North Bay Releases RCIP Priority Occupations List

North Bay is one of 14 Canadian communities selected to participate in this new temporary pathway to permanent residency. As part of the RCIP, North Bay has published its list of priority sectors and corresponding occupations to attract qualified workers to fill certain vacant positions.

What is the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP)?

The Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) provides a straightforward path to permanent residency for skilled individuals wanting to establish their careers in Canada’s smaller communities that struggle with population retention and experience labour shortages.

The RCIP is designed to help local employers bring in qualified foreign workers. To be eligible under the North Bay stream, applicants must not only secure employment with a community-approved employer, but the position must also align with one of the designated priority occupations listed by North Bay.

Eligible Sectors in North Bay

North Bay has identified the following key sectors facing significant skill shortages. These sectors are eligible for candidates seeking to apply under the RCIP:

1. Business, Finance, and Administration
2. Education, Law, Social, Community, and Government Services
3. Health
4. Sales and Service
5. Trades and Transport

It is important to note that certain occupations have been excluded from the RNIP eligibility. North Bay has specifically excluded fast food, retail, gas stations, and convenience store positions from the program. Individuals with job offers in these fields are not eligible to apply through the North Bay RCIP at this time. However, North Bay has clarified that its list of priority occupations will be reviewed annually to reflect the community’s evolving workforce needs. This means there is potential for changes in the future, and those excluded today may find new opportunities down the road.

Eligible Occupations and NOC Codes

As we mentioned earlier, to qualify for the RCIP program under the North Bay stream, applicants must not only secure a job offer from a designated employer but also ensure that the position falls within North Bay’s approved occupations list. The list of eligible occupations includes a wide variety of roles, ranging from healthcare professionals to skilled tradespeople.

The approved North Bay RCIP occupations list is organized alphabetically with each occupation’s corresponding National Occupational Classification (NOC) code:

12200 – Accounting technicians and bookkeepers

13110 – Administrative assistants

72404 – Aircraft mechanics and inspectors

72410 – Automotive service technicians and mechanical repairers

14201 – Banking, insurance and financial clerks

72310 – Carpenters (including apprentices)

75110 – Construction trade helpers and labourers

60010 – Corporate sales managers

33100 – Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants

11100 – Financial auditors and accountants

72200 – Electricians

42202 – Early childhood educators and assistants

43100 – Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants

72402 – Heating, refrigeration, and air conditioning mechanics

44101 – Home support workers and caregivers

64314 – Hotel front desk clerks

11200 – Human resources professionals

72100 – Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors

33102 – Nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates

33103 – Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants

31301 – Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses

64410 – Security guards and related security service occupations

14400 – Shippers and receivers

42201 – Social and community service workers

72106 – Welders and related machine operators

North Bay RCIP Opening Date

As of now, North Bay’s RCIP program has not officially opened. However, we are closely monitoring North Bay’s official website and will provide updates as soon as more information becomes available.

What is a Pilot Program?

Canada runs immigration pilot programs such as this new RCIP program which replaced the previous Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) program that stopped accepting applications on August 31, 2024. The new RCIP program was established to address specific regional or occupational labour shortages, and to support growth in certain areas or sectors with an opportunity to set a precedent for future pilot programs or become a permanent immigration pathway itself. It is important to note that to be eligible to apply for the RCIP program, you must first obtain a valid job offer in one of the occupations listed above.

If you are interested in becoming a Canadian permanent resident and meet all the eligibility requirements, or you would like us to assess your eligibility for the RCIP program in any participating community, contact us today!