Frequently Asked Questions

To hire/ retain skilled workers through the West Kootenay Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP), your business must first become a designated employer. To be eligible for designation, your business must:

• Operate in a priority sector. Each year, the West Kootenay RCIP sets 5 priority sectors and up to 25 eligible occupations. Your business must operate in at least one of these sectors, and any job offers must align with those priorities. Learn more at: Priorities
• Have been actively operating under the same management in the community for at least two years (or be a new relocation that contributes significantly to the local economy).
• Be in good standing with all applicable federal and provincial laws, including employment standards, occupational health and safety, and immigration rules.
• Offer eligible jobs that are full-time, permanent, non-seasonal, and pay fair wages based on Job Bank or local standards.
• Operate locally. At least 75% of the job’s work must take place within the community boundaries.
• Support newcomers. You must complete mandatory onboarding and intercultural competency training and commit to helping your employee and their family settle successfully in the community.

If your business meets these requirements, you can apply for designation through the West Kootenay RCIP. If not, your business or organization is ineligible.

Under the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP), some types of businesses are not eligible to participate. Businesses are ineligible if they fall into any of the following categories:

• Recruitment/Staffing Agencies: Businesses that exist to create a pool of workers to be transferred or contracted to other companies are not eligible.
• Consulates: Consulates are excluded from employer designation.
• Businesses Owned by Immigration Representatives: Any business owned by an immigration consultant, lawyer, or other representative as defined under IRPA is ineligible.
• Businesses Owned or Controlled by the Candidate or Their Spouse: A business where the candidate or their spouse/common-law partner holds the majority of ownership or control (directly or indirectly) is not eligible. This rule prevents candidates from recommending themselves.
• Home-Based Businesses: These may not be eligible. Businesses operating from a residential address will be evaluated by the West Kootenay RCIP, which has full discretion to approve or deny designation.
• Businesses Found Non-Compliant with Laws: Employers are ineligible or can be de-designated if they:
  • Have violated labour standards, occupational health and safety, or the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act/Regulations.
  • Are under investigation or found to have engaged in fraud, misrepresentation, or discriminatory practices.

No. To be eligible for designation under the West Kootenay RCIP, your business must operate in one of the five priority sectors selected for the current year.

Yes—if at least one of your business activities is in a priority sector, and the job offer you’re making is in that sector, you may be eligible for designation under the West Kootenay RCIP.

Note: the job must also meet all other pilot requirements.

To become designated employers must complete two trainings:

• Employer Onboarding (from IRCC): Covers how the RCIP works and your responsibilities.
• Intercultural Competency: Helps you create an inclusive workplace and support newcomer employees.

Both are required before you can become designated and hire through the pilot. Certificates of completion must be submitted with the application for employer designation. To learn more, please read through our Employer Designation process.

An owner, manager, or supervisor who is directly involved in hiring or overseeing newcomer employees should complete the required training.

Yes. While only one person needs to complete the mandatory training to meet RCIP requirements, it’s strongly encouraged that other staff—especially those who supervise or work closely with newcomers—also take the training. This helps build a more inclusive and supportive workplace, which improves employee retention and overall success.

You must submit certificates of completion for both the Employer Onboarding and Intercultural Competency trainings. These certificates are required as part of your Employer Designation Application. To learn more, please read through our Employer Designation process.

We understand that many sectors in our region face real hiring difficulties. The structure of this pilot limits West Kootenay RCIP to five priority sectors.

These five sectors must reflect a balance between:

• Immediate labour market needs (e.g. unfilled jobs),
• Strategic economic development goals (e.g. sectors expected to grow or be critical to the region), and
• Equity across communities served by the West Kootenay RCIP.

We gather this information through:

• Input from employers and industry associations,
• Local labour market data,
• Economic development strategies, and
• Community consultations.

Because of these limitations, not every high-need sector can be included every year — even if we recognize there is a genuine need.

However, we review our priority sectors annually in the fall, and your feedback plays an important role in that process. If you believe your sector should be considered in future years, we encourage you to share your input with us directly.

Each year, West Kootenay RCIP selects up to 25 priority occupations across five priority sectors. However, to stay flexible, the pilot allows some community recommendations to go to occupations not on the priority list, as long as they are still within one of the five priority sectors.

