Question 1

Ensure you meet the Employer Requirements

Accepted Answer

To participate in the Northeast BC Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP), an employer must be designated.

To be designated, an employer must meet the following requirements:

• Be an active, genuine business that has been operating continuously for at least 2 years under the same management within the Peace Liard region of Northeast BC. 
 • Operate in at least one of the priority sectors and employ individuals in at least one of the priority occupations identified by the Northeast BC RCIP Steering Committee.
 • Do at least 75% of business work inside the Peace Liard region of Northeast BC.
 • Complete the free onboarding training which can be accessed here.  (https://storage.googleapis.com/communitypilots-employer-onboarding/English/content/index.html#/)
 • Complete the free intercultural competence training which can be accessed here.  (https://araisa.ca/courses/building-welcoming-workplaces/)
 • Agree to support the settlement of each applicant and any accompanying family member, including facilitating access to settlement and social service support.
 • Agree to be listed publicly on the Northeast BC RCIP website.
 • Not be in violation of the employer compliance regime under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) or Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR).
 • Be in good standing and comply with employment standards and occupational health and safety legislation.
 • Not have directly or indirectly misrepresented or withheld any fact relating to a relevant matter that could influence the decision of allowing them to participate in the program.

NOTE: The following businesses/organizations are not eligible to participate in RCIP:

• A consulate
 • A staffing or employment agency
 • A business owned by an authorized immigration representative
 • A business that an applicant (or their spouse or common-law partner) owns or controls
 • An employer referred to in paragraphs 200(3)(g.1) and (h) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations

Question 2

Apply for designation

Accepted Answer

There is no cost to becoming a Designated Employer (DE) under the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP). Employers can apply for designation either in advance of hiring a foreign national or when they find someone they wish to hire or retain. Designation applications are accepted throughout the length of the pilot as capacity allows. Applications are reviewed in the order they are received.

To become a Designated Employer, your business must fall within one of the eligible sectors for 2026.

Training Process

Employers are required to complete two online training sessions:
1. Employer Onboarding Training (https://storage.googleapis.com/communitypilots-employer-onboarding/English/content/index.html#/)
2. Building Welcoming Workplaces (https://araisa.ca/courses/building-welcoming-workplaces/)

Each session will generate a Certificate of Completion, which must be submitted as part of your Employer Designation application.

Next Steps

1. Download the Employer Designation Application Form (https://c6258bfb-f537-43ce-a4c5-9d1dfd4a7880.usrfiles.com/ugd/c6258b_946d4e85d5ca4090a637cd76909a0c9d.pdf)and complete it in full, following the provided Employer Designation Guidelines.(https://c6258bfb-f537-43ce-a4c5-9d1dfd4a7880.usrfiles.com/ugd/c6258b_3687a6903dd14796a403f9136a58f3ac.pdf) We recommend using the Fill & Sign feature in Adobe Acrobat for best results.

2. Use our SimpleSurvey portal (https://form.simplesurvey.com/f/s/nebcemployerdesignation)to submit your application by uploading the following documents:

• Completed Employer Designation Application Form
 • Certificates of Completion from both training modules 
 • Business Registration/Articles of Incorporation (or equivalent depending on the legal structure of your organization)
 • Worksafe BC Clearance Letter (https://www.worksafebc.com/en/insurance/why-clearance-letter/get-clearance-letter)
 • Valid Business License (if applicable)

Additional documents may be requested during the review process to ensure all eligibility criteria are fully met.

NOTE: Employers are only required to be designated once to participate in the Pilot. However, an employer’s designation status may be revoked for any of the following reasons:

• Pilot priority sectors and/or occupations change and the employer no longer falls within priorities;
 • The designated employer voluntarily requests withdrawal from the Pilot;
 • The employer no longer meets the employer designation criteria; or
 • Any of the reasons set out in section (4) of the Ministerial Instructions with respect to the RCIP.

Question 3

Hire a candidate

Accepted Answer

Once you’re designated by the Northeast BC RCIP, you can offer jobs to eligible candidates.

NOTE: We do not match candidates with jobs. You may find a candidate on your own or a candidate may approach you.

Click here (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots/hire/candidate.html)to ensure your job offer meets the requirements of the Pilot.
Click here (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots/rural-immigration/eligibility.html)to ensure your candidate meets the candidate requirements.

Please note that the wage offered must meet or exceed the Job Bank’s minimum wage (https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis/search-wages)for your job offer’s National Occupational Classification (NOC), based on the Northeast BC region.

If the job and candidate meet the requirements of the Pilot, provide the candidate with a completed Offer of Employment Form.(https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/imm0247.html)

At this stage, you can encourage your candidate to start collecting the documents they’ll need for the next step, which is for you to submit a candidate application on their behalf.

NOTE: If a candidate is not currently working with you, the employer will have to demonstrate that they have made efforts to recruit a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident prior to providing the offer of employment to the candidate.

Question 4

Apply for recommendation

Accepted Answer

On April 1st 2026 12:00PM we will begin accepting Candidate Recommendation Applications from Designated Employers. The SimpleSurvey portal link will be shared with Designated Employers via email approx. 2 days prior.

The Designated Employer will need to upload the Recommendation Application Form (https://c6258bfb-f537-43ce-a4c5-9d1dfd4a7880.usrfiles.com/ugd/c6258b_920e55133bb14149a7ed638d08e538dd.pdf)and all supporting documents using the portal link provided to them. Please use the Recommendation Application Guidelines (https://c6258bfb-f537-43ce-a4c5-9d1dfd4a7880.usrfiles.com/ugd/c6258b_ade6fb5abeac43f5886e54f18e92d5e2.pdf)to complete the application form.

