OLLO – Francophone Community Immigration Pilot – November 4, 2024

Key Facts and Figures

• The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) brought over 7,700 newcomers (as of September 30, 2024) to small communities across Canada, helping them strengthen their economies.
• Regional pathways are helping to spread the benefits of immigration across Canada. Data shows that 88% of surveyed RNIP newcomers have stayed and plan to stay in their community.
• With the RNIP having recently expired, building on this pilot and other regional programs, Minister Miller announced the upcoming Rural and Francophone Community Immigration Pilots, set to launch in late fall 2024.

Key Messages

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) intends to launch the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP), and the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) to help address labor shortages and improve settlement and retention in smaller communities.
• These pilots will give communities a lead role in selecting candidates that best meet their labour market needs and in retaining them by creating welcoming environments.
• The FCIP will aim to increase the number of French-speaking newcomers settling in francophone minority communities outside of Quebec, while helping to restore their demographic weight.
• Key francophone stakeholders were consulted to ensure the design of the FCIP is adapted to the realities of Francophone minority communities, including the Fédération des Communautés Francophone et Acadienne; the Réseau de développement économique et d’employabilité du Canada (RDÉE Canada); Réseau du Nord, and other key stakeholders.
• The Department intends to announce participating communities and launch the new pilots in late fall 2024.