The federal government has announced two new pilot programs to increase immigration in smaller communities across Canada. With recent reductions to the number of permanent residents who will be admitted to Canada, employers in these communities should consider these programs, in addition to provincial nominee and federal express entry options.

The Honorable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced the pilot programs on January 30, 2025. The minister explained in a news release that the federal government recognizes the unique challenges that rural and francophone minority communities face, and that it is essential the federal government help “attract and retain newcomers with the right skills to help their regions succeed.”

Under the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP), 14 communities have been selected to participate, including:

  • 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

Under the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP), an additional four new communities, plus Sudbury and Timmons, will participate in the French pilot, including:

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

Each selected community will be represented by a local economic development organization, that will work with the federal government to identify critical labour gaps and work with local employers to identify shortages in their workforce.

Communities will recommend suitable candidates to IRCC for permanent residency.

Employer Requirements:

The process will require employers to apply to become “designated,” meaning they must apply to the participating community and must:

  • Have been operating continuously for at least two years in a participating community.
  • Be in good standing and comply with employment standards and occupational health and safety legislation.
  • Do business in at least one priority occupation that your community has identified.
  • Do at least 75 per cent of their business work inside the community.
  • Not be in violation of the employer compliance regime.
  • Complete the free onboarding training offered in connection with this program.
  • Complete the free intercultural competency training offered in connection with this program.
  • Agree to support the settlement of newcomers and their families.

Note: Communities set priority sectors and occupations that can be filled through the pilots based on local economic development priorities.

Candidate Requirements:

Once the employer becomes designated, they can hire a qualified candidate, even if that candidate is overseas or living in Canada as a temporary resident.

Candidates who are eligible to immigrate to Canada under these programs must work within the boundaries of the community and must be working in full-time, non-seasonal, indeterminate paid positions. In addition, there are minimum requirements that must be met on a prescribed language test and on an educational credential assessment. Also, minimum work experience requirements must also be met. The work permit can be granted for up to two years and will allow the candidate to work for the employer that offered them the job.

While this is a direct-to-permanent residency program, it also allows for employers to bring in employees on work permits while permanent residency is processing. As permanent residency processing can take months or even years, this provides a faster route for employees to begin working in Canada. Additionally, candidates can be living overseas or already in Canada as a temporary resident when they apply for permanent residency. This could potentially attract workers from all over the world to these rural and francophone communities.

Successful candidates are also able to bring their families to Canada as well. If you are the spouse of a candidate, you may be eligible for an open work permit. The open work permit will allow the candidate’s spouse to work for any employer within the same community as the candidate. The goal is to provide a permanent residence pathway to attract and retain newcomers who can fill key jobs and who want to live long-term in these rural and francophone areas.

“It’s no secret that the majority of Canadian newcomers choose to settle in Canada’s urban areas,” says Patricia Bagnas, an associate lawyer from the Winnipeg MLT Aikins office. Her practice is in the areas of Canadian and U.S. immigration.

“This is why these pilots hope to create new opportunities and incentives for newcomers to choose smaller communities to settle and raise their families,” she says.

Patricia adds that rural and francophone minority communities make vital contributions to our economy and culture, so these new pilots should help enhance population growth.

Anyone wishing to learn more about the program, either from an immigration perspective or from a local business perspective looking to benefit from the addition of new skilled workers, is encouraged to give Patricia and the MLT Aikins Immigration team a call.

Note: This article is of a general nature only and is not exhaustive of all possible legal rights or remedies. In addition, laws may change over time and should be interpreted only in the context of particular circumstances such that these materials are not intended to be relied upon or taken as legal advice or opinion. Readers should consult a legal professional for specific advice in any particular situation.

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