Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot

The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot is a community driven program. It’s designed to spread the benefits of economic immigration to smaller communities by creating a path to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers who want to work and live in one of the participating communities.

❖ Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot — Participating Communities
The following communities are participating in the pilot:
• North Bay, Ontario
• Sudbury, Ontario
• Timmins, Ontario
• Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
• Thunder Bay, Ontario
• Brandon, Manitoba
• Altona/Rhineland, Manitoba
• Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
• Claresholm, Alberta
• Vernon, British Columbia
• West Kootenay (Trail, Castlegar, Rossland, Nelson), British Columbia

❖ Eligibility requirements for the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot
In order to be considered for the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program (RNIP), potential candidates must meet the following federal criteria as well as requirements established by the participating community where they are hoping to settle:
• Have a recommendation from one of the designated communities
• Have one year of continuous work experience in the past three years (a minimum of 1,560 hours)
OR
• Have graduated from a publicly funded post-secondary institution in the recommending community
• Have a genuine job offer to work in one of the designated communities
• Meet the language threshold for the NOC skill type/level of the job being offered
• Have sufficient funds to settle and support themselves and their family in the community
• Have an intention to live in the community
1. Community Recommendation
A community recommendation is based on the candidate’s intention to live in the designated community, job offer and the community’s economic needs, work experience and skills, and ties to the community. Recommendations are made by a designated community economic development organization.
2. Work Experience
Eligible candidates must have a minimum of 1,560 hours (one year) of continuous, paid work experience in the past three years:
• the work experience must be in one occupation but can be with different employers
• the work experience can be obtained in Canada or outside Canada
• Self-employed work experience is not eligible Candidates must have performed the majority of the main duties and all the essential duties listed in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) for their profession as well as the activities listed in the lead statement.
3. Education
Candidates must have a Canadian high school diploma or the foreign equivalent:
• Diplomas obtained outside Canada must have their equivalency confirmed by an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report from a designated organization.
• The ECA report must be less than five years old at the time of application Individuals who have graduated from a post-secondary program in the community that is recommending them are exempt from the work experience requirement if they graduated with:
• a degree, diploma, certificate or trade or apprenticeship from a post-secondary program of 2 years or more and:
– were a full-time student for the entirety of the 2+ years
– obtained the credential within 18 months before the application for permanent residence
o were in the community for at least 16 months of the last 24 months of study
OR
• a master’s degree or a PhD and:
– were a full-time student for the entirety of the degree
– obtained the credential within 18 months before the application for permanent residence
– were in the community for the entirety of the degree
Individuals who cannot apply as international students include those who:
• studied at distance for more than half the program
• studied English or French for more than half the program
• received a scholarship or fellowship that requires they return to their home country to apply their studies
4. Job Offer
Potential candidates must have a genuine, full-time, permanent, job offer in one of the participating communities. The wage must meet the minimum wage listed for that NOC in the Canada Job Bank and the candidates’ previous experience must demonstrate that
they can perform the duties of the job offered.

Additionally, the job offer must be of the same skill level or one skill level above or below the NOC that best applies to the candidate’s work experience. Candidates whose NOC is rated skill level D, however, must have a job offer in the same occupation.
5. Language Requirements
The minimum language requirement is based on the NOC skill type or level that applies to the candidate’s job offer. The minimum requirements for each NOC skill type/level
are as follows. “CLB” stands for Canadian Language Benchmark and “NCLC” stands for Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens
• NOC 0 and A: Minimum language score of a CLB/NCLC 6 is required
• NOC B: Minimum language score of a CLB/NCLC 5 is required
• NOC C and D: Minimum language score of a CLB/NCLC 4 is required.
You must submit your results from a designated language test. These results must be less than 2 years old when you apply.
6. Funds
Candidates must demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to support themselves and their families after they move to Canada. These funds must be their own and cannot be borrowed from anyone.
The following documents can be used as proof of funds:
• Bank account statements
• Documents that show real property or other investments (such as stocks, bonds,debentures, treasury bills, etc.)
• Documents that guarantee payment of a set amount of money payable to you
(such as banker’s drafts, cheques, traveler’s cheques or money orders)
The minimum required amount is as follows:

7. Community-specific requirements
Each community will have additional requirements for applicants. Please visit their websites to learn about their community-specific requirements.

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