Immigrant workers in Osoyoos.

rnThis year marks the second year the province has looked to Mexico to recruit farm workers.
The Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP) was established in order to allow the hiring of foreign workers to meet the seasonal needs of Canadian agricultural producers.
Traditionally, there has been a shortage of qualified Canadian workers to fill the labour market during peak planting and harvesting periods.
In a news release from the Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) at the program's inception, the rules were clearly defined:rnUnder the terms of SAWP, foreign workers receive wages commensurate with those of Canadian workers, employer-paid international transportation, health and medical benefits, as well as the same labour protection under the law as Canadians.rnEmployers must also provide seasonal housing to the foreign worker and sign a contract outlining wages and duties.
Before being allowed to hire foreign agricultural workers, employers must demonstrate they have exhausted all efforts to hire qualified Canadian workers.
Once the paperwork is completed by the employer, the foreign workers' governments apply for work permits from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). Work permits are issued for no more than eight months.
Year-to-date, the province has seen 66 employers enrol in the program and currently 570 Mexican workers are employed in B.C. and the Yukon.
Local orchardist Jesse Sandhu is pleased with the two Mexicans he sponsored this summer. He has provided a trailer for their accommodations, as well as some food and clothes.
They are very hard-working people. We can depend on them because they live here, Sandhu said.
They are here for a short time and they want to make money. They'll work here until the end of October.rnSandhu has a greenhouse where he grows tomatoes and cucumbers, as well as an orchard with cherries, peaches and apples.
He said the two men he hired learn quickly and work hard.
The language barrier has been the only difficulty, but once you show them how to do something, they can pick it up quickly.rnSandhu also supplied the men with light clothing, as they had packed heavy clothes and coats, thinking that Canada would be cold.Lower wages in Mexico inspire many Mexicans to come and work in Canada and the U.S.
Rogelio Rodriguez, 41 and Apolnio Chavez, 31, both from Metepec, Mexico, are in Canada for the first time but said they would like to come back again next year.
They learned about the opportunity to work in Canada from employment offices in Mexico.
A welder and a carpenter back home, they are enjoying the agricultural work they are doing here.
Everything is very nice here, said Rodriguez in broken English.
The weather, the people, everything's good.
Sandhu thinks the SAWP program is good for agriculture.
I hope to bring back the same people again next year, he said.