In Claresholm, Alberta, the economic development organization committee determined back in December 2019 that their RNIP program would not commence until February 2020. Claresholm officer, Brady Schnell, spoke to CIC News, indicating that several candidates have already contacted local employers and some applicants are already in town. According to the officer, these applicants will likely be the first to get approved through the community review process. Schnell also said that the level of interest in the Claresholm RNIP program has been outstanding and prospects from 60 different countries have already contacted them.
In the case of North Bay, Ontario and Timmins, Ontario, the communities will not accept any applications until the end of January. A representative from West Kootenay, B.C, also assured CIC News that the applicant screening process would not commence until later in March. CIC News is still waiting for a response from the Vernon economical development committee, which is yet to provide a statement about the current state of their process.
The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) is a Canadian program designed to help rural and remote towns attract foreign workers to their communities. RNIP’s main aim is to help Canadian rural cities counter their labour market shortages. Canada is experiencing significant labour shortages influenced by declining birth rates and growing retirement rates.
Moreover, Canadian youths expected to fill up opening positions prefer to shift to more populated urban areas towns in the country. Currently, RNIP has been launched in a handful of communities, including Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Brandon, Manitoba and Altona/Rhineland, Manitoba. Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, will also be participating in the immigration pilot, although their program is set to commence on April 1st, 2020.