These are called emerging needs occupations. They let the community respond to new or unexpected workforce gaps that arise during the year.

To be considered for a wildcard occupation:

• The job must be in a priority sector.
• The employer must be designated.
• The employer must have previously hired at least one person in a priority occupation.
• The occupation must not be on the official priority list but must still be eligible under the pilot.
• West Kootenay RCIP must determine that the job meets a real and emerging need.

The West Kootenay RCIP is limited to five priority sectors and up to 25 priority occupations each year, based on data and consultation about local economic needs. Even if your job is hard to fill, it may not be included if:

• It’s outside the selected sectors
• It didn’t rank high enough among other local labour priorities
• There wasn’t enough evidence of a broader community need

The priority list is reviewed annually. Please contact us to share feedback or make a case for future inclusion.

No. To use the West Kootenay RCIP, both the sector and the occupation must be on the community’s current priority list.

Even if the occupation is eligible, your business must operate within one of the five priority sectors for the year to become a designated employer and submit applications.

To learn more, please visit our Priorities page & Eligibility page.

The West Kootenay RCIP Steering Committee reviews the region’s priority sectors and occupations quarterly. Occupations may be added, removed, or updated annually based on:

• Local labour market needs
• Local employer input
• Economic development priorities

The West Kootenay RCIP Steering Committee reviews the region’s priority sectors on a yearly basis, usually in the fall, to set priorities for the upcoming year.

However, the committee meets quarterly and may adjust the list mid-year if there’s strong evidence of changing labour market needs (subject to IRCC approval).

West Kootenay RCIP may place caps or limits on how many recommendations are approved for certain sectors, occupations, or employers to:

• Spread opportunities across multiple employers and industries
• Avoid over-concentration in one sector or occupation
• Support a balanced local economy
• Ensure the pilot meets its goal of addressing a range of labour market needs

These limits help keep the pilot fair, strategic, and responsive to changing community priorities.

Right now, West Kootenay RCIP uses a pass/fail system. Applications are assessed in the order they’re received—first in, first out. If a candidate meets all federal and local eligibility requirements, they may receive a recommendation.

As the pilot evolves, we may switch to a points-based system to better manage demand. This would allow us to prioritize candidates who not only meet the minimum requirements but also bring additional strengths—like local connections or experience.

The lock-in date is the date your complete community recommendation application is received by West Kootenay RCIP.

• This date is used by IRCC to determine the age of dependent children.
• It also determines your place in the processing queue, since West Kootenay RCIP uses a first-come, first-served system.

Incomplete applications do not receive a lock-in date and are not placed in the queue until all required documents are submitted.

To be eligible, your application must match the current priority sectors and occupations at the time you submit.
West Kootenay RCIP will post a two-week notice on the website if/ when it is going to update the priorities. All applications received by this two-week deadline will be eligible. However, if you apply after the deadline and your occupation or sector is no longer a priority, then your application may not be eligible.

To avoid surprises, we recommend checking for updates regularly on our Updates page.

An Intent to Reside statement is a short, written explanation from the candidate that shows they genuinely plan to live in the West Kootenay region if they become a permanent resident. It should include things like:

• Why they want to live in the area
• What they know about the community and job
• Any steps they’ve taken to prepare for living there (e.g. housing, schools, transportation)

This statement is a required part of the Community Recommendation Application and must be written by the candidate—not the employer.

A child’s age is “locked in” on the date a complete community recommendation application is received by the Economic Development Organization (EDO).

• If the child is under 22 and not married/common-law on that date, they can be included as a dependent.
• If they are 22 or older, they must show financial dependence on a parent and a physical or mental condition to qualify.

The candidate’s passport must be valid at the time IRCC receives the permanent residence application.

It’s recommended that the passport be valid for at least 12 months to avoid issues with application processing or permit duration.

To apply for the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP), most people must show work experience. Here’s how to figure out if your experience counts.

1. Was your work paid?

✔️ Yes – Good.
❌ No – Sorry, unpaid work like volunteering or internships does not count.

2. Did you work for an employer (not for yourself)?

✔️ Yes – Continue.
❌ No – If you were self-employed (freelancer, business owner), your work does not count.
✅ Exception: If you are a licensed doctor who billed through a provincial health system, your work may count.

3. Did you work at least 1,560 hours in the last 3 years?

To qualify for the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP), most applicants need at least 1,560 hours of work experience in the last 3 years.

Here’s what that really means:

What counts toward 1,560 hours?

• Paid work only (not volunteering or internships)
• Work done as an employee (not self-employed, except licensed doctors)
• Full-time or part-time (both are okay)
• Work done in Canada or another country
• Work done for one employer or multiple employers

How many hours is 1,560?

This is the same as:

• 30 hours/week for 12 months, OR
• 15 hours/week for 24 months, OR
• Any combination that adds up to 1,560 hours total

Important: You can combine jobs to reach 1,560 hours — it does not need to be from just one employer.

✔️ Yes – Continue.
❌ No – You do not meet the work experience requirement yet.

4. Did your work match a Canadian job description?

Canada uses something called the NOC (National Occupation Classification) to describe jobs. Your work experience must:

• Match a real 5-digit NOC code
• Include most of the main duties listed in that NOC

Check your job’s NOC code here: https://noc.esdc.gc.ca

5. Does your past work match the level of your job offer?

Jobs in Canada are grouped into TEER levels (0 to 5). Your work experience must match your new job offer. Use this chart:

Note: the TEER level is the second number in the NOC code, for example a Cook is NOC 63200 and the TEER is 3, so if you are being offered a job as a cook, then your work experience must be a TEER 2, 3, or 4.

6. Can you prove your work experience?

You must include documents that show:

• Your job title and duties
• Start and end dates
• Number of hours per week
• Your pay
• Employer contact info

The best proof is a reference letter from your employer.

If you can’t get one, you can include:

• Pay stubs
• Job contracts
• Tax forms
• Bank statements showing your pay

7. I studied in Canada. Do I still need work experience?

Maybe not. You do not need work experience if all of these are true:

• You graduated in the last 18 months from a public college or university in the RCIP community
• You studied full-time
• You lived in the community during your studies (see exact time rules)
• Your program was 2 years or longer, OR a master’s or PhD

📌 If your program was mostly online or focused on English/French as a second language, it doesn’t count.

8. I still don’t know if my experience counts. What should I do?

Ask yourself:

• Was it paid?
• Was I an employee?
• Was it at least 1,560 hours in the last 3 years?
• Do I know my NOC code and duties?
• Can I get documents to prove it?

Yes. Both language test results and educational credential assessments (ECAs) have expiration dates and must be valid at the time the candidate applies for permanent residence through IRCC.

Language tests

• Must be from an IRCC-approved testing agency
• Are valid for 2 years from the date of the test
• Must still be valid on the date that IRCC receives the Candidate’s permanent residence application

ECAs (for foreign education)

• Must be from an IRCC-approved organization
• Are valid for 5 years from the date of issue
• Must still be valid on the date that IRCC receives the Candidate’s permanent residence application

If a candidate’s language test or ECA will expire soon, we recommend planning ahead or updating the documents before submitting the PR application. Expired documents may result in a refusal.

For more details, visit westkootenayimmigration.ca or contact West Kootenay RCIP.

IRCC requires that your language test and educational credential assessments (ECAs) are valid on the date IRCC receives your complete PR application — not when you receive your community recommendation. If a document expires before you apply to IRCC, you’ll need to renew or retake it.

If the passport expires, the candidate will need to renew their passport before they can apply to IRCC for permanent residence.

Under the West Kootenay RCIP, candidates must meet minimum language scores based on the TEER level (Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities) of the job offer. Here’s how it breaks down:

*Minimum Language Score based on Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC).

