Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP)
The Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) is a permanent residence pathway for skilled workers seeking to work and settle in rural and remote communities.
Fourteen communities were selected based on their ability to support and benefit from skilled immigrants. These communities will authorize specific employers to hire for positions that cannot be filled locally.
The RCIP is a permanent residence (PR) pathway designed to offer skilled foreign workers the opportunity to settle in Canada permanently, while filling key labour shortages in Canada’s rural and developing communities.
In addition to meeting other eligibility criteria, foreign nationals can only apply for PR through this pathway if they have:
- A job offer from an employer in one of the 14 participating communities; and
- An endorsement from an economic development organization in the community, that has partnered with Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) under the RCIP.
Who is eligible to apply under the RCIP?
To be eligible to apply under the RCIP, candidates must:
- Hold a valid job offer from a designated employer within a participating community.
- Have at least one year (1,560 hours) of relevant work experience within the last three years.
- Candidates who studied are graduated within the community that is nominating them may be exempt from the work requirement, provided that their education meets all other conditions*
- Demonstrate language proficiency by completing an approved language test.
- Possess a Canadian educational credential or an equivalent foreign credential.
- Show that they have sufficient funds to support yourself and your family as you settle in the community.
Work experience requirements
Work experience must:
- Match a skill level that aligns with the National Occupational Classification (NOC) Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) category of the job offer;
- Cover the activities outlined in the description of the NOC of the offered job; and
- Include most of the main duties listed for that occupation.
| Job TEER Level | Work Experience Requirement |
|---|---|
| TEER 0 or 1 | Work experience must be in TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 |
| TEER 2 | Work experience must be in TEER 1, 2, 3, or 4 |
| TEER 3 or 4 | Work experience must be in TEER 2, 3, or 4 |
| TEER 5 | Work experience must be in the same 5-digit NOC code |
| Exception – Healthcare | If your experience is in NOC 31301 (TEER 1), you may qualify with a job offer in:
|
Education requirements
Requirements for education credentials under the RCIP differ based on where a foreign national completes their education:
| Location | Details |
|---|---|
| For education in Canada | An eligible Canadian educational credential under the RCIP is one of the following:
|
| For education outside of Canada | Requires an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report from a designated organization or professional body that:
|
Required settlement funds
The funds required under the RCIP is based on the number of people in a candidate's family.
| Number of family members | Funds you need (in Canadian dollars) |
|---|---|
| 1 | $10,507 |
| 2 | $13,080 |
| 3 | $16,080 |
| 4 | $19,524 |
| 5 | $22,143 |
| 6 | $24,975 |
| 7 | $27,806 |
| If more than 7 people, for each additional family member, add | $2,831 |
* Work Experience Exemption for Graduates Who Studied in the Community
You are not required to meet the work experience requirement if you are an international student who graduated from a public post-secondary institution in the community with:
- An eligible credential from a program that lasted two years or more, and you:
- Studied full-time throughout the entire program
- Received your credential no more than 18 months before applying for permanent residence
- Lived in the community for at least 16 of the last 24 months while studying
- A master’s degree or higher that was completed in two years or less, and you:
- Studied full-time for the duration of your degree
- Received your degree no more than 18 months before applying for permanent residence
- Were present in the community for the entire length of your studies
This exemption does not apply to international graduates if your credential comes from a program where:
- More than half of the program involved studying English or French
- More than half of the program was completed through distance learning
- You were awarded a scholarship or fellowship that requires you to return to your home country to apply what you learned
What counts as an eligible credential?
An eligible credential refers to a degree, diploma, certificate, trade, or apprenticeship credential earned from a publicly funded Canadian post-secondary institution located in the recommending community.
Participating communities in Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP)
14 communities from around Canada were chosen to participate in the RCIP. These are detailed in the table below:
| 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 community is also in charge of announcing the occupations and employers who are eligible to participate in the pilot program.
Below are the occupations and employers thus far announced for the RCIP communities. This page will continue to be updated as more details are announced.
