Communities and Provinces Eligible for Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program

The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot is now taking applications in ten locations, with North Bay, Ontario, being the most recent addition. While many communities welcome applicants, the COVID-19 health problem has forced several of these communities to restrict applications to people who live in the region already.

As previously stated, the RNIP is community-driven, which means that it is focused on rural communities. So far, ten communities from five provinces have been chosen for the program. Other communities that meet the conditions will eventually join the program.

To be eligible, a community must have fewer than 50,000 inhabitants and be located at least 75 kilometers from census metropolitan cities or have a population of 200,000 inhabitants isolated from other established cities.

RNIP Canada includes 11 communities from five Canadian provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Saskatchewan. Five communities are from Ontario, two from British Columbia, two from Manitoba, and one each from Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The provinces’ participating communities are as follows:

Candidates who wish to apply must ensure that they meet the federal standards for the program as well as the requirements set by each municipality. This includes a job offer from a participating employer in one of the communities.

Application Procedure for the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program

Any candidate from any country, including India, Nigeria, Kenya, Bangladesh, and others, can apply by following four simple steps:

• Determine whether you are eligible for both federal and community benefits.
• Look for a job in one of the eligible communities with an employer.
• Submit your application to the appropriate community where you found a job.
• Apply for permanent residence if the community where you find work recommends you.
  

Requirements for Rural and Northern Immigration

Many foreign laborers are from many countries, including India, Nigeria, Kenya, and Bangladesh. However, certain standards must be met before you are qualified. There are federal obligations as well as community requirements. As a result, any application must fulfill both standards.

• Federal RNIP Requirements

To be qualified for the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot program, any applicant selected by a community must meet the federal government’s requirements. The prerequisites are as follows:

• Work experience
• Language level
• Education
• Settlement funds
• Job offer from participating community
• Intention to live in the community
• Admissibility

Work Experience Requirement for RNIP

To be eligible for the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program, you must have one year of job experience in the last three years. The hours can be calculated in the following ways:

• It can either be full-time or part-time work.
• It must be in single employment.
• It must take place throughout a twelve-month period.
• The hours might be in or out of Canada.
• If you live in Canada, you must be permitted to work there.
• Unpaid hours and internships are not considered.
• Self-employment hours are not counted.
• These hours must contain all necessary duties, including the National Occupational Classification lead statement (NOC).

If you are an international student, you are excused from the aforementioned requirements if you:

• Hold a credential from a post-secondary school institution for a two-year or more program, where you are a student for more than two years, submit your application within 18 months after getting your credentials, and spend at least 16 of the last 24 months studying for your credentials.
• If you are a full-time student pursuing a master’s degree, have completed your degree in less than 18 months, and have lived in the community throughout your studies.

Language Requirements: English or French

The English or French language requirement is determined by the candidate’s qualifying work experience’s NOC skill level:

• NOC Skill Level 0 or A: Level 6 Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB6)
• CLB 5: NOC Skill Level B
• CLB 4: NOC Skill Level C or D

Candidates must present results from an approved language exam taken within the last two years to establish language competency.

Only results from a language exam approved by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada may be submitted (IRCC). There are four IRCC-approved language tests:

• CELPIP stands for the Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program.
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
• TEF Canada: French Evaluation Test
• TCF Canada: French language proficiency test

Education Requirements

To be eligible for RNIP, you must have the following academic credentials:

• A diploma from a Canadian secondary school (high school)
• A certificate, diploma, or degree from a Canadian postsecondary institution.
• An evaluation of your educational qualifications demonstrating that you have a foreign qualification equivalent to a diploma, degree, or certificate obtained from a Canadian secondary or post-secondary school institution.

OR

a master’s degree or a PhD and: were a full-time student for the entire degree earned the credential within 18 months of applying for permanent residence were in the community for the entire degree

Individuals who are not eligible to apply as overseas students include:

• More than half of the training was completed at a distance.
• Studied English or French for more than half of the program obtained a scholarship or fellowship that requires them to return home to utilize their studies

Compensation Funds

Unless a candidate is already working in Canada, they must establish that they have sufficient financial means to sustain their settlement in Canada. The chart below shows the required settlement payments dependent on the number of family members on an application:

Pilot Programs for Rural and Northern Immigration

Before you can apply for the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot as a foreign worker from outside Canada, such as India, Nigeria, Kenya, or Bangladesh, you must have a legitimate employment offer from one of the participating communities.

Each community has its own set of requirements and job-search procedures, which can be found on their respective websites. You must meet these standards and follow the job search steps in order to find work. You can only apply for community recommendations if you meet the prerequisites and follow the procedures for finding a job.

Job Offer from an RNIP Community

Before you can apply for permanent residency through the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, you must have a legitimate work offer from an employer in one of the participating localities. The employment offer must match the following criteria:

• It must be a full-time, non-seasonal, and permanent position.
• It must meet the NOC minimum salary for the skill type occupations.
• The job must have at least one skill level within the NOC skill type of your occupation, for example, if your skill type is Skill type A, you must receive an offer of either Skill type O, A, or B. The exception is skill type D, where you must receive an offer of the same skill type.
• Your experience must be sufficient for the position.
• You must at least intend to live in the community where you receive a job offer. If you have no intention of doing so, RNIP is not for you.

Admission to Canada

The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, like other immigration programs, is open to candidates who are legally permitted to live and work in Canada. Certain medical issues or criminal history may jeopardize your eligibility.

RNIP Community Requirements

Aside from federal standards, several community-based requirements can be found on community websites.

Will my spouse be able to obtain an RNIP work permit?

Your spouse or common-law partner may apply for a Canadian open work permit. Their work permit application must be submitted at the same time as your one-year work permit application. Your spouse will be limited to working in the same community as you.