Making a bold move to fortify regional immigration streams, the Canadian communities of Sault Ste. Marie and Brandon set their priority industries under the Rural Community Immigration Pilot. By offering foreign nationals an easy path to permanent residence, the pilot program seals labor gaps in rural municipalities.
Sault Ste. Marie, located in Northern Ontario, has targeted the following sectors for RCIP investment: Government, social, legal, and educational services
Manufacturing and utilities related to health
Service and sales
Transportation and Commerce 2025, the city was allocated 300 seats for the RCIP. The priority reflects a conscious effort to address serious labor shortages in the community, although some eligible vocations within these fields have not yet been announced.
Brandon, the province of Manitoba’s second-largest city, has issued an exhaustive list of priority occupations, related jobs, National Occupation Classification (NOC) codes, and minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) levels under Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) initiative. The initiative proves the strategic stance of the city to bring and retain highly qualified personnel in emerging economic sectors.
Education, Law & Social, Community & Government Services
Health
Manufacturing & Utilities
Natural & Applied Sciences
Trades & Transport
Brandon has been set aside 180 positions for the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) in 2025, of which 15% have been set aside to go specifically to the healthcare industry. The remaining positions will be set aside for other industries on a first-come basis.
The Rural Community Immigration Pilot is an employer-led route to permanent residence in Canada that aims to fill labor gaps in rural communities. Candidates must have a job offer from a designated employer who has been approved by an economic development organization in a participating community.
By determining priority sectors and occupations, communities can target foreign nationals whose skills match local economic requirements, providing a more effective match between immigrants and employment opportunities.
The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) is a Canadian immigration initiative meant to benefit small, rural towns in bringing and keeping talented overseas workers to help meet local labour market demands. Initiated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the RNIP permits participating towns to nominate eligible applicants for permanent residency based on their intention to work and reside within the town.
This community-based program assists in boosting economic development and regional growth beyond large urban areas. Under the Rural Community Immigration Pilot, businesses in designated communities are able to recruit international talent for in-demand occupations, and newcomers enjoy an easier integration process with the assistance of local programs and community support networks.
Canada has launched targeted immigration programs such as the Rural and Francophone Community Immigration Pilots to fill labour gaps and aid in the development of rural communities. The programs are designed to attract foreign skilled workers who are willing to settle and work in rural or Francophone parts of Canada that are beyond the large cities.
The Rural Community Immigration Pilot, for example, assists Canadian designated rural communities to capture important job opportunities by bringing local employers and international talent together.
The Francophone pilot, meanwhile, encourages French-speaking newcomers to settle in communities where French is not predominant, enhancing Canada’s bilingual identity. Both initiatives provide a route to permanent residency and assist in economic growth in underserviced areas nationwide.
Launched earlier this year, the Rural Community Immigration Pilot is a five-year federal program geared towards assisting the designated rural communities outside of Quebec in addressing chronic labor shortages. A pathway toward permanent residence is offered to foreign nationals who wish to live and work in these communities long-term.
To qualify for the RCIP, applicants should:
The RCIP is a replacement of the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program (RNIP), which stopped accepting new applications in August 2024. With 14 communities that are participating in the RCIP, more will be announcing their priority occupations and sectors in the coming months.
If you want to know more details about “Sault Ste. Marie and Brandon Announce Priority Sectors for New Permanent Residence Pathway under the Rural Community Immigration Pilot“ you can contact one of our immigration specialists at Gunness & Associates.
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