On March 6, Immigration Minister Marc Miller gave a few announcements: the transformation of the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) into a permanent immigration program. This initiative mainly aims to support rural communities in attracting immigrants, especially Francophones. Below are the changes and their impact.
The New Program: Rural Immigration Program (RIP)
The RNIP will be replaced by the Rural Immigration Program (RIP), which will set to be released this fall and will become permanent. This permanent program mainly helps people to facilitate immigration to rural areas of the country, addressing labor shortages and giving more workers to local businesses in finding suitable workers.
Introducing Two New Pilots
Accompanying the RIP are two new pilot programs:
- Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP): This pilot program is mainly designed to address labor shortages in rural communities by providing pathways to permanent residency for newcomers.
- Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP): This is designed for French-speaking immigrants outside Quebec, this pilot will contribute to the economic development and demographic growth of Francophone minority communities.
Implications for Communities
The announcement is in the favor of communities and widely accepted by various communities, including Greater Sudbury, which has advocated for the RNIP’s permanency. It is anticipated that businesses will be positively impacted by these changes and on labor availability, which has been a persistent challenge.
Province Distribution
The RNIP has seen significant increase in number of applications, with Ontario leading in immigrant admissions, followed by British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.
At the end of 2023, 4,595 people got permanent residency through the RNIP.
The most recent data from IRCC shows that Canada has welcomed 2,855 new permanent residents via the RNIP.
In the year 2023, Ontario had the most RNIP immigrants with 1,865, then British Columbia with 665 newcomers.
Manitoba welcomed 190 new permanent residents through the RNIP, while Saskatchewan had 90, and Alberta had 45 in 2023.
This year, the RNIP had a strong start, with 680 new permanent residents arriving in January alone, then communities began to slow down or stop the program. Which will now be replaced with RIP considering new announcements.
Importance of Immigration Programs
A report by the Northern Policy Institute underscores the benefits of programs like the RNIP in attracting skilled immigrants to smaller communities. This not only addresses labor needs but also fosters community growth and development.
Eligibility Criteria
To participate in the RNIP, communities must meet specific population and geographical criteria. Candidates must fulfill federal and community requirements, including work experience, language proficiency, and settlement fund requirements.
Eligibility Criteria for Communities:
Communities must meet specific population and distance criteria to participate:
- Must have a population of 50,000 or less and be at least 75km away from a major city, or
- Must have a population of up to 200,000 and be considered remote according to Statistics Canada.
List of Participating Communities:
| Community | Website |
|---|---|
| North Bay, ON | northbayrnip.ca |
| Sudbury, ON | investsudbury.ca/why-sudbury/move-to-sudbury/rnip/ |
| Timmins, ON | timminsedc.com |
| Sault Ste. Marie, ON | welcometossm.com |
| Thunder Bay, ON | gotothunderbay.ca |
| Brandon, MB | economicdevelopmentbrandon.com |
| Altona/Rhineland, MB | seedrgpa.com |
| Moose Jaw, SK | moosejawrnip.ca |
| Claresholm, AB | claresholm.ca |
| Vernon, BC | rnip-vernon-northok.ca |
| West Kootenay (Trail, Castlegar, Rossland, Nelson), BC | wk-rnip.ca |
Candidate Requirements for Immigration
- Candidates must meet both federal and community eligibility criteria.
- Federal requirements include qualifying work experience or an international student exemption.
- Work experience must include 1 year (1,560 hours) of full or part-time work in the last 3 years, with duties listed in the National Occupational Classification (NOC).
- International students may be exempt from work experience requirements if they meet certain criteria regarding their education and time spent in the community.
- Language Skills: Must be able to meet minimum proficiency in either CLB or NCLC standards.
- Education: Must have a Canadian high school diploma or equivalent validated by an ECA report.
- Financial Support: Show adequate funds for settlement, proven through bank statements or property documents.
Conclusion
The transformation of the RNIP into the RIP signifies Canada’s commitment to rural immigration. By providing permanent pathways to residency, the program aims to increase economics in the rural community and support community development across the country.
