Rural Community Immigration Pilot and Francophone Pilot: 2026 Guide

The Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP) are federal permanent residence pathways for skilled workers who want to settle in smaller communities. RCIP covers 14 rural communities, and FCIP covers 6 francophone minority communities outside Quebec. Both work the same way. You get a job offer from an employer the community has designated, the community recommends you, and then you apply to IRCC for PR. As of October 2026, IRCC lists both pilots as open.

Key points

• Both pilots are open as of October 2026 (IRCC pages updated April 30, 2026).
• RCIP: 14 communities in Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.
• FCIP: 6 communities in New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia.
• You need a job offer from a designated employer and a community recommendation.
• Work experience: at least 1 year (1,560 hours) of related experience in the past 3 years.

Participating communities

These lists are from IRCC’s job offer pages for the RCIP and FCIP.

Rural Community Immigration Pilot (14 communities)

Province	Communities
Nova Scotia	Pictou County
Ontario	North Bay, Sudbury, Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay
Manitoba	Steinbach, Altona/Rhineland, Brandon
Saskatchewan	Moose Jaw
Alberta	Claresholm
British Columbia	West Kootenay, North Okanagan Shuswap, Peace Liard

Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (6 communities)

Province	Community
New Brunswick	Acadian Peninsula
Ontario	Sudbury, Timmins, Superior East Region
Manitoba	St. Pierre Jolys
British Columbia	Kelowna

Sudbury and Timmins take part in both pilots.

Eligibility requirements

IRCC lists the same five core requirements for both pilots on its RCIP eligibility page and the matching FCIP page:

Requirement	Rule
Job offer	Valid offer from a designated employer in the participating community
Work experience	At least 1 year (1,560 hours) of related work experience in the past 3 years
Language	Results from an approved language test
Education	A Canadian educational credential or foreign equivalent
Settlement funds	Enough money to support yourself and your family

The minimum language score depends on your job’s TEER level, and the FCIP is designed for French speakers. IRCC lists the exact scores on its language sub-pages. Check them before booking a test.

How the community recommendation works

The community is the gatekeeper in both pilots.

1. The community designates employers. Each community chooses which employers can make job offers through the pilot. Once ready, it posts its designated employers and open jobs on its own website. IRCC links to each community’s site.
2. You get a job offer from one of those designated employers.
3. The employer sends your community recommendation application directly to the community.
4. The community reviews it. IRCC says the community checks that “your job is in a priority sector or occupation and the offer is real,” and that you meet the pilot’s requirements.
5. If recommended, you apply for PR online with IRCC.

Each community sets its own priority sectors and occupations, so a job that qualifies in Brandon may not qualify in Thunder Bay. Read the community’s website closely.

Step by step: from job search to PR

1. Pick a community and read its website for priority occupations and designated employers.
2. Check eligibility: work experience, language, education and funds.
3. Take an approved language test and, if your education is from outside Canada, get an educational credential assessment.
4. Get a job offer from a designated employer.
5. Wait for the community recommendation. The employer submits it on your behalf.
6. Apply for permanent residence with IRCC. The economic PR fee is $1,590 for the principal applicant, including the right of permanent residence fee, as of October 2026 (IRCC fee list).
7. Optional: apply for a work permit. Both pilots offer an optional work permit so you can start working while the PR application is processed. IRCC lists the conditions on each pilot’s work permit page.
8. Settle in the community. The pilots expect you to live and work there.

How many people the pilots admit

RCIP and FCIP fall under “Federal Economic Pilots” in the 2026–2028 Levels Plan. The target for this group is 8,175 admissions in 2026 and 8,775 in 2027 and 2028. That figure covers several pilots, not only these two. Ask the community whether it is still accepting recommendation applications before you commit to a move.

RCIP vs FCIP vs other programs

	RCIP	FCIP	Atlantic Immigration Program
Where	14 rural communities in 6 provinces	6 francophone minority communities	NB, NS, PEI, NL
Who designates employers	The community	The community	The province
Endorsement step	Community recommendation	Community recommendation	Provincial endorsement
Language focus	English or French	French	English or French

If you are aiming for Atlantic Canada, read our Atlantic Immigration Program guide. Applicants already waiting in a pilot queue who have lived in a smaller community for 2 years may be covered by the In-Canada Workers Initiative. For a wider view of provincial options, see the Provincial Nominee Program guide.

This article is general information, not legal advice. For your own situation, speak to a licensed lawyer or regulated Canadian immigration consultant (RCIC).

How to choose a community

With 19 places across the two pilots (Sudbury and Timmins appear in both), picking the right community is half the work. Questions worth answering before you apply:

• Does the community list your occupation as a priority? Communities only recommend candidates in their priority sectors or occupations. If your job is not on the list, the community cannot recommend you, even with a job offer.
• Are designated employers hiring in your field? Each community posts its designated employers and current jobs on its website. A short list may mean fewer chances.
• Does your language profile fit? FCIP communities are francophone minority communities, and French is central to that pilot. For RCIP, English or French test results can work, subject to IRCC’s minimum scores.
• Can you see yourself living there long-term? These pilots exist to help smaller communities keep workers. Think about climate, distance from major cities, housing and services for your family.
• Do you already have a connection? If you already live or work in one of these communities on a work permit, you may be in a stronger position with local employers.

Common questions about designated employers

Can any employer in the community hire me through the pilot? No. Only employers the community has designated can make pilot job offers.

Who submits the community recommendation? The designated employer sends your recommendation application to the community, according to IRCC.

What does the community check? IRCC says the community confirms that the job is in a priority sector or occupation, that the offer is genuine, and that you meet the pilot’s requirements.

Does the employer pay for anything? Designation and recommendation are handled between the employer and the community. You should never pay an employer or a third party for a job offer. If someone asks for money in exchange for a pilot job, treat it as a red flag.

What if I change jobs later? Your PR application is based on the job offer and recommendation you applied with. If your job changes during processing, tell IRCC and get advice before you make any change.

What to do next

• Visit the website of each community you are interested in and note its priority occupations.
• Make a list of designated employers that hire in your field.
• Book an approved language test now. For FCIP communities, focus on French.
• Follow pilot changes on our updates page and the Canada hub.