Canada Launches Rural Immigration Route to Permanent Residency
Canada launches Rural Immigration Route to permanent residency. IRCC will launch this pilot program in selected communities.
The Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) is a pathway for foreign nationals who:
- Can help fill labor shortages in designated rural communities in Canada
- Want to live long-term in these communities
Which Communities Have Been Selected To Participate In RCIP?
On January 30, IRCC declared that 14 communities had been selected to participate in the pilot.
| Community | Province |
| Pictou County | Nova Scotia |
| North Bay | Ontario |
| Sudbury | Ontario |
| Timmins | Ontario |
| Sault Ste. Marie | Ontario |
| Thunder Bay | Ontario |
| Steinbach | Manitoba |
| Altona/ Rhineland | Manitoba |
| Brandon | Manitoba |
| Moose Jaw | Saskatchewan |
| Claresholm | Alberta |
| West Kootenay | British Columbia |
| North Okanagan Shuswap | British Columbia |
| Peace Liard | British Columbia |
Each of these communities will be represented by a local economic development organization, which will work with IRCC to identify labor gaps, nominate trustworthy employers, as well as recommend applicants to IRCC for PR.
The communities will provide further details as well as timelines on when both employers and prospective PR applicants can expect to be able to apply.
Who Is Eligible For RCIP?
Canada launches Rural Immigration Route to permanent residency. Well, RCIP is an employer-focused, community-specific pathway. All applicants require a job offer from a designated employer that meets certain conditions.
In order to be eligible, applicants should have:
- Work Experience
Work experience requirements can also be waived for international graduates who meet certain conditions.
- Genuine Offer Of Employment
An employment offer that is from a designated employer.
- Language Proficiency
The Canadian Language Benchmark required depends on the NOC TEER of the job offer.
- Education
The applicant must have obtained a minimum of secondary school-level credentials.
- Proof Of Funds
Applicants need to show that they have sufficient funds to support themselves and their families for one year.
- Intent To Reside
The applicant must intend to reside in the designated community they will work in.
- Certificate Of Recommendation
The applicant should have a valid certificate of recommendation from an economic development organization at the time of application.
Note: Applicants residing within Canada should have a valid temporary resident status at the time of application and must continue to hold valid status in Canada until they obtain PR.
Replacement For Rural And Northern Immigration Pilot Program (RNIP)
This new pilot program is considered to be a replacement for the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program, which stopped accepting new applications in August 2024.
RNIP launched in 2022 to encourage newcomers to Canada to settle in some of Canada’s more remote regions.
In this latest announcement, Marc Miller, the Minister of Immigration, stated that there are plans to establish PNP as a permanent program.
What Is An Immigration Pilot?
Canada launches Rural Immigration Route to permanent residency.
Well, immigration pilots are temporary pathways to permanent residence. Pilots can usually run for up to five years before they expire, upon which they cease to accept new applications.
Canada runs immigration pilots to address specific regional or occupational labor shortages and to support growth in certain areas or sectors.
Pilot programs allow the federal government to experiment with new pathways and measure their success.
A successful pilot can lead to the establishment of permanent immigration programs in the future.
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].
