On March 6, 2024, in Sudbury, Ontario, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, Marc Miller, announced new pilot programs to enhance immigration opportunities for rural and Francophone minority communities in Canada.

These initiatives, the Rural Community Immigration Pilot and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot, are set to launch in the fall of 2024. The Rural Community Immigration Pilot aims to address labor shortages in rural areas by providing pathways to permanent residence for skilled newcomers willing to live in these smaller communities.

The Francophone Community Immigration Pilot, aligned with the Francophone Immigration Policy, seeks to increase the number of French-speaking newcomers settling in Francophone minority communities outside of Quebec, fostering economic development and demographic growth.

These pilots, modeled on the success of the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, contribute to the long-term growth and vitality of these regions. The community application process for participation in the pilots will open this spring, with further details to be shared in the coming months.

Source: IRCC News