Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP)

The Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) is a new federal pilot that replaces or expands upon the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP). It provides a pathway to permanent residence for skilled workers who want to live and work in rural Canadian communities. Importantly, RCIP also offers a temporary employer-specific work permit option for eligible applicants, enabling them to begin working while the PR application is in progress. 

What is the RCIP Work Permit?

• The work permit under RCIP is employer-specific — it ties the worker to the employer who provided the eligible job offer in a participating rural community. 
• It is LMIA-exempt, since it’s part of the pilot under the International Mobility Program framework. 
• It is typically valid for two years, giving time for the permanent residence application to process. 

Who is Eligible?

To qualify for a work permit under RCIP, applicants must:

• Apply for permanent residence through RCIP (or already have applied). 
• Have a full-time, non-seasonal job offer from a designated employer in one of the RCIP communities. 
• Receive a community recommendation from the participating rural community. 
• Meet the general work permit requirements (e.g. admissibility, proper documentation). 
• Be eligible for the PR pathway under RCIP (education, language, funds, etc.)

Why Legal Assistance is Important

Because RCIP is a newer program, and involves multiple approvals (community, employer designation, job offer, and work permit), legal or immigration counsel is very helpful to:

• Ensure the employer is designated and meets the RCIP criteria
• Prepare and verify the job offer and documentation
• Guide the applicant through the community recommendation process
• Submit the work permit and permanent residence applications correctly
• Help the spouse or partner apply for their open work permit aligned with RCIP rules