Rural and Northern Communities

The Government of Canada has named 11 Canadian communities that have been selected to take ‎part in its new Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot. ‎

Premier Jason Kenney promised two new programs on campaign trail, saying they could bring 40,000 newcomers to rural communities by 2024

2025 has been a landmark year for immigration in Canada. With bold new policies, the government is creating smarter, more sustainable pathways for newcomers while ensuring opportunities for those already here.

Canada’s new Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) is seeing overwhelming demand from employers and foreign nationals, prompting several participating regions to tighten eligibility or pause applications.

In a bid to improve client service, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is completely digitizing the application submission process for Canada’s inland and outland spousal and common-law partner sponsorship programs.

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is a critical initial step for many international students after completing their studies in Canada. The PGWP allows graduates to work for any employer in Canada for up to three years, depending on the length of their study program. While the PGWP is not a PR pathway itself, the Canadian work experience gained through it is highly beneficial and often essential for qualifying for various PR pathways.

Program changes to fill labour market needs in rural areas by expanding geographic boundaries of communities.

IRCC has announced two new immigration pilots for rural and Francophone minority communities, with a plan to make the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) permanent. These programs aim to address labor shortages and enrich these communities economically and linguistically.

January 24, 2019—Ottawa, ON— The Government of Canada is committed to supporting immigration strategies that will enable smaller communities to enhance their economic, social and demographic vitality.

Canada is expanding its efforts to bring skilled workers to small communities, selecting only one location in Atlantic Canada for the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP)—Pictou County, Nova Scotia.

The Superior East region in Northern Ontario has officially launched its Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP), becoming the last of six communities in the province to implement the program.

The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) officially concluded on August 31. Communities had until July 31 to recommend candidates, and recommended applicants had until August 31 to submit their permanent residence applications.

Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) is a pathway to permanent residence for foreign nationals who want to live and work in designated rural communities in Canada. Local economic development organizations in each community help identify labour shortages, approve employers, and recommend candidates for permanent residence (PR). RCIP replaces the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP), which ended in August 2024.

IRCC is now accepting community applications for the Rural Community Immigration Pilot and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot.