Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) Program: Ability to become economically established

This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.

The principal applicant must demonstrate they have the ability to become economically established.

A Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) applicant may have a child who does not meet the definition of “dependent child” under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), and therefore cannot be included in the application for permanent residence. If an economic development organization of a participating community decides to issue a recommendation to this dependant in their own right, this dependant will then have to submit their own application for permanent residence and will be assessed on the merits of their own ability to become economically established.

Factors to examine when determining the ability to become economically established

In cases where the officer is not satisfied that the issuance of a recommendation and the fulfilment of the selection criteria are sufficient indicators of an applicant’s ability to become economically established in Canada, they may examine certain factors as part of the overall assessment to determine the applicant’s ability to become economically established. These factors may include

The weight given to these factors may vary on a case-by-case basis. For example, when an applicant has a high level of education such as a PhD and is nominated for a low-level service position, this mismatch may be acceptable if the job is an entry-level opportunity. If the same PhD applicant were nominated for a position as a welder and lacked the relevant training and work experience, there would be little alignment between their labour market intentions and their skills and abilities.

An indicator of the ability to become economically established is the applicant’s intention and ability to enter the labour market in order to fully support themselves. If the officer is not satisfied that the individual intends to enter the labour market, they should consider refusing the application.

Critical in determining the applicant’s ability to become economically established is the officer’s comparison of the requirements of the occupation (indicated by the National Occupation Classification (NOC) in the submitted recommendation) with all of the information provided by the applicant.

The officer must examine all information provided to ensure that there is consistency throughout the elements of the application before making a final determination. The applicant should be invited to address any concerns that arise, in accordance with the principles of procedural fairness.

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