Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP)

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Rural and Community Immigration Pilot

The Rural and Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) offers eligible employers a valuable opportunity to address crucial labor shortages within their communities. Through this program, employers can extend full-time permanent job offers to skilled foreign workers who possess the expertise needed to fill these gaps effectively. By participating in the RCIP, employers not only meet their immediate staffing needs but also contribute to the growth and development of their communities, creating a more robust and sustainable workforce.

RCIP: Fostering Long-Term Residency and Workforce Stability
The RCIP is tailored for individuals who intend to establish long-term residence in the community and for employers seeking to retain workers over an extended period.

 

Region’s update

The Rural and Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) program is executed in various regions across Canada. As of my last update, these regions included:

 

 

Thunder Bay, Ontario	Brandon, Manitoba
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario	Altona/Rhineland, Manitoba
Sudbury, Ontario	Claresholm, Alberta
Timmins, Ontario	Vernon, British Columbia
North Bay, Ontario	West Kootenay (Trail, Castlegar, Rossland, Nelson), British Columbia

 

Employer Requirements

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Federal Requirements

As a first step, all employers wishing to participate in the RCIP and/or FCIP programs must meet the legal requirements of a designated employer, as outlined by Immigrations, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, which are outlined below. The employer must prove:

1. it carries on a genuine business that has been in continuous, active operation under the same management for at least two years within the designated community or it can demonstrate continuous, active operation in another location, in which case the economic development organization must confirm that the relocation of the business to the designated community will make or has made a substantial contribution to that community’s economy;
2.  it carries on business in relation to at least one priority occupation and at least 75% of the work is performed within the designated community;
3.  has successfully completed intercultural competency training;
4. it has successfully completed mandatory onboarding training;
5. it commits to supporting the settlement of each applicant and any accompanying family members, including by facilitating access to the settlement and social service support;
6. it is not in contravention of employment standards and occupational health and safety legislation; and
7.  it is not

• a consulate,
• an employer referred to in paragraph 200(3)(g.1) or (h) of the Regulations,
• a business that recruits individuals in order to establish a pool of candidates who are intended to be transferred or contracted to other businesses,
• a business in which a majority of voting or ownership interests are held, either individually or collectively, by the foreign national or their spouse or common-law partner or that is controlled, directly or indirectly, by the foreign national or their spouse or common-law partner, or
• a business owned by a representative who is a person referred to in subsection 91(2) of the Act.

Employers must also take the required training that is offered by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Information on this is available on the IRCC’s website.

Other Requirements

Other requirements, including municipal requirements and details on priority industries and occupations will be released at a later date.