Eligibility Requirements for Candidates

To be considered for the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP), candidates must meet both federal criteria and specific requirements set by the participating community where they wish to settle.

Federal Criteria

1. Community Recommendation: Obtain a recommendation from one of the designated communities.

2. Work Experience:
One year of continuous work experience within the past three years (minimum of 1,560 hours), or
Graduation from a publicly funded post-secondary institution in the recommending community.

3. Job Offer: Secure a genuine job offer from an employer in one of the designated communities.

4. Language Proficiency: Meet the language requirements based on the NOC skill type/level of the job offered.

5. Financial Support: Demonstrate sufficient funds to support themselves and their family upon settling in the community.

6. Intention to Live: Show an intention to reside in the designated community.

Community Recommendation

A community recommendation is based on several factors:

Intention to Reside: The candidate’s plan to live in the community.
Job Offer: Alignment of the job offer with the community’s economic needs.
Work Experience: Relevant skills and experience.
Community Ties: Existing connections to the community.

Recommendations are issued by designated community economic development organizations.

Work Experience

Candidates must have:

Minimum Hours: At least 1,560 hours (one year) of paid work experience in the past three years.
Occupation: Work experience must be in a single occupation, although it can be with multiple employers.
Location: Experience can be gained in Canada or abroad.
Accumulative Experience: The work experience can be accumulated within the three years preceding the application, regardless of employment gaps.
Self-Employment: Self-employed work experience is not eligible.
NOC Duties: Candidates must perform the majority of the main duties and all essential duties as outlined in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) for their profession.

Note: Recent graduates may be exempt from the work experience requirement if they meet certain criteria.

Education

Candidates must possess:

A Canadian high school diploma or an equivalent foreign qualification.
For diplomas obtained outside Canada, an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report confirming equivalency, issued by a designated organization. This report must be less than five years old at the time of application.

Graduates from post-secondary programs in the recommending community may also be exempt from the work experience requirement under specific conditions.

Job Offer

Candidates must have a genuine, full-time, permanent job offer in one of the participating communities. The wage must meet the minimum listed for that NOC in the Canada Job Bank, and prior experience must demonstrate the ability to fulfill the job’s duties.

The Government of Canada defines a genuine job offer as one that:

Meets the employer’s needs.
Is made by an employer actively engaged in the relevant business.
Complies with all employment laws and has a history of compliance.

The job offer must align with the TEER category or be one skill level above or below the candidate’s work experience. Candidates with NOC TEER category 5 must have a job offer in the same occupation.

Language Requirements

Language proficiency is based on the NOC TEER category relevant to the job offer:

NOC TEER categories 0 and 1: Minimum CLB 6
NOC TEER categories 2 and 3: Minimum CLB 5
NOC TEER categories 4 and 5: Minimum CLB 4

Financial Requirements

Candidates must demonstrate they possess sufficient funds to support themselves and their families upon moving to Canada. These funds must be unborrowed and can be evidenced through:

Bank account statements
Documentation showing ownership of real property or investments (stocks, bonds, etc.)
Financial instruments guaranteeing a specified amount payable to the candidate (bank drafts, cheques, etc.)

NOTE: Individuals working legally in Canada at the time of application are exempt from the settlement funds requirement.