CANADA LAUNCHES RURAL-FRANCOPHONE COMMUNITY IMMIGRATION PILOTS

Submitted by Jaya Kiran on Thu, 01/30/2025 - 18:32

The Rural and Francophone Community Immigration Pilots are pathways to permanent residence for skilled workers who want to work and live in one of 18 rural and smaller communities in Canada. 

These pilots will provide 18 communities with a permanent residence pathway to attract and retain newcomers who can fill key jobs and who want to live long-term in these areas.

Each selected community is represented by a local economic development organization, which will work with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to identify its critical labour gaps, designate trustworthy employers and recommend suitable candidates to IRCC for permanent residence.

 

Rural participating communities

  • Pictou County, NS
  • North Bay, ON
  • Sudbury, ON
  • Timmins, ON
  • Sault Ste. Marie, ON
  • Thunder Bay, ON
  • Steinbach, MB
  • Altona/Rhineland, MB
  • Brandon, MB
  • Moose Jaw, SK
  • Claresholm, AB
  • West Kootenay, BC
  • North Okanagan Shuswap, BC
  • Peace Liard, BC

 

Francophone participating communities

  • Acadian Peninsula, NB
  • Sudbury, ON
  • Timmins, ON
  • Superior East Region, ON
  • St. Pierre Jolys, MB
  • Kelowna, BC

Facts:

  • Preliminary findings suggest strong retention in RNIP communities. In October 2022, 87% of RNIP newcomer survey respondents stated that they stayed and planned to stay in their RNIP communities. 
  • As of December 31, 2024, 8,580 newcomers have been granted permanent residence through the RNIP, helping address labour shortages in key sectors such as health care and manufacturing. 

 

Source: IRCC Newsroom _ Jan 30, 2025 | Ottawa