Welcome

Thank you for your interest in the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) in the West Kootenay region.

West Kootenay Rural & Northern Immigration Updates

February 13, 2024:
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has extended the participation period of the West Kootenay Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot. Our intake is now open.

PLEASE NOTE: Changes have been made to the Community Criteria for priority NOC job eligibility. Review the changes under: West Kootenay Priority NOC Jobs on the Community Criteria tab to ensure you meet eligibility.

A change to processing Permanent Residence applications as of March 1, 2024: Candidates who receive a recommendation from our community must submit their permanent residency application before August 31, 2024.

Please visit this page regularly for updates as our intake will close again.

The Pilot will only accept applications from candidates who have lived in the West Kootenay region boundaries for 6 months or more.

The Pilot will only accept applications from candidates who have lived in the West Kootenay region boundaries for 6 months or more. The Pilot will no longer accept applicants from out of the region or overseas.

The Pilot has a limited number of community recommendations. For this reason, some people will not be able to use the Pilot before it ends. Please visit Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s website to learn about other pathways to immigrate to Canada.

The West Kootenay Region was recognized as an area that could benefit from this pilot and entered into a partnership with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in 2019-2020. The West Kootenay region uses this pilot to strengthen local economies and support workforce development. Each of the 11 participating communities across across Canada have tailored the pilot to address their needs and economic development goals. For more information on the benefits of immigration, please go to Immigration Matters.

If you are interested in participating in this program, please click on one of the two buttons below:

RNIP Success Stories

Many lives have changed forever thanks to the West Kootenay Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot.  

This pilot has helped over 1000 newcomers apply for their Canadian permanent residency. Additionally, over 200 West Kootenay employers have used the pilot to support existing employees or hire skilled foreign workers to support their workforce needs… Read more

Our Region

The West Kootenay is a welcoming region of over 30,000 people. Visitors come to the Kootenays in every season to experience the majestic mountains, abundant wildlife, and many beautiful lakes and rivers.

Business is alive and well in the Kootenays. Primary economic drivers are resource extraction and forestry, with agriculture, tourism, and vigorous entrepreneurial activity across many other sectors also making a considerable contribution to local economies.

The Pilot

The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot is a community-led immigration program designed to bring skilled permanent residents to rural communities. The goal of the pilot is to spread the benefits of economic immigration to communities outside of large metropolitan centres.

The West Kootenay region has partnered with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to develop a program that works best for our community by prioritizing skilled immigrants who intend to make the West Kootenay region their home. For more information, please go to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s website.

Want to know more about how the Pilot is going, read our West Kootenay Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Labour Market Partnership Final Report (February 2023).