The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, expanded the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) on August 26, 2022 to August 2024.
This fall, a number of new improvements will be implemented and will support community partners, employers and candidates by
expanding the geographic boundaries of the following participating communities, so more employers are able to participate: North Bay (Ont.), Sudbury (Ont.), Timmins (Ont.), Thunder Bay (Ont.), Moose Jaw (Sask.), West Kootenay (BC) and Vernon (BC)
making it easier to fill labour market needs in the health care and trades sectors, by expanding the range of job offers available to candidates, with specific work experience
allowing communities to participate for a longer period, until August 2024, when the pilot comes to an end
helping community partners provide greater support to candidates and employers
reducing the amount of settlement funds participants are required to have
strengthening program integrity
The RNIP will support more employers in filling crucial labour market needs with the new expanded geographical boundaries.
Expanding regional immigration builds on the ongoing work to strengthen Canada’s immigration system, including the plan to hire up to 1,250 new employees by the end of this fall to reduce application backlogs, with a focus on addressing labour shortages, improving client experience and reuniting families. Immigration Canada is taking action to ensure that the immigration system works well for everyone—including those in rural and northern communities.
Eligibility for the pilot:
This pilot has community-specific requirements and federal government eligibility requirements that needs to be met.
Community-specific requirements:
Each community included in the pilot has its own set of community-specific requirements. Please visit the website of each community (listed in the table below) to research community-specific requirements.
Community | Community Website |
North Bay, Ontario | https://northbayrnip.ca/ |
Sudbury, Ontario | https://investsudbury.ca/why-sudbury/newcomers/rnip/ |
Timmins, Ontario | https://timminsedc.com/immigration/ |
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario | https://welcometossm.com/rnip/ |
Thunder Bay, Ontario | https://gotothunderbay.ca/why-thunder-bay/rural-and-northern-immigration-pilot/ |
Brandon, Manitoba | http://www.economicdevelopmentbrandon.com/ |
Altona/ Rhineland, Manitoba | https://www.seedrpga.com/immigration-pilot |
Moosejaw, Saskatchewan | https://www.moosejawrnip.ca/ |
Claresholm, Alberta | http://www.claresholm.ca/rural-northern-immigration-pilot |
Vernon, British Columbia | https://rnip-vernon-northok.ca/ |
West Kootenay, British Columbia | https://wk-rnip.ca/ |
Federal government eligibility requirements:
Work Experience
Candidates must have one year (1,560 hours) of full or part-time work experience in the last three years.
The work experience does not need to be continuous; it just needs to be accumulated in the last three years.
The work experience must be in one occupation, but can be with different employers.
It must include most of the main duties and all of the essential duties listed in the National Occupational Classification (NOC).
Unpaid and self-employed hours do not count.
International Students
Candidates who are international students are exempt from needing work experience provided they meet the following requirements:
Scenario A
They graduated with a credential from a minimum two-year-long post-secondary program in the recommending community.
They were studying as a full-time student for the full duration of two or more years.
They received the credential no more than 18 months before the date of application for permanent residence.
They were in the community for at least 16 of the last 24 months spent studying to get the credential.
Scenario B
They graduate with a master’s degree or higher
They studied as a full-time student for the duration of the degree in the recommending community.
They received the degree no more than 18 months before the date of application for permanent residence.
They were in the community for the length of their studies.
Language Requirements
Candidates must meet the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) or based on the National Occupational Classification of their job.
The minimum language requirements for each NOC category are
NOC 0 and A: CLB 6
NOC B: CLB 5
NOC C and D: CLB 4
Educational Requirements
Candidates must have a Canadian high school diploma or an equivalent foreign credential with an accredited educational credential assessment (ECA) report.
Settlement Funds
Candidates must prove they have enough money to support themselves and family members while they get settled in their community.
Number of Family Members | Funds Needed (CAD) |
1 | $8,722 |
2 | $10,858 |
3 | $13,348 |
4 | $16,206 |
5 | $18,380 |
6 | $20,731 |
7 or more | $23,080 |
Remember to include family members who may not be coming to Canada.
Candidates already working legally in Canada are exempt from settlement fund requirements.
Intention to Reside
To participate in the pilot, you must plan to live in the community.
To explore this pilot program or other immigration options & find out if you're eligible for one of the streams or programs, book a consultation with our Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant, Marcia Freese.
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