Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program is designed to fill the labor shortages experienced by rural and northern communities. Northern and rural communities are experiencing a labor shortage due to youth migration, low birth rates, and an aging population. These areas provide food, water, and energy for the rest of Canada and addressing the labor shortage is crucial.
Community involvement is important since this is a community-driven pilot program. Identifying and recruiting candidates for local jobs will be the responsibility of the community. Recruiters will seek candidates who not only possess the skills required for the position, but also show a genuine desire to settle in the area.
RNIP Participating Communities:
To be included in the pilot, communities must:
- The population of the city must be at least 50,000 and be at least 75 kilometers from the core of a Census Metropolitan Area OR the city must have at least 200,000 residents and be considered remote from other larger cities (according to Statistics Canada's Index of Remoteness)
- Have a southern location (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Yukon);have job opportunities;
- Develop a plan for economic development;
- The organization should be able to manage the pilot project in your community;
- it should be able to integrate new immigrants into your community
Benefits of the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot:
- Become a permanent resident of Canada with your family
- There will be jobs and strong community support for candidates to find employment
- Small communities that go out of their way to welcome and care for guests
- Possibility of a streamlined application process compared to Express Entry
- Even candidates with lower CRS scores can benefit if their skills match the needs of the community and available positions
Eligibility Requirements for candidates:
Potential candidates for the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program (RNIP) must meet the following federal criteria as well as requirements established by the participating community where they hope to settle;
- Have a valid job offer from a local employer
- Get a recommendation from an approved community
- Meet the minimum work experience or be exempt as an international student
- Take an English or French language test and meet the minimum requirements
- Hold the minimum education credentials
- Have access to enough settlement funds
- Show you intend to live in the community
Application process for permanent residence:
Unlike Express Entry, here the application process for Permanent Residency is different. Here are the steps:
- Those candidates approaching a community or employer in the listed community are preferable.
- A community endorsement application must be submitted for assessment.
- Candidates who meet the criteria for permanent residence will be approved and able to apply.
- Applicants for permanent residence will be assessed against the Immigration Canada Selection Criteria and the Admissibility Requirements.
- Candidates and their families will be welcomed to settle in the community after their application is approved