Canada announces pilot projects for rural and francophone minority communities

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Canada has announced pilot projects for rural and francophone minority communities on Tuesday, March 5.

Additionally, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is working towards creating a permanent rural immigration program.

The pilots are named Rural Community Immigration Pilot and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot, an Ontario news release said.

According to the statement by the Government of Canada, Rural Community Immigration Pilot will launch in the fall of 2024 and it will aim to ensure that rural communities continue to have the ability to access programs that address labour shortages and help local businesses find the workers they need.

Under ​​Francophone Immigration Policy which is built on the success of Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP), Canada announced a launch of Francophone Community Immigration Pilot in the fall of 2024. 

It will focus on increasing the number of French-speaking newcomers settling in Francophone minority communities outside of Quebec and will help ensure the economic development of Francophone minority communities, while also helping to restore and increase their demographic weight, the government said.

Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller said in a statement that, “Rural and northern communities face unique economic and demographic challenges. However, through the RNIP, rural communities have been able to attract and retain skilled workers that they’ve needed for years to ensure their economic growth.”

“That is why we will make RNIP a permanent program, and why we are introducing these two new pilot programs. We’ll continue to work closely with these communities, as we work to connect businesses with the skilled workers they need to thrive,” he added.