Rural & Northern Immigration Pilot Immigration Lawyers in Vancouver, BC

Eleven rural and northern communities administer immigration pilot programs to attract foreign workers to resettle in these under-populated regions. To attract new workers, these communities match applicants with local job vacancies and support their resettlement within these communities. This is called the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP).

RNIP Participating Communities

The following 11 communities are participating in the pilot:

• 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

Qualifying communities in RNIP must show that they have the organizational capacity to support foreign immigrant workers. These areas are all sparsely populated and often remote from major metropolitan areas. They must demonstrate that there are legitimate job opportunities as well as a regional economic plan that enlists human services from local organizations to administer the RNIP and provide essential support to these new residents. Resettlement requires institutional means to connect newcomers with established members of the community and access to education, housing, transportation, and health care.

How to Immigrate Through the Rural & Northern Immigration Pilot Program

Eligibility Requirements for candidates: Eligibility for the RNIP is determined by federal criteria and a community recommendation issued by a regional community economic development organization.

Federal criteria are:

• Have a recommendation to settle from one of the 11 designated communities
• Have 1 year of continuous work experience within the past 3 years (a minimum of 1,560 hours)
  OR
• Have graduated from a publicly funded post-secondary institution in the recommending community
• Have a genuine job offer to work in one of the designated communities
• Meet the language threshold for the NOC skill type/level of the job being offered
• Have sufficient funds to settle and support themselves and their family in the community
• Have an intention to live in the community

Community recommendation is based on the candidate’s:

• intention to live in the designated community
• a legitimate job offer and the community’s economic and labour needs
• work experience and skills
• ties to the community

Work Experience

RNIP is looking for skilled workers to settle in remote and northern territories. Therefore, eligible candidates must have a minimum of 1560 hours of paid work that occurred in the past 3 years. This work can occur in Canada or outside of Canada. This work experience needs to be accumulated within one occupation although it can be from more than one employer. Candidates must have performed the majority of the main duties and all of the essential duties in the National Occupational Classification for their profession. Unfortunately, self-employment does not qualify for eligibility.

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 2 years, or from a full-time master’s program or higher.

Education

Candidates must have a Canadian high school diploma or the foreign equivalent, which has been evaluated and confirmed by an Educational Credential Assessment report issued within 5 years of application.

Individuals who have graduated from a post-secondary program in the community that is recommending them are exempt from the work experience requirement, if they graduated with:

• a degree, diploma, certificate or trade or apprenticeship from a post-secondary program of 2 years or more and:
  • were a full-time student for the entirety of the 2+ years
  • obtained the credential within 18 months before the application for permanent residence
  • were in the community for at least 16 months of the last 24 months of study

OR

• a master’s degree or a PhD and:
• • were a full-time student for the entirety of the degree
  • obtained the credential within 18 months before the application for permanent residence
  • were 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 the program
• received a scholarship or fellowship that requires they return to their home country to apply their studies

Job Offer

Eligible candidates must have a legitimate, full-time job offer with no end date in one of the participating communities. The wage must meet the prevailing minimum wage and the candidates’ previous experience must demonstrate that they are qualified for the available position.

Language Requirements

The minimum language requirement is based on the NOC skill type or level that applies to the candidate’s job offer. Minimum language proficiency scores are related to the specific NOC job skill category. “CLB” stands for Canadian Language Benchmark.

• NOC 0 and A: Minimum language score of CLB 6 is required
• NOC B: Minimum language score of CLB 5 is required
• NOC C and D: Minimum language score of CLB 4 is required

Funds

Candidates must demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to support themselves and their families after they move to Canada. These funds must be their own and cannot be borrowed from anyone. The available funds must be documented through established proof of funds, such as bank statements, documents issued from a brokerage house, or guarantees. The requirement of adequate funds to support your family depends on the number of dependents who will be living with you. Available funds can be as low as $8922 for just yourself or as high as $21207 for a family of 6. If you are currently working legally in Canada at the time of your application, you do not need to show this funding requirement.

Begin Your RNIP Application Now With Trusted Immigration Counsel

If you are seeking permanent resident status as a foreign worker in a rural or northern territory, you can trust the knowledge and experience of Canadian Currents Immigration to guide you through the process. Completing the application process and gathering all of the supporting documentation can be daunting. With the aid of an experienced immigration lawyer at Canadian Currents Immigration, you can apply for RNIP status once we determine your eligibility.

Our immigration lawyers at Canadian Currents Immigration will review your status to determine your eligibility for permanent residence status and to help you through the various steps needed to secure your permanent and temporary status.

Start with a confidential 30-minute consultation with a Canadian Currents Immigration immigration lawyer in Vancouver.

Call us now to book a time: 778-331-1164.