To learn more about how your language test relates to the CLB or NCLC, please visit: Take a language test

Eligible language tests are:

• English tests: IELTS (General), CELPIP (General), or PTE Core
• French tests: TEF Canada or TCF Canada

The test results must be from a designated testing agency, no more than 2 years old at the time the candidate applies for Permanent Residence with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and must meet the required score in all four skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

A community recommendation is a formal letter issued by West Kootenay RCIP that allows a candidate to apply for permanent residence through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

To receive a recommendation:

• The employer must be designated under the pilot
• The job offer must be in one of the current priority sectors and occupations (some exceptions apply)
• The candidate must meet federal eligibility requirements (language, education, work experience, etc.)
• The candidate must provide a signed Intent to Reside statement showing they plan to live in the West Kootenay region

Only designated employers can submit a Community Recommendation Application on behalf of a candidate. Recommendations are limited in number and reviewed by West Kootenay RCIP on a first come, first served basis, using a pass/fail assessment.

No. The Community Recommendation Application must be submitted by the designated employer on behalf of the candidate.
However, the candidate is responsible for providing key documents, including:

• Language test results
• Proof of education (and Education Credential Assessment (ECA) if needed)
• Proof of work experience (unless exempt)
• A signed Intent to Reside form
• Immigration documents (if already in Canada)

Employers and candidates should work closely together, but the employer must submit the application to West Kootenay RCIP.

TEER stands for Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities. It is part of Canada’s National Occupation Classification (NOC) system and is used to group jobs based on their skill and education levels.

Each job under NOC 2021 is assigned a TEER level from 0 to 5. The TEER number is the second number in your NOC code, so, for example a Health Care Aide is NOC 33102 and is TEER 3.

Why TEER Matters for RCIP:

• Language Requirements: candidates must meet a minimum language score (CLB/NCLC) depending on the TEER level of the job.
• Work Experience Requirements: the federal requirement is 1 year of continuous, full-time work experience in the same NOC within the last 3 years. RCIP also requires that the candidate has experience in the same occupation as the job offer, and that the experience aligns with the TEER level of the position. Candidates must be able to demonstrate they have the education and experience needed to perform the job at the specified TEER level.

To qualify for RCIP, the candidate must have:

• At least 1 year (1,560 hours) of paid, full-time work experience
• In the same occupation as the job offer
• Within the last 3 years

This experience can be gained in Canada or abroad, and does not need to be continuous—but all hours must be:

• Paid (volunteer work and unpaid internships don’t count)
• Comparable in skill level and responsibilities to the job offer
• Verified through letters of reference or supporting documents

Part-time work counts as long as it adds up to 1,560 hours total (e.g. 30 hours/week for 12 months, or 15 hours/week for 24 months).

Candidates may be exempt from the work experience requirement in limited cases—such as recent graduates of a public Canadian institution in the West Kootenay RCIP region—but must still meet all other RCIP and IRCC requirements.

For help confirming eligibility, contact West Kootenay RCIP.

There are several reasons why a candidate’s work experience may not meet RCIP or IRCC requirements:

Mismatch with the TEER requirement

Each job offer falls under a TEER (Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities) category, and the candidate’s past work experience must align with the required TEER level for that job offer. For example:

• A job offer in TEER 3 requires work experience in TEER 2, 3, or 4.
• For TEER 5 job offers, the candidate’s experience must be in the same 5-digit NOC code as the job offer.
  If their past experience is in a different TEER or NOC code, it won’t qualify

Work experience does not meet the minimum hours/duration

Candidates (except West-Kootenay-based international graduates) must demonstrate:

• At least 1,560 hours of relevant work experience (roughly one year full-time)
• Spanning at least one continuous year
• In a job aligned with the required TEER category

Insufficient or unacceptable proof

The employer must submit documentation confirming the candidate’s work history. Acceptable documents include:

• Pay stubs
• Letters of employment (on company letterhead)
• T4 tax slips (for work in Canada)

If this documentation is missing or incomplete, the experience may be deemed ineligible.

Candidate is self-employed

Self-employment experience is not accepted under RCIP. Only formal employment is eligible.

The candidate is exempt (but evidence missing)

Some international graduates from public institutions in the community may be exempt from work experience requirements. However, if they don’t provide full documentation (e.g. transcripts, proof of local residency during studies), the exemption cannot be applied

If you’re unsure why your candidate’s experience was not accepted, contact West Kootenay RCIP for guidance before reapplying.

The West Kootenay RCIP has a maximum of 200 community recommendations for 2025. We have already received more than 200 applications, and our staff only have capacity to process about 150 this year. To stay within program limits and manage the workload, we have closed the application portal for 2025.

