Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot

The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) is a new program launched in June 2019 aimed at strengthening smaller communities, especially those in rural areas. Employers in participating communities will have the opportunity to post employment opportunities. Skilled foreigners who are looking to live and work in Canada will be able to apply for these positions and should you be successful, the community can then recommend you to the government for permanent residence. Due to waning birth rates and early retirement, Canada is urgently looking for skilled individuals. Although there is a high number of skilled immigrants moving to the Great White North, almost 70% of immigrants settle in urban provinces such as Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia, leaving large gaps in rural communities. The factor that most immigrants forget to take into account is that while opportunities in urban areas may seem more lucrative, they also come with a substantially higher cost of living. Secondly, given the undisputed preference for urban hubs by not only skilled foreigners but young native professionals, there is also significantly more competition for opportunities. The hidden benefit of seeking employment in smaller communities is because no one is available to fill the gaps, there is a higher demand, and naturally, higher demand means a higher salary.

The Current Participating Communities
Community	Website
North Bay, Ontario	northbayrnip.ca
Sudbury, Ontario	investsudbury.ca
Timmins, Ontario	timminsedc.com
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario	welcometossm.com
Thunder Bay, Ontario	gotothunderbay.ca
Brandon, Manitoba	economicdevelopmentbrandon.com
Altona/Rhineland, Manitobaseedrgpa.com	seedrgpa.com
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan	moosejawrnip.ca
Claresholm, Alberta	claresholm.ca
Vernon, British Columbia	rnip-vernon-northok.ca
West Kootenay(trail, Castlegar, Rossland, Nelson), British Columbia	wk-rnip.ca

As seen in the table above there are five provinces with multiple communities in each that are participating in the Rural and Northern immigration pilot (RNIP).

Brandon and Altona are situated in the south of Canada at the very bottom of Manitoba. Sudbury, Timmins, Sault Ste Marie, and Thunder Bay in Ontario are all located in the south of the province on or near Lake Superior.

Claresholm in Alberta is only a short drive from the Canadian Rockies and Vernon and West Kootenay are beautiful small towns surrounded by greenery in the heart of British Columbia.

Aside from the natural beauty of the areas these Canadian towns are located in, these are also the fairest weather regions Canada will have to offer year-round. These underrated towns have vacancies spread across a variety of sectors. Let’s take a closer look at the top in-demand jobs in the rural areas and how to qualify for the Rural and Nothern Immigration Pilot program.

Top Jobs In-Demand in Rural Areas of Canada

Jobs that are currently highly in demand in participating communities include professions in:

Steel manufacturing industry
Forestry sector
IT professions
Aviation and Aerospace
Medical professions
Education sector and police services
Agriculture and Manufacturing
Construction industry
Food processing
Financial services
Dental industry
Practical nurses
Meat processing industry.

Do I Qualify?

In order to be considered eligible for the RNIP program you will need to meet the following criteria:

You must have at least 1 year of accumulative work experience in the last 3 years or have graduated from a public post-secondary institution in the chosen community;
You will need to take a language proficiency test in French or English to prove you will be able to communicate effectively in your job and community;
Educational requirements – Canadian high school diploma or educational credential assessment (ECA), further credentials will be required depending on job specifications;
Proof that you have the financial ability to transition yourself and any dependents into the community;
You must live and work in the community to participate in the pilot; and
Each community will have its own set of specific requirements in addition to the federal eligibility criteria discussed above which you will need to meet.

Finding a Job

In order to participate in the RNIP program, you will need a valid job offer from one of the participating communities. In order to be considered valid, your job will need to meet the following requirements:

The position must be full time, this means at least 30 hours of paid work a week;
The offer must be for non-seasonal work, this means consistent and regular working hours;
Must be a permanent position ie. non-contractual or without an end date;
Your wage/salary must meet or be higher than the minimum wage as per your National Occupational Classification (NOC); and
Your experience must be in line with the duties laid out in the job description, ensuring you will be able to complete your duties as required of the job.

Getting Permanent Residence

Once you have applied to your chosen community, and are successful you will be able to apply for permanent residency.

How to Apply

As we have established, the first step is to ensure that you meet the specific requirements of your chosen community. Find a position you believe you are suitable for and apply for the job.

When you have received an offer from a designated potential employer, you will need to send it along with all supporting documentation such as your resume, language test results, education credentials, and qualifications, etc., along with your Canada visa application to the board managing the pilot in the community of your choice.

If you are successful in your application, you will receive a Community Recommendation Letter, which you can use to apply for permanent residency in Canada.