Immigration pilots for rural and Francophone communities

From: IRCC

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The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) has been successful in connecting businesses and employers in remote communities with the skilled newcomers they need to thrive.

As Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) continues work toward creating a permanent rural immigration program, Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced new pilots for rural and Francophone minority communities. The Rural Community Immigration Pilot, launching in the fall of 2024, aims to ensure that rural communities continue to have the ability to access programs that address labour shortages. It will provide pathways to permanent residence for newcomers who want to there live long term.

Modelled on the success of the RNIP and as part of the Francophone Immigration Policy, IRCC is also launching the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot in the fall of 2024. The pilot will focus on increasing the number of French-speaking newcomers settling in Francophone minority communities outside of Quebec and will help ensure the economic development of Francophone minority communities, while also helping to restore and increase their demographic weight.

IRCC will open the community application process to select communities who will participate in the pilots and will share more details in the coming months.

A few quick facts:

• In February 2024, IRCC extended the deadline for current RNIP communities to recommend candidates for permanent residence until July 31, 2024. IRCC also increased the number of candidates that communities can recommend. These changes allow participating communities to take part in the pilot for a longer period and continue meeting their labour needs with skilled candidates.

• In October 2023, IRCC released An Immigration System for Canada’s Future – a report that lays out a pathway to strengthen the immigration system to better meet the needs of our country and of newcomers. As part of the work to implement the actions identified in the report, IRCC continues exploring opportunities to enhance regional immigration.

• The Francophone Community Immigration Pilot delivers on IRCC’s commitment in the Policy on Francophone Immigration’s 2024–2028 Implementation Plan to include new Francophone communities targeted by regional economic immigration programs, where employers and the community have a role in selecting newcomers for their area. This pilot will also contribute to meeting the government of Canada’s ambitious targets for French-speaking immigrants, as outlined in the 2024-2026 Immigration Levels Plan.