The Altona/Rhineland region has been selected for a second federal pilot program that aims to connect businesses and employers with the skilled newcomers they need to thrive.
In a follow up to the successful 5-year RNIP program, which saw over 140 successful applicants accept job offers from local employers before concluding this past August, the region will now participate in the Rural Community Immigration Pilot.
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This new program will offer a permanent residence pathway to newcomers who can fill key jobs amid ongoing unique labour market shortages, and who want to live long-term in these areas. It is one of two pilots committed to by the Feds in March 2024 as a stopgap while it worked to make RNIP permanent. The second is the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot.
"Rural and Francophone communities are vital to Canada’s growth and cultural diversity, and we value the unique contributions that newcomers make in these places," said The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. "By welcoming skilled immigrants to these areas, we are addressing labour shortages and economic needs while promoting the benefits of living in a smaller town or city. Our commitment to supporting these regions reflects our belief that each one matters. That is why we will make the RNIP a permanent program, and why we are introducing these two new pilots. We’ll continue to work closely with these communities as we work to connect businesses with the skilled workers they need to thrive.”
“When our rural and remote communities succeed, Canada succeeds—it’s as simple as that. Through the Rural Community Immigration Pilot and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot, your federal government is helping to fill jobs and drive growth in our magical, small communities, making life better for everyone who lives there," added The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.
Additional Manitoba communities selected for the Rural Community Immigration Pilot are Steinbach and Brandon. St. Pierre-Jolys was picked to participate in the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP).
With files from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada