The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program has officially ended.

The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) concluded on August 31.

Communities had until July 31 to recommend candidates to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and August 31 marked the final deadline for recommended candidates to submit their permanent residence (PR) applications.

Launched in August 2022, RNIP aimed to encourage newcomers to settle in Canada’s more remote regions. The program allowed each participating community to invite up to 125 candidates annually, with a total capacity of 2,750.

While most newcomers typically settle in major urban centers like Toronto or Vancouver, where established immigrant communities exist, rural and northern Canada have struggled with a shortage of skilled workers, particularly in healthcare and the trades. RNIP sought to address this gap by selecting communities capable of welcoming newcomers and integrating them through local settlement services.

Although IRCC decided not to renew RNIP, it has introduced a new pilot program to continue supporting immigration to remote regions.

Rural Community Immigration Pilot Program

The Rural Community Immigration Pilot Program is the latest economic immigration pathway designed to benefit Canada’s more remote areas. Similar to the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), it provides additional support to designated employers in these regions, who, in turn, offer enhanced support to their employees compared to other immigration pathways like the Provincial Nominee Program.

Set to launch this fall, the new pilot program has yet to announce the participating communities or the eligibility criteria for newcomers.