Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Spouses (RNIP) [R205(a) – C17] - Public policies, special initiatives and pilot projects – International Mobility Program
This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.
These instructions apply to IRCC employees. Since applicants cannot submit their applications at a port of entry, the instructions do not apply to border services officers.
The instructions on this page should be reviewed in conjunction with
- Open work permit – General processing and issuance – International Mobility Program
- Conditions and validity period on work permits
The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) is a federal permanent resident pilot program established by Ministerial Instructions on September 1, 2019. These instructions were amended on September 23, 2022 . While this is a permanent resident pilot program, applicants may be eligible to obtain a work permit under the International Mobility Program while awaiting the processing of their permanent resident application.
The department uses specific administrative codes to identify certain situations where it considers the work of a foreign national to create significant social, cultural or economic benefits or opportunities for Canadian citizens or permanent residents, as described in R205(a). The factors provided for each code demonstrate how the situation may meet the requirements of R205(a). Officers must also always be satisfied that all requirements of R200 are met.
The administrative code C17 was created on November 19, 2019. It is under this code that the work of certain foreign nationals, specifically spouses and common-law partners of principal applicants applying under RNIP, entering or remaining in Canada prior to the finalization of their permanent resident application in the RNIP may create significant economic or social benefits.
Final decision
Approval
If an officer is satisfied that the eligibility of this specific category and all other requirements of section R200 are met, on the Application screen, officers should confirm or enter the following information in the specified fields:
| Field | Selection or input |
|---|---|
| Case type | 52 when the Offer of Employment was submitted through the Employer Portal and an “A” number exists 20 only when authorized to submit the IMM 5802 form as noted in the Client notes. |
| Province of destination | Province of the sponsoring community The province of destination entered by the applicant should match the address of employment in the LMIA-exempt offer of employment. This information is under the Employment Details – LMIA-exempt tab. |
| City of destination | Name of the designated community The city of destination entered by the applicant should match the address of employment in the LMIA-exempt offer of employment. This information is under the Employment Details – LMIA-exempt tab. |
| Exemption code | C17 |
| NOC | The NOC code is auto-populated when matched with the LMIA-exempt offer of employment submitted in the Employer Portal. |
| Intended occupation | Job title This will auto-populate when matched with the offer from the Employer Portal. |
| LMIA/LMIA-exempt # | “A” number from the work permit application. This number is auto-populated from the work permit application, and it is what is used to match it with the offer of employment submitted in the Employer Portal. If the work permit application was submitted on paper, the officer must manually enter the number. |
| Duration | The open work permit should have a validity that matches the principal applicant, up to a maximum of 1 year or until the expiry of the passport or travel document, whichever is earlier. Note: |
Refusals
Spouses or common-law partners of participants in the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot may be authorized to work without first having an offer of employment.
Officers may issue an open work permit under LMIA exemption code C17, with a location restriction to the community where the principal applicant works. The spouse’s work permit must always be restricted to the same community as the principal applicant’s job location and should not be amended.
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