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Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot
Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP)
A community-driven pilot program looking to spread the economic benefits of immigration to smaller communities.
The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) was launched in November 2019. It is now a 3-year pilot program that creates a pathway to permanent residence for foreign skilled workers who want to work and live in one of the participating communities.
The RNIP intends to attract experienced foreign workers to fill identified labor shortages in those small communities, thus allowing local employers to offer full-time job offers.
Since the RNIP is community-driven, the participating communities will assess prospective candidates, to see if they best fit the economic needs of these communities, have a genuine employment opportunity, and have the intention of staying in the community.
Eligibility Set By IRCC
- The RNIP applicants must have an intention to live and work in a chosen community;
- In the past 3 years, applicants must have 1 year of continuous, full-time, paid employment listed within National Occupational Classification (NOC);
- International students who graduated from a public university, college, or trade school within the community they are applying to may be exempt from the work experience requirement.
- Have a Canadian high school diploma, a Canadian post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree, or a foreign equivalent credential confirmed by an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA);
- Demonstrated proof of English or French language proficiency:
- NOC 0 and A: CLB/NCLC 6
- NOC B: CLB/NCLC 5
- NOC C and D: CLB/NCLC 4
- Have enough settlement funds for themselves or their accompanying family members.
To note, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, applicants can now accumulate qualifying work experience of at least 1 year of full-time work (or an equal amount in part-time), whether is continuous or not.
Participating Communities
The following communities entered into an agreement with IRCC in order to benefit their regions with this pilot project.
To meet the economic goals, each community has tailored its eligibility requirements, job search process, and community recommendation application process, which are separated from those set by IRCC. Please consult TWA for community-specific requirements.
| Provinces | Communities |
|---|---|
| Alberta | Claresholm |
| British Columbia | Vernon West Kootenay (Trail, Castlegar, Rossland, Nelson) |
| Manitoba | Brandon Altona/Rhineland |
| Ontario | North Bay Thunder Bay Timmins Sault Ste. Marie Sudbury |
| Saskatchewan | Moose Jaw |
Basically, the RNIP applicants must first receive a job offer from an eligible employer in the community. The community will determine whether applicants are qualified for a community recommendation letter, which needs to be submitted to IRCC for permanent residence.
There are 4 steps to applying for permanent residence under this pilot:
- Meet IRCC eligibility requirements;
- Meet Community-specific requirements;
- Obtain a full-time and permanent job offer from an approved employer;
- Submit an application for a community recommendation letter; and
- If a community recommends you, submit the letter of recommendation to IRCC for permanent residence.
You are welcome to contact us for professional advice on Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot. We will also provide any assistance to help you and your family settle in Canada.