Two pilots, one community-driven structure
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) sets the minimum federal requirements. A participating community then designates local employers, sets its priority sectors or occupations, and recommends candidates. With a community recommendation, the candidate applies to IRCC for permanent residence. IRCC lists both pilots as open.
RCIP
For skilled workers who will work and live in one of 14 participating rural communities.
FCIP
For French-speaking skilled workers who will work and live in one of 6 participating Francophone minority communities outside Quebec.
The essential order
Job offer from a designated employer → community recommendation → permanent residence application to IRCC.
No national points grid
IRCC does not rank candidates on one federal grid. Each community decides how it assesses and prioritizes recommendations.
The participating communities
IRCC lists 18 communities. Sudbury and Timmins take part in both pilots.
| Pilot | Communities |
|---|---|
| RCIP (14) | Pictou County (NS); North Bay and Area, Sudbury, Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay (ON); Steinbach, Altona/Rhineland and Brandon (MB); Moose Jaw (SK); Claresholm (AB); West Kootenay, North Okanagan Shuswap and Peace Liard (BC) |
| FCIP (6) | Acadian Peninsula (NB); Sudbury, Timmins and Superior East Region (ON); St. Pierre Jolys (MB); Kelowna (BC) |
Each community has its own website, linked from IRCC's pilot page. On it, check the current priority sectors or occupations, the list of designated employers, how and when recommendation applications are accepted, local forms and deadlines, and any local selection method.
The job offer and the designated employer
The job offer
- From an employer designated by the community, and located within the community's boundaries.
- Full-time: at least 30 paid hours a week.
- Non-seasonal: year-round work.
- Indeterminate: no end date.
- At a skill level (TEER) that fits the candidate's work experience (see the table below).
- Made on the Offer of Employment to a Foreign National form: IMM 0247 for RCIP, IMM 0251 for FCIP. The candidate signs a copy and submits it with the application.
- The community checks that the job is in one of its priority sectors or occupations and that the offer is genuine.
Who can be a designated employer
- Operating continuously for at least 2 years in the participating community (a recently relocated business may still qualify if the community finds it makes, or will make, a substantial contribution to the local economy).
- Doing business in at least one priority occupation set by the community, with at least 75% of its business work inside the community.
- In good standing with employment standards and workplace health and safety laws, and not in violation of the employer compliance regime.
- Has completed free onboarding and intercultural competency training, and agrees to support the newcomer's settlement.
Consulates, staffing or employment agencies, businesses owned or controlled (more than 50%) by the candidate, businesses owned by an authorized immigration representative, and employers owing administrative penalties cannot be designated.
Work experience
The candidate needs at least 1 year (1,560 hours) of related work experience in the past 3 years.
- The work must be paid. Volunteer work, unpaid internships and self-employment do not count.
- The duties must include the actions in the NOC lead statement and most of the main duties.
| TEER of the job offer | TEER of the work experience |
|---|---|
| TEER 0 or 1 | TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 |
| TEER 2 | TEER 1, 2, 3 or 4 |
| TEER 3 or 4 | TEER 2, 3 or 4 |
| TEER 5 | The same five-digit NOC as the job offer |
Include employer reference letters for each counted job (dates, main duties, NOC code if known, total annual salary and benefits, weekly hours, employer name, signature, address, phone and email), the most recent Canadian work permit if you have one, and T4 slips, notices of assessment, contracts and pay stubs where available.
The exemption for local graduates
International students who graduated from a publicly funded post-secondary institution in the recommending community do not need the work experience above if they meet one of these two sets of conditions:
- Program of 2 years or longerFull-time study for the entire program, the credential obtained no more than 18 months before the permanent residence application, and in the community for at least 16 of the last 24 months of study.
- Master's degree or higher of 2 years or lessFull-time study for the entire degree, the degree obtained no more than 18 months before the permanent residence application, and in the community for the whole length of study.
Eligible credentials are degrees, diplomas, certificates, or trade or apprenticeship credentials. The exemption does not apply if language study (English or French) or distance learning made up more than half of the program, or if a scholarship or fellowship requires the graduate to return home. All other requirements still apply.
Language, education and funds
Language
Results must come from an approved test, meet the minimum in all four abilities and be less than 2 years old when the application is made.
| Pilot and TEER of the job offer | Minimum |
|---|---|
| RCIP, TEER 0 or 1 | CLB/NCLC 6 |
| RCIP, TEER 2 or 3 | CLB/NCLC 5 |
| RCIP, TEER 4 or 5 | CLB/NCLC 4 |
| FCIP, any TEER | NCLC 5 in French (TEF Canada or TCF Canada) |
RCIP accepts CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training or PTE Core for English, and TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French. The minimum scores in each ability are:
| Test | CLB/NCLC 6 | CLB/NCLC 5 | CLB/NCLC 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CELPIP-General | 6 in each ability | 5 in each ability | 4 in each ability |
| IELTS General Training (reading / writing / listening / speaking) | 5.0 / 5.5 / 5.5 / 5.5 | 4.0 / 5.0 / 5.0 / 5.0 | 3.5 / 4.0 / 4.5 / 4.0 |
| PTE Core (reading / writing / listening / speaking) | 51 / 60 / 50 / 59 | 42 / 51 / 39 / 51 | 33 / 41 / 28 / 42 |
| TEF Canada, test taken after December 10, 2023 (reading / writing / listening / speaking) | 393 / 379 / 393 / 422 | 352 / 330 / 352 / 387 | 306 / 268 / 306 / 328 |
| TCF Canada (reading / writing / listening / speaking) | 406 / 7 / 398 / 7 | 375 / 6 / 369 / 6 | 342 / 4 / 331 / 4 |
For FCIP, the NCLC 5 minimums are the same as the NCLC 5 column for TEF Canada and TCF Canada. Older TEF tests use different score tables, so check IRCC's conversion table for your test date. IRCC does not state an English-test requirement for FCIP.
