New information has been released to gain PR in Canada. So, today, we will discuss the details & eligibility for Canada’s rural immigration pathway. 

Well, the Rural Community Immigration Class is a pathway for foreign nationals who can help overcome labor shortages in designated communities outside of Quebec, and want to reside in these communities long term. 

To qualify, applicants must meet criteria for: 

  • Education
  • Work Experience
  • An Employment Offer
  • Proof Of Funds
  • Language Proficiency 
  • Intent To Reside 

Note that applicants from within Canada should have a valid temporary resident status at the time of application, which they must maintain until PR status has been granted. 

Work Experience 

Discussing about the details & eligibility for Canada’s rural immigration pathway, the first thing to know about is work experience. 

Applicants should have a minimum of one year of continuous full-time work in a profession listed under the National Occupation Classification (NOC). 

The work experience should be: 

  • Within three years of applying for permanent residence 
  • Involve performing the key tasks and main duties described in the NOC
  • With a third-party employer 
  • If done in Canada, the applicant should have had proper work authorization and temporary resident status

The work experience required is dependent on the offer of employment. 

TEER Category Of Genuine Offer Of Employment Work Experience Should Be In An Occupation In TEER Category 
00, 1, 2, or 3
10, 1, 2, or 3
21, 2, 3, or 4
32, 3, or 4
42, 3, or 4
5Same NOC unit group as the offer 

International Graduate Exemption 

The work experience requirement does not apply to applicants who have obtained an eligible credential from a post-secondary program and meet the following requirements: 

  • Studded full-time throughout the program 
  • Obtained the credential 18 months before applying 
  • For master’s/ doctoral program shorter than two years, applicants should have lived in the designated community where employment is located for the full program 
  • For other programs of a minimum of two years, they must have lived in the community for 16 of the 24 months before graduating

Genuine Offer Of Employment 

An employment offer should meet the following requirements: 

  • Be based in the designated community, with at least 75% of the work performed there
  • Be from a designated employer (an employer approved by an economic development organization)
  • Be for permanent, full-time work that isn’t seasonal
  • Be for a job in which the candidate has recent work experience unless the candidate qualifies for an exception, such as being a nurse or an eligible international graduate
  • Be for employment the applicant is qualified for, based on their work experience or education that matches the duties outlined in the National Occupational Classification (NOC)

Language Proficiency 

Discussing about the details & eligibility for Canada’s rural immigration pathway, the next thing to know is language proficiency. Applicants should provide language test results from a designated institution approved by the Canadian government and should showcase the required level of proficiency based on the NOC TEER of their job offer. 

TEER Category CLB Level 
0 or 16 or above 
2 or 35 or above 
4 or 54 or above 

Scores from language tests will be converted to the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score, in accordance with the government’s scoring grid.

Language test results are valid for two years, after which they expire. 

Education 

Applicants should have obtained a secondary school diploma or a higher level of credential. 

If applicants got the degree within Canada, they need to submit a copy of the Canadian credential. 

If the degree was obtained outside Canada, they must submit a copy of a foreign secondary school education credential along with an equivalency assessment that is less than five years old when applying.   

Proof Of Funds 

Applicants must show they have enough available funds to support themselves and their family members for one year. 

The amount must be at least half of the low-income threshold for rural areas outside major cities, as published annually by Statistics Canada. 

Note that this does not apply to applicants who are already working in Canada. 

Intent To Reside 

The applicant should demonstrate that they intend to reside in a designated community. 

Applicants should have a valid certificate of recommendation from an economic development organization at the time of application. 

An economic development organization issues these certificates & is valid for six months from the date of issue. 

If you seek information on how to begin your Canada immigration application process, you can talk to our NavaImmigration experts at 1800-918-8490, or you can drop us an email at [email protected].