On January 30, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Canada introduced two new pilots aimed to improve retention of
foreign workers in rural and francophone communities. The Rural and
the Francophone Community Immigration Pilots represent a new
pathway to permanent residence for skilled workers with a job offer
in a participating rural community.
What are the Rural and Francophone Community Immigration
Pilots?
Like other regional immigration programs, the Rural and
Francophone Community Immigration Pilots require employers to
become designated prior to participating in the program.
Designation applications are processed by the community's
economic development organization, which will screen the employers
with their own criteria to ensure their participation in the
program will make a substantial economic contribution.
