Thunder Bay RCIP: the Rural Community Immigration Pilot A path to permanent residence, through a Thunder Bay job.

1. Where the program stands now

• 2026 is closed to new candidates. Employers had to submit candidate applications by noon ET on October 15, 2026. The remaining 2026 recommendation certificates will be issued in November.
• 2027 isn't open yet. The CEDC says there's no guarantee the 2026 priority sectors and occupations will carry over, because they can change every year.
• In 2026 so far, more than 500 businesses were designated employers, and the CEDC issued recommendation certificates to 338 candidates (as of August 2026).

Source: Thunder Bay CEDC, "Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP)"

2. How RCIP works

1. An employer gets designated. Businesses in the Thunder Bay area apply to the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC). The CEDC publishes its list of designated employers on its RCIP page.
2. You get a job offer from a designated employer: full time (at least 30 paid hours a week), year-round, with no end date, inside the Thunder Bay area. The CEDC doesn't match people with jobs; you find the employer, or the employer finds you.
3. The employer applies for your recommendation. The CEDC scores applications and issues a recommendation certificate to those it accepts.
4. You apply for permanent residence to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The recommendation certificate is valid for six months only and can't be extended, so apply quickly. IRCC, not the CEDC, decides.

Sources: Thunder Bay CEDC, RCIP and "RCIP FAQs"

3. Who can apply

IRCC says that to apply for permanent residence through RCIP, you must:

• have a valid job offer from a designated employer in the community;
• have at least one year (1,560 hours) of related work experience in the past three years;
• prove your language ability with an approved test;
• have a Canadian educational credential, or a foreign one with an educational credential assessment (ECA);
• show you have enough money to support yourself and your family.

The CEDC adds:

• The minimum language level depends on the job, in every skill, not as an average:
  • Canadian Language Benchmark 6 for TEER 0 or 1 jobs
  • 5 for TEER 2 or 3
  • 4 for TEER 4 or 5
• Graduates of Lakehead University or Confederation College may not need the work experience.

Sources: IRCC, "Rural Community Immigration Pilots: Who can apply" and Thunder Bay CEDC, "RCIP FAQs"

4. Which jobs counted in 2026

For 2026, Thunder Bay's priority list had 25 occupations across health, education and community services, business and administration, sales and service, trades and transport, and manufacturing.

They included:

• registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, nurse aides and patient service associates
• early childhood educators
• social and community service workers
• home support workers and caregivers
• cooks, bakers, truck drivers and several trades

The 2027 list may be different. Check the CEDC's RCIP page when the 2027 program opens.

Source: Thunder Bay CEDC, "Priority Occupations (NOC codes)" for 2026

5. Avoid RCIP scams

• Never pay for a job offer. The CEDC lists requesting payment for job offers as a dishonest practice that can get an employer de-designated, fined or blacklisted.
• Check anyone offering immigration help: consultants on the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants register, lawyers on the Law Society of Ontario directory.
• An employer must never keep your passport or other personal documents.
• Report fraud to IRCC: see Protect yourself from immigration fraud. More in our legal and immigration help guide.
• Other official routes, fees and scams: moving to Canada from Kenya.

Source: Thunder Bay CEDC, "Fraud alert"

Wakenyatbay gives general information, not immigration advice. Rules, dates and job lists change every year. For your own case, talk to a licensed consultant or lawyer. The CEDC's contact for RCIP is immigration@thunderbay.ca.

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