Education
A Canadian high school diploma or post-secondary credential, or a foreign credential with an educational credential assessment (ECA) from a designated organization that is less than 5 years old on the application date and shows it is equal to a Canadian high school or post-secondary credential.
Settlement funds
Candidates already working in Canada with a valid work permit do not need to show funds. Everyone else needs at least the following (table updated July 29, 2025), available both when applying and when the permanent resident visa is issued:
| Family size | Minimum funds (CAD) |
|---|---|
| 1 | $10,507 |
| 2 | $13,080 |
| 3 | $16,080 |
| 4 | $19,524 |
| 5 | $22,143 |
| 6 | $24,975 |
| 7 | $27,806 |
| Each additional person | $2,831 |
Family size includes the candidate, the spouse or common-law partner and all dependent children, even if they are not coming to Canada or are already citizens or permanent residents. Accepted proof is bank statements, bank drafts, cheques or money orders; the funds must be available when you apply and when the permanent resident visa is issued.
Step by step, with the optional work permit
- Choose a communityRead the community's official site for its priority occupations, designated employers, current intake and local rules.
- Get a qualifying job offerApply for a real vacancy with a designated employer, and check the NOC, TEER, duties, location and any licensing rules.
- Prepare your eligibility evidenceWork experience or the local-graduate exemption, language results, education or ECA, and settlement funds.
- Employer submits the recommendation applicationThe employer sends it directly to the community. It shows the job could not be filled locally, that the offer and the candidate meet the pilot rules, and that the employer will connect the candidate with settlement services. No labour market impact assessment (LMIA) is needed.
- Receive the recommendation certificateIf the community approves, it sends the candidate a recommendation certificate. IRCC's pages do not state how long the community takes, how long a recommendation stays valid, or a deadline to apply after it; ask the community.
- Apply for permanent residenceApply online to IRCC with the certificate, forms and supporting documents.
- Optional work permitAfter applying for permanent residence, the candidate may apply for a 2-year employer-specific work permit, using the employer's offer of employment number and the community recommendation form. Applicants inside Canada upload proof that the permanent residence application was submitted; applicants outside Canada include the acknowledgement of receipt. The recommendation form goes into the single optional document (one scanned file titled "Client information", maximum 4 MB). The spouse or common-law partner may apply at the same time for an open work permit that allows work only in the same community.
Government fees
| Fee | Amount (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Processing fee, principal applicant | $990 |
| Processing fee, spouse or common-law partner | $990 |
| Processing fee, each dependent child | $270 |
| Right of permanent residence fee (each adult) | $600 |
| Biometrics | $85 per person, or $170 for a family of 2 or more |
The old Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot is closed
The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) stopped accepting new applications on August 31, 2024. Applications received by that date are still processed. RNIP community lists, employer lists and recommendation forms do not create eligibility under RCIP or FCIP.
Readiness checklist
| Requirement | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Community | One of the 18 participating communities, with an intake currently open |
| Employer | Designated by that community |
| Job offer | At least 30 hours a week, year-round, no end date, in a community priority, on IMM 0247 (RCIP) or IMM 0251 (FCIP) |
| Experience | 1,560 hours of related paid work in 3 years at a matching TEER, or the local-graduate exemption |
| Language | Approved test less than 2 years old at the level for the pilot and TEER |
| Education | Canadian credential, or an ECA less than 5 years old |
| Funds | Amount for the family size, unless already working in Canada with a valid work permit |
| Recommendation | Community recommendation certificate received before applying to IRCC |
Frequently asked questions
Who are the pilots meant for?
IRCC describes both pilots as being for skilled candidates who want to work and live in one of the participating communities. Choose a community where you genuinely plan to settle.
Is a job offer from any employer in the same province enough?
No. The employer must be designated by the participating community, and the job must be inside that community's boundaries.
Can I use one job offer for both pilots in Sudbury or Timmins?
Each pilot has its own offer form and requirements. FCIP requires NCLC 5 in French. Ask the community which pilot the employer and position are designated for.
Official sources
- IRCC: Rural and Francophone Community Immigration pilots
- IRCC: Rural Community Immigration Pilot
- IRCC: RCIP, who can apply
- IRCC: RCIP, work experience and graduate exemption
- IRCC: RCIP, language test
- IRCC: RCIP, education assessment
- IRCC: RCIP, settlement funds
- IRCC: RCIP, optional work permit
- IRCC: Francophone Community Immigration Pilot
- IRCC: FCIP, language test
- IRCC: FCIP, work experience
- IRCC: FCIP, optional work permit
- IRCC: Get designated as an employer
- IRCC: Hire a candidate (job offer rules)
- IRCC: Submit a recommendation to your community
- IRCC: Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (closed)
- IRCC: Fee list
This page is general information about Canadian immigration law and policy as of the date above. It is not legal advice for your situation. Programs, forms and fees change often; check the official sources before you apply.