Two pilots, 18 communities
The Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP) offer permanent residence to skilled workers who want to work and settle in one of 18 selected communities. RCIP covers 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 covers 6 Francophone-minority communities: Acadian Peninsula (NB); Sudbury, Timmins and Superior East Region (ON); St. Pierre Jolys (MB); Kelowna (BC). Sudbury and Timmins take part in both. Both pilot pages showed the status “Open” when we checked.
The steps
Each community designates employers. You first need a job offer from a designated employer, who then sends your community recommendation application to the community. The community checks that the job is in a priority sector or occupation, that the offer is real and that you meet the pilot’s requirements. If it recommends you, you can apply for permanent residence. You may then be eligible for a two-year work permit tied to that employer, and your spouse or partner can apply at the same time for an open work permit limited to the same community.
Work experience
You need at least one year (1,560 hours) of related paid work experience in the past three years. Volunteer work, unpaid internships and self-employment do not count, and the experience must include the main NOC duties and be in a TEER level similar to the job offer: for an offer in TEER 0 or 1, experience in TEER 0 to 3 counts; for TEER 2, TEER 1 to 4; for TEER 3 or 4, TEER 2 to 4; and for TEER 5, the same five-digit NOC code. Some recent graduates of a public post-secondary school in the community are exempt under conditions IRCC lists.
Language and education
For RCIP, the minimum language level depends on the TEER of your job offer: CLB 6 for TEER 0 or 1, CLB 5 for TEER 2 or 3 and CLB 4 for TEER 4 or 5, using CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training, PTE Core, TEF Canada or TCF Canada. FCIP needs NCLC 5 in all four abilities, with TEF Canada or TCF Canada only. Results must be less than two years old. You also need a Canadian secondary or post-secondary credential, or an educational credential assessment that is less than five years old.
Settlement funds
You do not need to show funds if you already work in Canada with a valid work permit. Otherwise, IRCC’s table, updated July 29, 2025, lists CAD 10,507 for one person, 13,080 for two, 16,080 for three, 19,524 for four, 22,143 for five, 24,975 for six and 27,806 for seven, plus 2,831 for each additional family member. These pilots do not use CRS points, so the scores on this site do not decide eligibility; record the community, the employer’s designation and the dates of each step instead.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a job offer for the rural or Francophone pilot?
Yes. You need a job offer from an employer the community has designated, and then a community recommendation before you apply for permanent residence.
What French level does the Francophone pilot require?
NCLC 5 in all four abilities, shown with TEF Canada or TCF Canada results less than two years old.
Do I need proof of funds if I already work in Canada?
No. IRCC says you do not need to show funds if you are already working in Canada with a valid work permit.
Official sources
- https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots.html
- https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots/rural-immigration.html
- https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots/franco-immigration.html
- https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots/rural-immigration/eligibility/work-experience.html
- https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots/rural-immigration/eligibility/language-test.html
- https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots/franco-immigration/eligibility/language-test.html
- https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots/rural-immigration/eligibility/proof-funds.html
- https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots/rural-immigration/work-permit.html