The Recommendation Application Form confirms:

• That you haven’t been able to fill the job with a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident;
 • That the job offer meets the pilot requirements;
 • That the candidate meets the pilot requirements;
 • That you commit to connecting your candidate with immigrant settlement services.

All sections of the form MUST be filled out. If a section is not applicable to you, please write "N/A". We recommend using the Adobe Acrobat Fill & Sign feature for best results. If handwritten, it must be legible or it will not be considered.

Due to high demand and a limited number of recommendations available, we will only accept ONE Candidate Recommendation Application per Designated Employer to start. This is to ensure regional and sector equity. This cap may be lifted later in the year if allocations remain unfilled or we receive additional allocations.

Please ensure the following list of documents are included along with the Application Form:

 Language test results  (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots/rural-immigration/eligibility/language-test.html)
 Proof of Education (alongside ECA i(https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots/rural-immigration/eligibility/education-assessment.html)f necessary) 
 Intent to Reside form (https://c6258bfb-f537-43ce-a4c5-9d1dfd4a7880.usrfiles.com/ugd/c6258b_072ea298f5ed4eef81e16e9ac27e9f83.docx)filled by candidate 
 IMM 0247 (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/imm0247.html)(Offer of Employment to a Foreign National for the Rural Community Immigration Pilot) 
 IMM 0248 Schedule 1 (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/imm0248.html)– Rural Community Immigration Pilot 
 Proof of previous relevant work experience (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots/rural-immigration/eligibility.html)- This can include pay stubs, letter of employment, copy of T4 tax information slips, etc. 
 Proof of exemption from work experience (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots/rural-immigration/eligibility.html)(if applicable) 
 If the candidate is already in Canada, copy of their legal status in the country
 Copy of the biographical data page of a passport or travel document  
 Any other necessary supporting documents

Note: Applications must be submitted through the official SimpleSurvey portal. Do not send your application by email. It will not be accepted under any circumstances.

Question 5

How applications are processed

Accepted Answer

We are authorized to issue up to 60 candidate recommendations for the Northeast BC – Peace Liard region in the 2026 intake year. We may receive additional recommendations in the Fall should other communities fail to use up all of their recommendations.

We will use a scoring grid and pool model to triage, assess and rank applications. Please see the attached scoring grid. (https://c6258bfb-f537-43ce-a4c5-9d1dfd4a7880.usrfiles.com/ugd/c6258b_6cab76f8a33c492293b0b90cf96aec0b.pdf)

We may be able to accept up to 20% discretionary NOC codes that fall outside of the eligible 25 NOC codes. As required by IRCC, discretionary NOCs are eligible for sector points only and do not receive occupation category points.

To ensure regional and sector equity, each Designated Employer may submit only ONE (1) Candidate Recommendation Application at first. This cap may be lifted later in the year should allocations remain available.

Allocations will be issued to the highest ranking candidates in line with sector distribution targets throughout the year. Where a sector does not have enough eligible or competitive candidates at that time, recommendations may be issued to higher-ranking candidates from other sectors.

The following NOC codes are capped at 5% of allocations and a combined total of 20% as required by IRCC:

-Food Service Manager (NOC 60031)
-Food Service Supervisor (NOC 62020)
-Cashier (NOC 65100)
-Retail Sales Supervisor (NOC 62010)

Please note: Applications will not be considered if they are incomplete, contain multiple errors/omissions or if the candidate does not meet federal eligibility requirements. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that their candidate(s) meet all program criteria and that all required documentation is complete, accurate and up to date.

Question 6

Support your candidate

Accepted Answer

If your Recommendation Application is approved, your candidate will receive a Recommendation Certificate that allows them to apply to IRCC for permanent residence.

Continue to support your candidate by implementing the commitments to settlement supports that you outlined on the Recommendation Application Form to help the candidate integrate into your business/organization and to feel welcome in the community.

NOTE: Receiving a Recommendation Certificate does not guarantee that your candidate will receive permanent residence. It is up to the IRCC Processing Officer’s discretion when they are reviewing the application.

To find newcomer services near you, please visit this page.(https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots/rural-immigration/settle.html)  (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots/rural-immigration/settle.html)

Question 7

Optional: Work permit

Accepted Answer

If your candidate requires a temporary work permit while their permanent residence application is being processed by IRCC, click here (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/rural-franco-pilots/hire/work-permit.html)to learn about the steps involved.

Northeast BC - Peace Liard Region

Priority Sectors and Occupations

Employer Requirements

Employer Designation Process

To become Designated, employers must complete the process below.

Frequently asked questions

Do you match candidates to Designated Employers?

Can I use RCIP for a person that already works for me?

If I am selected as a Designated Employer, what are the job requirements for our candidates?

Where do I find the Candidate requirements for RCIP?

What are the minimum language scores needed for my candidate to qualify for PR in the RCIP?

What wage am I required to pay?

Are there any exemptions to the work experience requirement?

What if the candidate’s work permit will end while the Permanent Residence (PR) application is being processed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)?

Once our candidate has applied for Permanent Residence (PR) to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, what do I do if I have questions and/or need to update any information?

If there is a material change (the candidate resigns, moves out of the community, switches jobs) is there a reporting requirement?

Can I hire an Immigration Representative?

I have questions about the pilot; is there someone I can talk to?

What else do I need to know?