Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP)
Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot – West Kootenay
About the Region:
The West Kootenay is a beautiful and vibrant region of British Columbia with a population of around 30,000 people. The main economic drivers are forestry, mining, resource extraction, agriculture, and tourism. The participating communities include Castlegar, Rossland, Nelson, Trail, Nakusp, Creston Valley, Kootenay Lake, Kaslo, and Grand Forks. About the Pilot:
The West Kootenay Immigration Pilot is a community-led program developed with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to attract skilled workers to the region. It offers options for Permanent Residency (PR) support and work permit support. Eligibility:
Applicants must satisfy both Federal Eligibility and Community Criteria. There are also Employer Eligibility requirements.1. Federal Eligibility:
a) Work Experience: 1 year of full-time work experience (1,560 hours) in the past 3 years, in occupations matching the TEER category of the job offer.
b) Language Requirements: CLB 4-6 depending on the TEER level of the job offer.
c) Education: Minimum high school diploma, with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for foreign credentials.
d) Settlement Funds: Proof of sufficient funds to support transition, unless currently authorized to work in Canada.2. Community Criteria:
a) Meet Federal Eligibility criteria.
b) Intention to live in the community.
c) Minimum wage of $22/hour or Job Bank median, with some exceptions.
d) Minimum 26 points on the West Kootenay RNIP points grid, with some exceptions.3. Employer Eligibility:
a) Business must be legally operating in the West Kootenay region for at least 2 years or have invested $200,000.
b) Offer a genuine, full-time job with at least the minimum wage.
c) Demonstrate genuine efforts to hire Canadian citizens or permanent residents first.
d) Complete required training on settlement, eligibility, and program integrity. If all criteria are met, applicants can complete the West Kootenay RNIP application and, if successful, receive a Community Recommendation to apply for Permanent Residency.
Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot – North Okanagan / Shuswap
About the Region:
The North Okanagan-Shuswap region has a population of around 91,610 and offers affordable real estate, natural beauty, a vibrant social life, and a strong economy driven by natural resources, forestry, agriculture, and tourism. About the Pilot:
The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot is a community-driven program that creates a path to Permanent Residence for skilled international workers who want to work and live in the participating communities. Eligibility:
The same Federal Eligibility criteria as the West Kootenay Pilot apply. The Community Criteria include:
a) Meet Federal Eligibility.
b) Intention to live in the community.
c) Minimum wage of $23/hour or Job Bank median, with some exceptions.
d) Minimum 30 points on the Comprehensive Ranking System, with some exceptions. Employer Eligibility:
Employers must be legally operating in the region for at least 5 years (2 years in the community) or have invested $100,000 in the region. They must offer a genuine job, demonstrate genuine efforts to hire Canadians/PRs first, and complete required training. The community has been allocated 220 recommendations per year, with some exemptions for certain occupations.