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In the latest immigration news, North Bay launched its Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP). There are currently ten communities accepting applications through the RNIP with the latest addition being the region of North Bay, Ontario. The final community that is yet to launch its immigration pilot is the region of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Foreign nationals looking for an alternative way to immigrate to Canada can now add North Bay to their list of cities to settle in. The community-driven immigration program aims at attracting professionals and intermediate skilled workers from overseas to the region.
Find out what you need to qualify for the RNIP below and why you should consider living in North Bay!
What is the Rural Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP)?
The RNIP is designed to help participating in rural and northern communities in Canada gain access to skilled workers and support from the federal government to help newcomers settle in as part of the local communities. These communities face many challenges, including aging populations, labor shortages, and out-migration of youth. Very few immigrants are spread-out across Canada and instead, tend to settle in large urban centers such as Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, potentially missing out on lucrative opportunities elsewhere.
That’s about to change, the RNIP aims to shine the spotlight on the lesser-known communities across the four provinces by removing any barriers. Community-employers will be involved in the recruitment and immigration process by pinpointing labor shortages and offering foreign workers permanent employment.
Participating Communities
- Newly launched: North Bay, Ontario
- Sudbury, Ontario
- Timmins, Ontario
- Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
- Thunder Bay, Ontario
- Brandon, Manitoba
- Altona, Manitoba
- Coming soon: Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
- Claresholm, Alberta
- Vernon, British Columbia
- West Kootenay, British Columbia
North Bay: RNIP Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for immigration to Canada through the RNIP, you need to meet both the IRCC eligibility requirements and the community-specific requirements. The application is a two-step process. First, you need to achieve a community recommendation by satisfying the community requirements. Next, your official application for permanent residency is sent to the IRCC for the final decision.
IRCC Eligibility Requirements
Immigration Refugee Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is a department of Canada’s federal government that manages all immigration applications (apart from Quebec) and makes the final decision on who gets granted permanent resident status in Canada. The IRCC assess your eligibility according to the following criteria:
1. Work experience
Applicants need 1-year of continuous work experience (at least 1,560 hours) in the past 3 years OR they are recent graduates who graduated from a post-secondary program of 2 years or longer.
2. Language requirements
Your level of language proficiency in either English (Canadian Language Benchmarks - CLB) or French (Niveaux de compétence Linguistique canadiens - NCLC) depends on the occupation in which you have been offered a job from an employer in the North Bay community. See the minimum language requirements below:
Managerial and professional jobs: CLB/NCLC 6
Trade and technical jobs: CLB/NCLC 5
Intermediate skilled jobs: CLB/NCLC 4
3. Educational requirements
Applicants must at least have a high school diploma. An educational credential assessment report is needed for education obtained outside of Canada.
4. RNIP Settlement funds
The amount of money you need to immigrate to Canada depends on the size of your family. It is important to note that even if your dependents don’t move to Canada with you, your savings must still reflect their share
| RNIP Settlement Funds | |
|---|---|
| Number of Family Members | Settlement Funds in CAD |
| 1 | $8, 922 |
| 2 | $11, 107 |
| 3 | $13, 654 |
| 4 | $16, 579 |
| 5 | $18, 803 |
| 6 | $21, 207 |
| 7 or more | $23, 611 |
5. Intent to live in North Bay
Applicants must plan to live in the community. Proof of settlement plans may be required.
Community Specific Requirements
1. Valid job offer
You must obtain a valid job offer from an eligible employer in one of the National Occupational Classification (2016) groups determined by North Bay to be in-demand. Find qualifying job offers here.
2. Work experience
Your job experience must match with the duties and responsibilities required to effectively work in the job specified within your job offer.
3. Interview
Applicants who apply from outside Canada must be available for a 15 to 30-minute video conference interview with an RNIP representative.
4. Candidates past residence
Your application will be prioritized if you have experience of living in a rural and remote community.
5. Spouses and common-law partner
Your application will be prioritized if your spouse or common-law partner can contribute to the economic and social life in North Bay.
About North Bay
Why should you consider immigrating to North Bay, Ontario? If waking to the sounds of birds chirping instead of cars honking appeals to you, then you’d enjoy living in a smaller community that’s far away from the hustle and bustle of big city life. North Bay is known as the “Gateway of the North” because it is situated in the northernmost part of Ontario and is located between two large lakes.
The serene region complete with a forest, rivers and a waterfall makes for a laid-back and peaceful lifestyle. “You’re close to nature and you’re close to family,” said Naveen Anuja, an immigrant living in North Bay. The average commute time is only 10-minutes from home to work.
The City of North Bay has a population of approximately 51,553 people that are close-knit, supportive, and spend time getting to know each other through cooking clubs and other fun activities. Should you feel the need to hit the lively streets of the big cities, Toronto and Ontario are conveniently only a 3.5-hour drive from North Bay.
Immigrants enjoy a high quality of life in North Bay with low living costs. The total cost of living in North Bay is around $1,325 and you typically earn around $2,384 per month.
Watch: Immigrants talk about life in North Bay
| Cost of Living in North Bay | |
|---|---|
| Accommodation | Average Price |
| 1-bedroom apartment | $621, 52 per month |
| 3-bedroom apartment | $1212, 71 per month |
| buying a house | $224, 000 |
| Utilities | Average Price |
| Electricity plus water and garbage collecting | $122,31 |
| Internet | $53, 34 |
| Transportation | Average Price |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | $2, 46 |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | $64.31 |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | $0.88 |
| Food | Average Price |
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | $11, 72 |
| Cappuccino | $2, 86 |
| Eggs (12) | $2, 45 |
| Local cheese | $5, 82 |
| White bread | $2, 15 |
| Milk (1 liter) | $1, 59 |
| Beef (1kg) | $6, 40 |
How We Can Help You Apply for the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot
If you’re interested in exploring your immigration options for Canada, we can help. Canadian Visa is a licensed immigration and visa agency with years of experience in helping people achieve their goals and dreams of living in our amazing country.
- Comprehensive eligibility evaluation
- Tailored visa and immigration plan
- Access to your own Visa Profile Builder to download and upload documents, chat directly to our agents, and track your application progress
- Application optimization and submission by our RCICs
- Expert guidance throughout the entire process
If you want to immigrate to Canada through the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, we are the professionals who can help make it happen. Simply, fill in the form below to start your eligibility evaluation with one of our friendly consultants.
