Canada Announces New Immigration Pilots for Rural & Francophone Communities

New Immigration Pilots for Rural & Francophone Communities

Notably, the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) has proven effective in nurturing connections between businesses and skilled newcomers in remote areas, facilitating growth and development. In line with this commitment, the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, has introduced two novel pilots:

• The Rural Community Immigration Pilot and
• The Francophone Community Immigration Pilot

Both new Immigration Pilots will launch this year in the last quarter, i.e. between September to November 2024.

These measures indicate a concerted effort by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to address the unique needs of rural and Francophone minority communities while progressing towards the establishment of a permanent rural immigration program. Speaking about this measure Canadian immigration minister Marc Miller said,

“Rural and northern communities face unique economic and demographic challenges. However, through the RNIP, rural communities have been able to attract and retain skilled workers that they’ve needed for years to ensure their economic growth. That is why we will make RNIP a permanent program, and why we are introducing these two new pilot programs. We’ll continue to work closely with these communities, as we work to connect businesses with the skilled workers they need to thrive.”

Rural Community Immigration Pilot

The Rural Community Immigration Pilot is set to start in the autumn of 2024, with the objective of guaranteeing ongoing access for rural communities to programs that address labour shortages and facilitate the recruitment of workers essential for local businesses. This measure will offer pathways to permanent residency for newcomers capable of filling critical job vacancies and committed to establishing long-term residence in smaller communities.

Francophone Community Immigration Pilot

Inspired by the accomplishments of the RNIP and aligned with IRCC’s Francophone Immigration Policy, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is introducing the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot simultaneously in the fall of 2024. This pilot program will focus on augmenting the influx of French-speaking immigrants to Francophone minority communities outside of Quebec, thereby fostering economic growth and bolstering their demographic presence.

Canada encourage francophone immigration

In last few years, Canadian government has taken various steps to encourage the influx of French-speaking newcomers in the maple leaf country.

• In its popular immigration program, i.e. Express Entry System, IRCC allocate separate immigration points to candidates with French language proficiency
• Newly introduced category-based selections in Express Entry draws regularly keep French proficiency as one of the main categories in Express Entry draws
• Various Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) of Canada has French language proficiency as a separate PNP immigration stream.

IRCC will commence the application process for interested communities this spring to identify participants for both pilot programs, with further details to follow in the following months. As IRCC endeavours to formalize the RNIP into a permanent fixture, these innovative pilots aim to attract and retain skilled foreign workers in rural and Francophone minority communities, thus enriching their economic vitality and linguistic diversity. IRCC eagerly anticipates continued collaboration with these communities as all stakeholders unite to fortify IRCC’s immigration initiatives.

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To check your eligibility and apply for the relevant immigration program to acquire the PR visa in Canada in 2024, you may contact Visas Avenue Canadian Visa Advisor and Expert on Toll-Free No. 78-18-000-777 or you can drop us an e-mail at info@visasavenue.com.

- Rajneesh Kumar