Eligible Occupations and Employers
Brandon
Brandon has announced the following sectors and occupations are eligible under the RCIP. In addition, the community has instituted a language requirement for each occupation.
| Sector | Occupation | NOC Code | Minimum Language Proficiency – Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education, Law & Social, Community & Government Services | Early childhood educators and assistants | 42202 | 5 |
| Health | Dentists | 31110 | 6 |
| General practitioners and family physicians | 31102 | 6 | |
| Licensed practical nurses | 32101 | 5 | |
| Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 33102 | 5 | |
| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 31301 | 6 | |
| Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine | 31100 | 6 | |
| Specialists in surgery | 31101 | 6 | |
| Manufacturing & Utilities | Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers | 94141 | 4 |
| Natural & Applied Science | Civil engineering technologists and technicians | 22300 | 5 |
| Civil engineers | 21300 | 6 | |
| Industrial and manufacturing engineers | 21321 | 6 | |
| Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians | 22301 | 5 | |
| Mechanical engineers | 21301 | 6 | |
| User support technicians | 22221 | 5 | |
| Trade & Transport | Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers | 72410 | 5 |
| Carpenters | 72310 | 5 | |
| Concrete finishers | 73100 | 5 | |
| Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics | 72400 | 5 | |
| Construction trades helpers and labourers | 75110 | 4 | |
| Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics | 72402 | 5 | |
| Heavy-duty equipment mechanics | 72401 | 5 | |
| Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) | 73112 | 5 | |
| Plumbers | 72300 | 5 | |
| Welders and related machine operators | 72106 | 5 |
Claresholm
Claresholm has announced the following sectors and occupations are eligible under the RCIP:
| Sector | Occupation Title | NOC Code |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | Specialized Livestock Workers and Farm Machinery Operators | 84120 |
| Health Care | Cooks | 63200 |
| Licensed Practical Nurses | 32101 | |
| Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 33102 | |
| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 31301 | |
| Law & Education | Administrative Officers | 13100 |
| Early childhood educators and assistants | 42202 | |
| Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants | 43100 | |
| Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors | 72600 | |
| Manufacturing & Utilities | Administrative Assistants | 13110 |
| Aerospace Engineers | 21390 | |
| Aircraft Assemblers and Aircraft Assembly Inspectors | 93200 | |
| Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors | 22313 | |
| Aircraft Mechanics and aircraft inspectors | 72404 | |
| Carpenters | 72310 | |
| Concrete Finishers | 73100 | |
| Construction Trades Helpers and labourers | 75110 | |
| Crane Operators | 72500 | |
| Engineering Managers | 20010 | |
| Ironworkers | 72105 | |
| Labourers in food and beverage processing | 95106 | |
| Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing | 94140 | |
| Meat cutters and fishmongers – retail and wholesale | 65202 | |
| Sales & Services | Chefs | 62200 |
| Food Service Supervisors | 62020 |
North Bay
North Bay has announced the following sectors and occupations are eligible under the RCIP:
| Industry | Occupation Name | NOC Code |
|---|---|---|
| Business, finances and administration | Accounting technicians and bookkeepers | 12200 |
| Administrative assistants | 13110 | |
| Banking, insurance and other financial clerks | 14201 | |
| Corporate sales managers | 60010 | |
| Financial auditors and accountants | 11100 | |
| Human resources professionals | 11200 | |
| Shippers and Receivers | 14400 | |
| Education, law and social, community, and government services | Early childhood educators and assistants | 42202 |
| Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants | 43100 | |
| Social and community service workers | 42201 | |
| Health | Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants | 33100 |
| Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations | 44101 | |
| Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 33102 | |
| Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants | 33103 | |
| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 31301 | |
| Sales and service | Hotel front desk clerks | 64314 |
| Security guards and related security service occupations | 64410 | |
| Trades and transport | Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors | 72404 |
| Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers | 72410 | |
| Carpenters (includes apprentices) | 72310 | |
| Construction trades helpers and labourers | 75110 | |
| Electricians (except industrial and power system) | 72200 | |
| Heating, refrigeration, and air conditioning mechanics | 72402 | |
| Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors | 72100 | |
| Welders and related machine operators | 72106 |
North Okanagan-Shuswap
North Okanagan-Shuswap has announced the following industries and occupations eligible under the RCIP:
| Industry | Occupation | NOC Code |
|---|---|---|
| Business, Finance and Administration Occupations | Accounting and related clerks | 14200 |
| Accounting technicians and bookkeepers | 12200 | |
| Administrative assistants | 13110 | |
| General office support workers | 14100 | |
| Executive housekeepers | 62021 | |
| Accommodation service managers | 60031 | |
| Restaurant and food service managers | 60030 | |
| Education, Law and Social, and Community and Government Services | Early childhood educators and assistants | 42202 |
| Social and community service workers | 42201 | |
| Health | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 33102 |
| Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants | 33103 | |
| Manufacturing and Utilities | Assemblers and inspectors of other wood products | 94211 |
| Labourers in wood, pulp and paper processing | 95103 | |
| Manufacturing managers | 90010 | |
| Plastic products assemblers, finishers and inspectors | 94212 | |
| Trades and Transport | Appliance servicers and repairers | 72421 |
| Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers | 72410 | |
| Carpenters | 72310 | |
| Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics | 72400 | |
| Construction trades helpers and labourers | 75110 | |
| Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics | 72402 | |
| Heavy equipment operators | 73400 | |
| Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors | 72100 | |
| Plumbers | 72300 | |
| Welders and related machine operators | 72106 |
Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste Marie has listed the following as priority sectors under the RCIP:
- Education, law and social, community and government services;
- Health;
- Manufacturing and utilities;
- Sales and service; and
- Trades and transport.
