About the Rural & Francophone Community Immigration Pilots
Launched January 30, 2025 as five-year federal pilots, the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) and Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP) succeeded the earlier Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP), which brought over 7,700 newcomers to small communities and saw 88% of participants stay long-term. Both pilots offer a direct pathway to permanent residence, recommended by the community itself rather than a province.
How It Works
- Confirm eligibility against the criteria for your target pilot
- Choose one of the designated participating communities
- Find a job offer with a locally designated employer in that community
- Receive a community recommendation
- Apply to IRCC for permanent residence
Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP)
Addresses labour shortages in designated rural communities by connecting local employers with skilled foreign workers who intend to settle long-term. Participating communities include several in Ontario (North Bay, Sudbury, Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie, and others) along with designated communities in other provinces.
Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP)
Focused on growing the number of French-speaking newcomers in Francophone minority communities outside Quebec — including Acadian Peninsula (NB), Sudbury (ON), Timmins (ON), Superior East Region (ON), St. Pierre Jolys (MB), and Kelowna (BC) — supporting both economic development and the demographic weight of these communities.
Work Permit Bridge
Eligible candidates may apply for an employer-specific work permit (administrative code C15, valid up to 2 years) while their permanent residence application is processed, allowing families to relocate and begin settling before PR is finalized.
How We Help
We help match your occupation and background to a participating community and employer, and manage your application through community recommendation to permanent residence.