Samantha does not describe her work in Canada as an opportunity alone. She describes it as a commitment.

“I know why I’m here,” she said.

Originally from Rock River in Clarendon, Jamaica, Samantha has been travelling to Canada for the past eight years under the farm work programme. The routine is familiar now, seasons spent working abroad, followed by returns home, each cycle tied to a clear purpose.

“It’s not easy to dedicate yourself to being here,” she said. “But you have to stay focused on why you came.”

That focus begins at home.

Samantha supports her two children, her husband, and her parents. Her son, now 13, is the head boy at his school and has earned multiple certificates. Her daughter recently graduated and is preparing to return to college.

“When I’m here, I’m doing it for them,” she explained. “I have to remind them, and remind myself, what this is for.”

The work itself is structured and demanding. At Pelee Acres in Leamington, Ontario, Samantha and her colleagues handle a range of tomato varieties, including Campari and Piccolo, tasks that require consistency, care, and attention to detail.

But her routine extends beyond the farm.

In Leamington, she is an active member of her church, attending services every Sunday and serving as an usher. She also provides informal support to others, offering advice and listening to those who seek her out.

“People come and talk to me,” she said. “Sometimes they just need someone to listen.”

That role, part worker, part supporter, reflects a balance she has built over time, managing the demands of work while maintaining a sense of purpose beyond it.

Samantha speaks positively about her current placement.

“This is one of the best farms I’ve been on,” she said. “The treatment is good, and we appreciate the opportunity.”

For her, the experience is not defined by a single season, but by continuity, returning, improving, and building over time.

She does not frame the work as temporary.

It is part of a longer path, one shaped by discipline, faith, and responsibility.

And for Samantha, that path remains clear.

“I can smile through anything,” she said. “Once I remember why I’m here.”