published on 13 February 2025 @ 2:44 pm · COMMENT

Canada’s New Rural Community Immigration Pilot Program

On January 31, 2025, the government of Canada opened a new pathway to permanent residence for immigrants intending to live in rural communities in Canada. The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship praised the new pilot program as a solution to labour shortages in rural Canada. The new pilot program replaces the previous Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot program, which closed to intake in August 2024.

In order to be eligible to apply for the program, applicants must have an offer of employment from a designated employer in one of the participating rural communities.

There are currently fourteen (14) rural Canadian communities participating in the program:

• Pictou County, NS
• North Bay, ON
• Sudbury, ON
• Timmins, ON
• Sault Ste. Marie, ON
• Thunder Bay, ON
• Steinbach, MB
• Altona/Rhineland, MB
• Brandon, MB
• Moose Jaw, SK
• Claresholm, AB
• West Kootenay, BC
• North Okanagan Shuswap, BC; and
• Peace Liard, BC

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada indicates that each community will provide a list of employers designated to support candidates under the program on their websites. However, as of this date not all communities have launched their websites. We expect more information regarding the designated employers to be forthcoming shortly.

In addition to a job offer from a designated employer in one of the above communities, applicants must have at least one year of work experience related to the position they are offered, accumulated within 3 years prior to applying. As with the prior Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, there is an exemption to the work experience requirement for applicants who studied and graduated from a post-secondary institution in the same community as their job offer. Applicants also must demonstrate proficiency in either English or French by writing a language proficiency test. The level of language proficiency required varies depending on the skill level of the position being offered. Applicants must also have completed education equivalent to at minimum a Canadian secondary school diploma, and demonstrate they have sufficient funds to support themselves and their family in Canada.

Candidates who meet the above requirements can apply for permanent residence in Canada. In addition to permanent residence, the program also facilitates a two-year temporary work permit, allowing applicants to relocate to Canada to live and work in the community while waiting on the approval of their permanent status.

Historically, many rural communities in Canada have struggled to retain skilled immigrants. By allowing designated employers to select candidates directly for immigration under this new pilot program, the Canadian government is attempting to strategically target labour market shortages in these communities. The goal of the program is to attract skilled immigrants who intend to live and work in rural Canadian communities on a long-term basis.

filed under: IMMIGRATIONPERMANENT RESIDENCE