2 New Canada Permanent Residency Pathways Eligibility Criteria

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada has recently announced the eligibility requirements for two new permanent residency pathways, which were published in the official Canada Gazette on December 14. The two new pathways are the Rural Community Immigration Class (RCIC) and the Francophone Community Immigration Class (FCIC). These initiatives are designed to draw skilled workers to rural and Francophone communities outside of Quebec, thereby addressing labor shortages and fostering regional economic growth. A comprehensive overview of the eligibility criteria for both pathways is provided below, based on the most recent Ministerial Instructions released in the Canada Gazette on December 14, 2024*

Rural Community Immigration Class (RCIC)

The Rural Community Immigration Class is intended for foreign nationals who are capable of establishing themselves economically within a designated rural community in Canada. To be eligible under this program, applicants must fulfill some general requirements such as relevant work experience corresponding to their occupation as outlined in the National Occupational Classification (NOC). The specific requirements are as follows:

1. Minimum Duration: a minimum of one year (1,560 hours) of continuous, full-time work experience, or an equivalent amount of part-time work experience, within the last three years.

2. Occupational Duties: the work experience must correspond with the lead statement and a significant number of primary duties specified for the NOC occupation.

3. Authorized Work: any work experience acquired in Canada must have been obtained while the applicant holds valid temporary resident status.

Applicants must also satisfy particular requirements regarding work experience within the Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) category of their NOC.

International Graduates Exemption

The work experience criteria are waived for international graduates who fulfill the following conditions:

1. Program Completion: The individual must have obtained a degree, diploma, certificate, or trade credential from a recognized Canadian post-secondary institution within 18 months before their application.
2. Physical Presence:

– For applicants enrolled in master’s or doctoral programs lasting less than two years, full-time study must have occurred within the designated community.

– For programs exceeding two years, applicants are required to have resided in the community for at least 16 of the last 24 months.

3. Eligible Programs: The programs must not:

– Contain more than 50% of credits allocated to language studies (English/French).

– Exceed 50% of coursework delivered through distance learning.

– Be associated with scholarships that mandate the graduate to return to their country of origin.

Genuine Employment Offer

Applicants are required to obtain a legitimate job offer that satisfies the following criteria:

1. Approved Employer: The job offer must originate from an employer recognized by the Economic Development Organization (EDO) within the specified community.
2. Permanent and Full-Time: The position must be permanent, full-time, and not seasonal in nature.
3. Community Engagement: A minimum of 75% of the work must take place within the designated rural community.
4. TEER Compatibility: The job must correspond with the applicant’s professional experience or educational qualifications. – For TEER 0: Experience in TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3. – For TEER 1: Experience in TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3. – For TEER 2: Experience in TEER 1, 2, 3, or 4. – For TEER 3: Experience in TEER 2, 3, or 4. – For TEER 4: Experience in TEER 2, 3, or 4. – For TEER 5: Experience within the same NOC unit             

Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in English or French by submitting results from a language test approved under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.

Test results must:

1. Be less than 2 years old at the time of application.
2. Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB):
   • CLB 6 for TEER 0 or 1.
   • CLB 5 for TEER 2 or 3.
   • CLB 4 for TEER 4 or 5.

Educational Requirements

Applicants must:

1. Have a Canadian secondary or post-secondary educational credential, or
2. Obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for any foreign credentials, confirming equivalency to Canadian education standards.

Certificate of Recommendation

Applicants must secure a valid Certificate of Recommendation from the designated community’s Economic Development Organization.

This certificate:

2. Confirms the applicant’s job offer and community connection.
3. Will remain valid for 6 months after issuance.
4. May be revoked if the designated employer loses their status or if fraudulent claims are discovered

Francophone Community Immigration Class (FCIC)

The Francophone Community Immigration Class is tailored to increase the number of French-speaking immigrants settling outside Quebec.

The program aims to strengthen Francophone minority communities across Canada.

Language Proficiency

Applicants must:

1. Demonstrate advanced proficiency in French (CLB/NCLC 5 or higher) in each of the four language skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

Work Experience

Work experience requirements for FCIC are similar to RCIC:

1. At least 1 year of continuous work experience within the past 3 years in a recognized TEER occupation.
2. Experience must meet the main duties described in the NOC for the occupation.

Educational Requirements

Applicants must have a Canadian credential of secondary school education or higher “OR” an equivalent Education Credential Assessment (ECA) for foreign credentials.

Employment Offer

An applicant must demonstrate that they have received a qualifying genuine offer of employment that is

• for employment that they are qualified for, able to perform and are likely to accept and carry out, as indicated by their past work experience or education related to the lead statement and main duties of the occupation as set out in the occupational descriptions of the National Occupational Classification
• from a designated employer;
• for non-seasonal, full-time work for an indeterminate period;
• for employment that is located in the designated community and where at least 75% of the work is to be performed within that designated community;
• in an occupation for which they have attained the necessary recent work experience as stated below:
  • For TEER 0: Experience in TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3.
  • For TEER 1: Experience in TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3.
  • For TEER 2: Experience in TEER 1, 2, 3, or 4.
  • For TEER 3: Experience in TEER 2, 3, or 4.
  • For TEER 4: Experience in TEER 2, 3, or 4.
  • For TEER 5: Experience in the same NOC unit group.

Communities To Participate In This Rural Community Immigration Class

Participation of Communities in the Rural Community Immigration Class Although the specific communities participating in the Rural Community Immigration Class have not been officially announced, it is anticipated that the majority of the communities listed below will be involved, given their successful experience with the pilot programs.

Additionally, more communities are expected to participate in the new rural community-based immigration programs.

Reference: Canada Gazette, Part 1, Volume 158, Number 50: GOVERNMENT NOTICES