Covering communities in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Yukon, Alberta, British Columbia, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories, the Rural and Northern Migration Pilot was launched in 2019 as an initiative to spur economic growth in these regions by attracting skilled workers.
Canada is a country that accepts a large number of immigrants; However, the majority of new immigrants choose to live in big cities such as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.
The Rural and Northern Migration Pilot aims to support new immigrants in settling in the countryside rather than just choosing large cities by helping small communities attract newcomers and support their settlement.
This pilot program accepts applications from rural and northern communities, and these communities receive support from the Federal Government to help them identify and select new candidates for permanent residence. The aim of this program is for newcomers to have a positive impact on economic development.
Eleven communities in different provinces have been selected to participate in the pilot in June 2019. These communities will get various support and programs to test the pilot.
Program Requirements – Communities
To apply for this program, the community must have a population of 50,000 or less and be located at least 75 km from the census metropolitan center or have a population of 200,000 or less and be deemed removed from other major cities. Communities must be located in one of the following 11 communities, provinces or territories:
- North Bay, Ontario
- Sudbury, Ontario
- Timmins, Ontario
- Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
- Thunder Bay, Ontario
- Brandon, Manitoba
- Altona/Rhineland, Manitoba
- Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
- Claresholm, Alberta
- Vernon, British Columbia
- West Kootenay (Trail, Castlegar, Rossland, Nelson), British Columbia
In their applications, communities must submit an economic development plan supported by a local economic development organization that can manage the pilot, demonstrate that they have employment opportunities for newcomers, and have the capacity to support the settlement of newcomers.
Requirements for Candidates to be eligible for PNIP:
Potential candidates must meet the following federal criteria and requirements established by the participating community where they hope to settle.
The federal criteria are:
– Have one year of continuous work experience (a minimum of 1,560 hours) in the past three years and a recommendation from one of the designated communities,
OR
– Have a degree from a publicly funded post-secondary institution from one of the recommended communities, have a job offer to work in one of the designated communities, have to meet the language requirements for the NOC skill type of the job being offered, have sufficient funds to settle and support themselves and their family, and have an intention to live in one of these communities.
Work experience
Work Experience must be a minimum of 1,560 hours in one year of paid work in the past three years, The work experience must be in one occupation but can be with different employers and can be obtained in Canada or outside Canada. Self-employed work experience is not eligible.
Candidates must have performed most of the primary duties and all the essential duties listed in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) for their profession and the activities listed in the lead statement.
International students may be exempt from the work experience criteria if they are recent graduates from a full-time post-secondary program of at least two years or a full-time master’s program or higher.
Education History
Candidates must have a Canadian high school diploma, or if the diploma is gained outside Canada, they must have a foreign equivalent, which must have their equivalency confirmed by an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report at least five years before the application.
Candidates who have graduated from a post-secondary program of 2 years or more in one of these communities and were awarded their degree, diploma certificate, trade or apprenticeship recommending them are exempt from the work experience requirement.
These candidates must be full-time students for the entirety of the two or more years of the study, obtain the credential within 18 months before the application for permanent residence, and be in the community for at least 16 months of the last 24 months.
Another option is that a candidate must have a master’s degree or a Ph.D. completed within 18 months before the application for permanent residency, have been a full-time student for the entirety of the degree, and have been residing in the community for the entirety of the degree.
Individuals who cannot apply as international students include those who studied at a distance for more than half the program studied English or French for more than half of the program, and received a scholarship or fellowship that requires they return to their home country to apply for their studies.
Job Offer
Potential candidates must have a full-time, permanent job offer in one of the participating communities. The wage in this job offer must meet the minimum wage listed for that NOC on the Canadian Job Bank. Candidates’ previous experience must prove that they can perform the duties of the offered job.
This ‘genuine’ job offer must meet the Canadian Government’s definition. In other words, when the candidate works with this employer, the employer must meet the employer’s needs, the employer must be actively working in the job for which the offer is made, the employer must be able to fulfill the conditions of the offer, and the employer must have complied with all employment laws and rules in the past.
The job offer must be in the TEER category or skill level of the NOC that best suits the candidate’s work experience. However, candidates with NOC TEER category 5 must receive a job offer in the same profession.
Language Requirements
The minimum language requirement is based on the NOC TEER category that applies to the candidate’s job offer. The minimum requirements for each NOC TEER category are shown based on the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB).
- NOC TEER category 0 and 1: Minimum language score of a CLB 6 is required
- NOC TEER category 2 and 3: Minimum language score of a CLB 5 is required
- NOC TEER category 4 and 5: Minimum language score of a CLB 4 is required
Funds
Applicants must provide the necessary documentation that they have enough money to support themselves and their families after moving to Canada. These funds must belong to the candidates themselves. Borrowed funds need to meet these conditions.
These documents can be used as proof of funds shown below:
- bank account statements
- Documents that show real property or other investments (such as stocks, bonds, debentures, treasury bills, etc.)
- Documents that prove and guarantee the payment you will receive (such as bank drafts, checks, traveller’s checks or money orders).
Find more information about the minimum required amount for funds.
Find more information about RNIP
