EMPLOYERS GUIDE

Looking to hire a skilled foreign worker?

If you are an employer looking to hire an immigrant, temporary resident or overseas candidate who wants to become a permanent resident, learn more about the RNIP program and how to apply.

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What is RNIP?

The West Kootenay Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) makes it easier for employers to hire skilled foreign workers.

Candidates for the West Kootenay RNIP must be planning to work and live long term in the West Kootenay region and meet federal and community specific 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 Map

Who can I hire through the West Kootenay RNIP?

Temporary resident

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

International student

Hire an international student who completed their studies in the West Kootenays in the last 16 months

Overseas applicant

As the Pilot wraps up, it is prioritizing Applicants who have lived in the region for 6 or more months. Overseas and out-of-region candidates are no longer eligible.

How to hire with RNIP

As an employer, there are five steps to hiring a skilled foreign worker through the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot.

Note: the pilot does not facilitate hiring, it is up to the West Kootenay employers to find candidates.

ELIGIBILITY

Ensure Employer Eligibility, and candidate eligibility (including Federal Eligibility and West Kootenay Community Criteria).

JOB OFFER

The job you are hiring for must be a full-time (30 hours per week), non-seasonal, permanent job. Learn more about job offer requirements.

SUBMIT FORMS

Fill out the Offer of Employment Form (IMM5984) and the Employer Declaration Form. The candidate will then email these forms to the RNIP Coordinator.

APPLICATION REVIEWED

The candidate submits their application to the RNIP committee for review. If approved, the candidate will receive a Community Recommendation to apply for Permanent Residency.

WORK PERMIT (if applicable)

If the candidate needs a work permit or their work permit will expire soon, the employer submits a job offer in the Employer Portal so the candidate can apply for a one-year employer-specific work permit.

West Kootenay Priority NOC Jobs

Priority jobs (also referred to as NOCs) are jobs that are in demand in the West Kootenay region.

Applying to the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot with one of the West Kootenay Priority NOC jobs means the candidate does not have to score 26 points on the West Kootenay Community Criteria form.

West Kootenay Priority NOCs

The Process

RNIP Committee reviews application

The RNIP application is presented at the monthly Community Recommendation Meeting. Note: application are presented to the committee in the order that they are received, i.e. first in, first out.

Results from Community Recommendation Meeting emailed to candidates

After the application is reviewed at the Community Recommendation Meeting, the candidate will be sent an email notifying them if they did or did not receive a community recommendation to apply for Canadian Permanent Residency. Please Note: Not all candidates who are reviewed will be guaranteed a recommendation by our committee.

Community Recommendation for Permanent Residency

If the candidate is successful, then they will be eligible to apply for Permanent Residency with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

If needed, the candidate can also apply for a one-year work permit specific to the employer while their permanent residency application is being processed. (Only necessary if they do not have a work permit or their existing work permit is about to expire).

How to apply for the one-year RNIP work permit

While the application for permanent residency is being processed, candidates can apply for a one-year work permit specific to the employer who provided the Offer of Employment (IMM5984).

To do this: the employer submits an “offer of employment” in the Employer Portal. Then the employer provides the applicant with the seven-digit number (starting with the letter “A”), so they can complete the online application for the work permit.

Employers: Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes, you can use RNIP for current employees, as long as they meet the following eligibility requirements:

How do I hire someone from overseas?

As the West Kootenay Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot wraps up, it is prioritizing applicants who have lived in the region for six or more months. Therefore, overseas and out-of-region applicants are no longer eligible for the Pilot.

Can I hire an international student?

Yes, you can hire international students, as long as the following eligibility requirements are met:

What wage am I required to pay?

Because the West Kootenay Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot is now requiring that all Applicants live in the region for six or more months, the wage requirements are:

  • $18.00 per hour or more and
  • The wage meets or exceeds the Job Bank’s minimum wage for your job offer’s National Occupational Classification (NOC), based on the West Kootenay region.

Immigration Representatives

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

If candidates choose to have their paperwork completed by an Immigration Representative, we suggest they read IRCC’s guidelines for using an immigration and citizenship representative.

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

There are different types of representatives: paid and unpaid and authorized and unauthorized. The Community will not communicate with, or allow for, unauthorized representatives to assist with RNIP 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.

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

The West Kootenay Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Coordinator is available to West Kootenay employers who have questions about the pilot.

Email Coordinator

What else do I need to know?

Incomplete Documents:

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

  • A job offer from a West Kootenay Employer
  • English or French language credentials
  • Educational credential requirements

Fraud and Misrepresentation

Fraud and misrepresentation are taken very seriously by the Community 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 Community

RNIP Decision Making

It is important to note the following:

  • All decisions made by the Community are final and are not subject to appeal.
  • Receiving a recommendation from the Community 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.