A new PR pathway is launched for Sault Ste Marie & Brandon under the RCIP (Rural Community Immigration Pilot), unveiling priority sectors and professions.

Both communities have released their lists of priority sectors, and in Brandon’s case, specific eligible professions, marking a significant step in local immigration planning.

The RCIP offers a route to PR for foreign workers who receive job offers in designated rural communities across Canada. It is designed to fill persistent labor gaps by attracting skilled newcomers willing to settle in smaller cities and towns.

Sault Ste Marie

The city of Sault Ste Marie has outlined its key focus areas for the RCIP. These priority sectors include:

• Education, law, and social, community, and government services
• Health
• Sales and service
• Manufacturing and utilities
• Trades and transport

While the sectors have been identified, Sault Ste Marie has yet to release its official list of eligible professions under each category. This information is expected to follow in the coming weeks.

For 2025, Sault Ste Marie has been allocated 300 spots under the RCIP, which will also be distributed among qualified applicants with job offers from designated employers within the city.

Brandon 

A new PR pathway is launched for Sault Ste Marie & Brandon. 

Unlike Sault Ste Marie, Brandon has released a more detailed breakdown of its RCIP program, including specific National Occupation Classification (NOC) codes and Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) requirements for each eligible profession. These are grouped by sector:

Brandon has received 180 slots for the RCIP in 2025. Of this, 15% is reserved exclusively for healthcare professionals, while the remaining spots will be allocated across other priority sectors on a first-come, first-served basis.

Why Priority Sectors and Professions Matter Under RCIP?

The Rural Community Immigration Pilot is an employer-driven immigration pathway. To qualify, applicants must secure a job offer from a designated employer—one recognized by a local economic development organization in a participating community.

Moreover, designated employers are typically restricted to operating within the priority sectors named by the participating communities. This means foreign workers must have relevant work experience in the listed occupations to be eligible for this PR stream.

As of now, neither Brandon nor Sault Ste Marie has published a list of their designated employers. 

However, such announcements are expected shortly and will be key for prospective applicants seeking to navigate the application process effectively.

Earlier this month, Timmins, another RCIP-participating community in Northern Ontario, became the first to release its full list of priority professions and sectors. Also, more announcements from the remaining communities are anticipated in the near future.

About the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP)

A new PR pathway is launched for Sault Ste Marie & Brandon under the RCIP. 

Well, the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) was launched in early 2025. It is a federal five-year immigration program that aims to help smaller and more remote Canadian communities address ongoing labor shortages by attracting and retaining skilled immigrants.

To qualify under RCIP, foreign nationals must:

• Have a valid job offer from a designated employer in a participating rural community
• Possess qualifying work experience
• Meet educational and language benchmarks
• Show proof of funds
• Demonstrate a genuine intention to live in the community

Applicants already living in Canada must hold valid temporary resident status throughout the application process until PR is granted.

The RCIP operates on an annual cap system, meaning applications will only be accepted until each community’s quota is filled. Moreover, interested candidates are advised to apply as early as possible to avoid missing out.

In addition, there are currently 14 communities participating in the pilot, with each selecting its own priority sectors and designated employers based on local labor market needs.

More communities are expected to follow the lead of Sault Ste Marie, Brandon, and Timmins in the coming months by releasing their individual criteria, helping shape the future of immigration in rural Canada.

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].