The community has not yet announced eligible occupations or employers under this pilot program.
Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay has announced the following sectors and occupations are eligible under the RCIP:
| Sector | Job Title | NOC Code |
|---|---|---|
| Business, Finance and Administration Occupations | Administrative assistants | 13110 |
| Financial advisors | 11102 | |
| General office support workers | 14100 | |
| Health Occupations | Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment | 31204 |
| Licensed practical nurses | 32101 | |
| Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 33102 | |
| Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants | 33103 | |
| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 31301 | |
| Occupations in Education, Law, Social, Community and Government Services | Early childhood educators and assistants | 42202 |
| Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations | 44101 | |
| Social and community service workers | 42201 | |
| Social workers | 41300 | |
| Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies | 41301 | |
| Sales and Service | Cooks | 63200 |
| Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations | 65201 | |
| Food service supervisors | 62020 | |
| Light duty cleaners | 65310 | |
| Retail and wholesale trade managers | 60020 | |
| Retail sales supervisors | 62010 | |
| Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers | 64100 | |
| Store shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers | 65102 | |
| Trades, Transport, Equipment Operators and other related occupations | Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers | 72410 |
| Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics | 72400 | |
| Construction trades helpers and labourers | 75110 | |
| Heavy equipment operators | 73400 |
Timmins
Timmins has announced the following sectors and occupations are eligible under the RCIP:
| Industry | Occupation | NOC Code |
|---|---|---|
| Business, Finance and Administration | Accounting technicians and bookkeepers | 12200 |
| Administrative officers | 13100 | |
| Financial advisor | 11102 | |
| Education, Law and Social, Community and Government Services | Early childhood educators and assistants | 42202 |
| Elementary school and kindergarten teachers | 41221 | |
| Social and community service workers | 42201 | |
| Healthcare | Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians | 32104 |
| Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations | 44101 | |
| Licensed practical nurses | 32101 | |
| Medical laboratory technologists | 32120 | |
| Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 33102 | |
| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 31301 | |
| Natural Resources and Agriculture | Geological and mineral technologists and technicians | 22101 |
| Metallurgical and materials engineers | 21322 | |
| Underground production and development miners | 83100 | |
| Trades and Transport | Automotive and heavy truck and equipment parts installers and servicers | 74203 |
| Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers | 72410 | |
| Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics | 72400 | |
| Construction trades helpers and labourers | 75110 | |
| Heavy equipment operators | 73400 | |
| Heavy-duty equipment mechanics | 72401 | |
| Industrial electricians | 72201 | |
| Labourers in wood, pulp and paper processing | 95103 | |
| Transport truck drivers | 73300 | |
| Welders and related machine operators | 72106 |
In addition the community has designated the following employers to hire for these occupations:
- 360 Boring Services Inc.
- Agnico Eagle Mines Limited.
- Anti-Hunger Coalition Timmins.
- Boudreau Automotive Mechanic.
- Dark Enterprise.
- EV Nickel Inc.
- Pepco.
- St Mary’s Gardens GP Inc.
- Timmins and District Hospital.
- Toromont Cat.
- YMCA of Northeastern Ontario.
How to Apply – Rural Community Immigration Pilot
- Secure a Job Offer
Get a job offer from a designated employer in one of the participating communities. Visit the community’s website to view eligible employers. - Obtain a Community Recommendation
Your employer will submit your recommendation application to the community. The community will verify that:- The job offer is genuine and in a priority sector or occupation
- You meet all pilot eligibility criteria
- Apply for Permanent Residence
If recommended by the community, you may apply for permanent residence through the online Permanent Residence (PR) Portal. - Prepare Your Application
Use the document checklist to gather all required forms and documents. Ensure that:- All forms are fully completed and signed
- All questions are answered truthfully
- Pay Your Fees
Pay your application fee online (from $1,525) and include the payment receipt in your application. - Submit Your Application
Upload your signed forms and supporting documents. Incomplete applications will be rejected and must be corrected and re-submitted.
If your application is approved, IRCC will contact you with next steps.