APPLICANTS GUIDE

Would you like to live and work in the West Kootenays long-term?

If you are an immigrant, temporary resident or overseas candidate looking to become a permanent resident scroll down to learn more about the West Kootenay Rural Community Immigration Pilot and how to apply.

What is the Rural Community Immigration Pilot?

The Rural Community Immigration Pilot offers permanent residence (PR) to skilled workers who want to work and settle in rural and more remote communities.

Applicants to the West Kootenay RCIP must be planning to work and live long-term in the West Kootenay region and meet federal and community criteria.

Participating Communities

Central Kootenay Regional District:

Creston, Yahk, East Shore of Kootenay Lake, Kaslo, North Kootenay Lake, Ainsworth, Balfour, Nelson, Ymir, Salmo, Castlegar, Slocan Valley, Silverton, New Denver, Nakusp, Burton, Fauquier, Edgewood and surrounding areas.

[Most of] Kootenay Boundary Regional District:

Fruitvale, Trail, Warfield, Rossland, Christina Lake, Grand Forks, Greenwood, Midway, and Rock Creek and surrounding areas.

See complete map.

Move to the Kootenays

Who is eligible to apply for the West Kootenay RCIP?

Temporary resident

A visitor, student, or worker who is currently employed by a West Kootenay designated employer

CHECKLIST

Coming soon

International student

Completed their studies in the West Kootenay region in the last 16 months

CHECKLIST

Coming soon

Applicant from outside West Kootenay

A person living abroad or in another part of Canada

CHECKLIST

Coming soon.

How do I qualify for the West Kootenay RCIP?

Follow these steps to qualify for the West Kootenay Rural Community Immigration Pilot.

VERIFY ELIGIBILITY

Check if you are eligible by reading through Federal Eligibility.

GET A JOB OFFER

To use this pilot, you must have a job offer from a designated West Kootenay employer in a priority sector and occupation (lists coming soon).

EMPLOYER SUBMITS APPLICATION

Once you have a valid job offer from a designated employer, the employer will send your community recommendation application to West Kootenay RCIP to review.

COMMUNITY RECOMMENDATION

The West Kootenay RCIP Committee will review the application, verifying your job offer, ensuring it is in a priority sector and occupation, and confirming you meet all candidate requirements.

APPLY FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE

If you receive a community recommendation, then you can apply online for permanent residence.

What happens next?

RCIP Steering Committee reviews applications

Your application will be presented to the West Kootenay Rural Community Immigration Pilot Committee Community Recommendation Meetings. These meetings are held once a month. Application are submitted to the committee in the order that they are received.

Results from Community Recommendation Meeting emailed to applicants

After your application is reviewed at the Community Recommendation Meeting, you will be sent an email telling you if you did or did not receive a community recommendation to apply for Canadian Permanent Residency.

If you receive a Community Recommendation for Permanent Residency

If you are successful, then you will receive a Recommendation Form from the Designated Economic Development Organization, Community Futures Central Kootenay.

You are then eligible to apply for Permanent Residency with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

If needed, you can also apply for a two-year work permit specific to the employer while the permanent resident application is being processed

How do I apply for the RCIP work permit?

While your application for permanent residency is being processed, applicants can apply for a two-year work permit specific to the employer who provided the Offer of Employment. (More details coming soon)

Your spouse or common-law partner can apply for an open work permit at the same time as you apply for your 2-year work permit. Their work permit will only let them work in the same community as you.

What else do I need to know?

Please click the topics below to learn more.

Timeline

Applications will be reviewed by the Community Recommendation Committee on a monthly basis. The applications are processed on a first-in, first-out basis.

Responsiveness

Due to the high volume of interest in the pilot, we will not be able to answer all inquiries.

Other Paths to Immigration

For other paths to immigration, visit Immigrate to Canada on Canada.ca.

Incomplete Applications

Applications WILL NOT be considered if the following documents are incomplete and do not meet minimum qualifications:

Immigration Representatives

The West Kootenay Rural Community Immigration Pilot is not affiliated with any Immigration Representative, nor do we give preferential treatment to applicants who have hired an Immigration Representative.

If you choose to have their paperwork completed by an Immigration Representative, we suggest that you read Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s guidelines for using an immigration and citizenship representative.

Applicants can use a representative to act on their behalf or to assist them with finding a qualifying job offer, completing their RCIP application for recommendation, and/or completing their Permanent Resident application.

There are different types of representatives: paid and unpaid, authorized and unauthorized. The West Kootenay Rural Community Immigration Pilot will not communicate with, or allow for, unauthorized representatives to assist with RCIP application. If an applicant uses an unauthorized representative, in Canada or abroad, we may return your application or refuse it.

Immigration Representatives are authorized if they are:

  • Lawyers and paralegals who are members in good standing of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society
  • Notaries who are members in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Québec, and
  • Citizenship or immigration consultants who are members in good standing of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants

Please note: using an Immigration Representative does not change how the application will be reviewed or whether it will be approved or rejected. All applications are handled the same. Immigration Representatives cannot and should not guarantee Community Recommendation, Permanent Residence, or a more expedient processing of an application.

Fraud and Misrepresentation

Fraud and misrepresentation are taken very seriously by the West Kootenay RCIP and by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Any business and/or individuals found to be misrepresenting themselves or committing fraud will be banned from applying for recommendation for the duration of the pilot, along with any associated parties. 

Misrepresentation and fraud can take many forms including but not limited to:

  • Submission of fraudulent documents
  • Accepting or offering money for a job offer
  • Intentionally misleading the West Kootenay Rural Community Immigration Pilot

Decision Making

It is important to note the following:

  • All decisions made by the West Kootenay Rural Community Immigration Pilot are final and are not subject to appeal.
  • Receiving a recommendation from the West Kootenay Rural Community Immigration Pilot does not guarantee permanent residence; Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has sole authority to approve or refuse all applications for permanent residency.

International Student Exemption

International students are exempt from the work experience criteria if they obtained an eligible program credential from a post-secondary program from a publicly funded post-secondary institution located within the community, provided that:

  • they were enrolled as a full time student during the entire 2 year or more post-secondary program while obtaining the credential

and were;

  1. within the 18 months prior to the application for permanent residence to IRCC; and\
  2. they were physically present in the rural and northern community for at least 16 months during the 24 months immediately prior to obtaining the eligible credential,

OR

  • they were enrolled as a fulltime student for the duration of a master’s or doctoral degree less than two years; and were
  1. within the 18 months prior to the application for permanent residence to IRCC; and
  2. physically present in the rural and northern community for the duration of their entire period of studies; and
  3. physically present in the rural and northern community for the duration of their entire period of studies.

International Student Exemption

International students are exempt from the work experience criteria if they obtained an eligible program credential from a post-secondary program from a publicly funded post-secondary institution located within the community, provided that:

  • they were enrolled as a full time student during the entire 2 year or more post-secondary program while obtaining the credential

and were;

  1. within the 18 months prior to the application for permanent residence to IRCC; and\
  2. they were physically present in the rural and northern community for at least 16 months during the 24 months immediately prior to obtaining the eligible credential,

OR

  • they were enrolled as a fulltime student for the duration of a master’s or doctoral degree less than two years; and were
  1. within the 18 months prior to the application for permanent residence to IRCC; and
  2. physically present in the rural and northern community for the duration of their entire period of studies; and
  3. physically present in the rural and northern community for the duration of their entire period of studies.