Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program

With accelerating Immigration needs and growing economic requirements, Canada has formulated its Rural and Northern Immigration Program. With a huge number of Immigrants settling in big provinces like Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia, there are initiatives taken ahead to move candidates on permanent residency in the rural communities of Canada.

The Government of Canada has selected 11 Rural and northern communities to take part in the Immigration program. The pilot program is dedicated to attracting qualified candidates to meet community benefits.

The primary motive of the program is to help smaller rural and remote communities of the provinces on various job levels and provide the interested applicants on permanent residency. The communities employ more than four million Canadians and account for almost 30% of the national GDP as confirmed by IRCC. Considering labor market needs and skill shortages caused by low population, declining birth rates, an increasing number of retirement rates and the out-migration of the younger population to developed areas of Canada.

The 11 communities are located in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia.

Ontario

• Thunder Bay
• Sault Ste. Marie
• Sudbury
• Timmins
• North Bay

Manitoba

• Gretna-Rhineland-Altona-Plum Coulee
• Brandon

Saskatchewan

• Moose Jaw

Alberta

• Claresholm

British Columbia

• West Kootenay
• Vernon

The process of executing the upcoming program is shown in below flow chart.

• The eligible candidates can show their interest in the participating communities.
• The community or potential employers approach candidates directly, whereby the candidates submit the applications for endorsement.
• The communities go-ahead to review the application on the established factors, the best fit or competitive profiles are shortlisted.
• The request is then forwarded to Immigration Refugee Citizenship of Canada (IRCC) for Permanent Residency.
• The candidate applies to IRCC for Permanent Residency.
• After clearing the selection criteria’s and admissibility requirements, a candidate obtains Permanent Residency.
• Lastly, the selected Community welcomes candidate and family members and provides services to support their settlement.

Prospective Immigrants to Canada can utilize the opportunity to apply for the Rural and Northern Immigration Program. Assessing by submitting an economic development plan supported by the local economic development organization.