order to improve their living conditions, be it at the emotional, social but also employment level.

Each year, we organize a pilgrimage to the Saint-Joseph Oratory with the Latino communities of the Diocese.