Immigration Pilot Programs
Rural and Northern Pilot
The RNP program is designed to spread the benefits of economic immigration to smaller communities by creating a path to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers who want to work and live in one of the following participating communities: Ontario – North Bay, Sudbury, Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay, Manitoba – Brandon, Altona/Rhineland, Saskatchewan – Moose Jaw, Alberta – Claresholm, British Columbia – Vernon, West Kootenay.
Eligibility and documentary requirements for the RNP:
- have qualifying work experienceor have graduated from a publicly funded post-secondary institution in the recommending community;
- meet or exceed the language requirements;
- meet or exceed the educational requirements;
- prove you have enough moneyto support your transition into the community;
- intend to live in the community; and,
- meet community-specific requirements.
Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
The pilot, launched in 2017, helps employers in Atlantic Canada hire foreign skilled workers who want to immigrate to Atlantic Canada and international graduates who want to stay in Atlantic Canada after they graduate. Each program has requirements both the employer and candidate must meet. Employers must be designated by the provincial government of their respective province where the candidate will work. If the candidate meets all requirements, he/she will receive permanent resident status in Canada.
There are 3 programs you can use to hire someone:
- Atlantic International Graduate Program
- Atlantic High-skilled Program
- Atlantic Intermediate-skilled Program
Each program has requirements that you and the candidate must meet but the key ones amongst each of the three programs are:
- have lived in an Atlantic province for at least 16 months in the 2 years before getting your degree, diploma or credential;
- meet the education requirements;
- take a language test to show you can communicate in English or French; and
- show that you have enough money to support yourself and your family when you get to Canada
Canada Agri-Food Immigration Pilot
The pilot provides a pathway to permanent residence for experienced, non-seasonal workers in specific industries and occupations. There are annual limits on applications for this pilot. There are annual limits on the number of applications that will be processed for each eligible occupation. It will run until May 2023.
Eligible industries under the pilot are:
- meat product manufacturing;
- greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production, including mushroom production;
- animal production, excluding aquaculture:
- cattle ranching and farming;
- hog and pig farming;
- poultry and egg production;
- sheep and goat farming; or
- other animal production.
- For meat product manufacturing, eligible jobs are:
- Retail butchers;
- Industrial butchers (1470 applications);
- Farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers (50 applications); or
- Food processing labourers (730 applications).
- For greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production, including mushroom production, eligible jobs are:
- Farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
- General farm workers (200 applications);
- Harvesting labourers (300 applications).
- For animal production, excluding aquaculture, eligible jobs are:
- Farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers; or
- General farm workers.
To apply for permanent residence under the Agri-Food Pilot, you need:
- eligible Canadian work experience in one or more of the eligible industries and occupations;
- a full-time, non-seasonal job offer from a Canadian employer in one of the eligible industries and occupations (outside of Quebec);
- to meet or exceed the language requirements;
- to meet or exceed the educational requirements;
- to have settlement funds(if applicable); and
- to maintain temporary resident status (if already in Canada)
Caregivers
Launched on June 18, 2019, the Home Child-Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot are 2 economic pilot programs targeted to foreign national caregivers who:
- have a job offer or Canadian work experience in an eligible caregiver occupation; and
- meet minimum education and language proficiency requirements.
Those eligible to apply are foreign nationals who:
- have the ability to become economically established in Canada;
- intend to reside in a province or territory other than Quebec;
- meet the minimum language proficiency threshold set for that occupation; and
- meet the minimum education requirement.
They must also have one of the following:
- 2 years of full-time Canadian work experience in an eligible occupation within the preceding 3 years; and
- a valid full-time job offer from a Canadian employer in an eligible caregiver occupation.
Qualifying work
Full-time work means at least 30 hours of paid work per week. To qualify, an applicant must have obtained work experience in an eligible occupation listed in the National Occupational Classification (NOC):
- Home Child-Care Provider Pilotapplicants must have qualifying work experience as Home Child-Care Providers (NOC 4411). Applicants must have provided in-home care to children under the age of 18, whether in their own home or in the employer’s or child’s home.
- Home Support Worker Pilotapplicants must have qualifying work experience as Home Support Workers and related occupations (NOC 4412).
Caregivers who meet all the requirements but do not have 24 months of Canadian work experience are issued an occupation-restricted open work permit.
Canada processes 5,500 applications each year under the above caregiver pilots:
- 2,750 applications for the Home Child Care Provider Pilot; and
- 2,750 applications for the Home Support Worker Pilot.