No. The Community Recommendation Application will remain closed for the rest of 2025. The West Kootenay RCIP has already received more applications than the number of community recommendation spots available for this year.

If you, as the employer, submitted an application through the online portal before it closed, and received the email confirmation (check your Junk/ Spam folder as well), then it has been received.

If you downloaded the PDF copy, double check that the application is correct. If your PDF shows all your answers, your application is complete in our system.

Unfortunately, we do not have capacity provide updates about your place in the queue. You will be contacted once your application is reviewed, or if more information is needed. 

In July 2025, we paused processing new Employer Designation Applications so that we could launch and manage the Community Recommendation Application process. We are now starting to work through the employer designation queue again, but many employers will not be able to access the pilot in 2025 because of the limited number of recommendations available. 

At this time, no. The 2025 Community Recommendation Application portal is closed because we have reached our annual allocation limit. You will need to wait until 2026 when the portal reopens. 

The West Kootenay RCIP is being delivered with only part-time staff resources. This limits how many Employer Designation and Community Recommendation applications we can review each year, even though community demand is very high. 

We are actively working to secure additional funding to increase our capacity in the future. If you would like to support this effort, you can help by contacting your local Member of Parliament (MP) and encouraging more federal resources for the pilot. 

It is also important to note that the maximum number of Community Recommendations each year is set by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This number is outside of the West Kootenay RCIP’s control and can change from one year to the next — it may stay the same, increase, or be reduced depending on federal priorities. 

Staff do not have capacity to respond to individual status requests. Please be assured that if your application was submitted before the portal closed, it is in our system. We will contact you directly when your application is being reviewed or if more information is required.

Employers who have not yet been designated can complete the Employer Designation process. Please note employer designation remains open, but staff capacity to process applications is low. Submitting early will give you the best chance of being reviewed in time for 2026. 

For employers who are already designated, please be aware that changes to the Community Recommendation Application process are being considered. We will provide clear information and fair notice before any changes take effect. This will not impact the applications received in 2025. 

If your candidate’s work permit is close to expiring—or has already expired—what you can do depends on where they are in the RCIP process:

If the candidate has NOT yet received a community recommendation:

They cannot apply for an RCIP work permit. RCIP work permits are only available after a candidate has been recommended and submitted their permanent residence (PR) application.

If their current permit is expiring soon, they may need to explore other legal ways to maintain valid status in Canada (e.g. applying for another type of work permit). However, West Kootenay RCIP will not provide a community recommendation to candidates who are on a visitor visa or are out of status, as they are not eligible to apply for a work permit, and current processing times (which may exceed 14 months) make it impossible to address genuine, timely labour needs.

Important: Candidates must either be overseas or hold valid temporary resident status (such as a work or study permit) at the time of application to be eligible for a recommendation.

If the candidate has received a recommendation and submitted their permanent residence application:

One their PR application has been submitted, then the candidate can apply for the 2-year RCIP work permit (LMIA-exempt, C15) to begin or continue working in the West Kootenay region. Learn more about the work permit application process.

Important: RCIP work permits are tied to the pilot process and can’t be used to extend a stay pre-recommendation. Act early and reach out if timelines are tight.

Yes. If the person who completed the Employer Designation process has left your business or organization, you must:

• Notify West Kootenay RCIP right away
• Identify a new staff person to act as the main contact
• Have that person complete the mandatory employer training

This ensures your business remains in good standing and can continue to participate in the pilot.

A site visit is an in-person meeting at your business location, conducted by West Kootenay RCIP, to:

• Confirm your business is active and legitimate
• Learn more about your workplace conditions and environment
• Discuss your plans for supporting a newcomer employee

Site visits may be part of your designation review or a routine annual check-in to ensure compliance with the pilot’s requirements. They’re also a chance to ask questions and strengthen your role in the pilot.

West Kootenay RCIP may request financial documentation to:

• Confirm your business is active and stable
• Verify that you have the capacity to offer long-term, full-time employment
• Support your application for employer designation or a recommendation for a candidate
• Examples of requested documents might include payroll records, tax filings, or proof of wages paid. This helps ensure the job offer is genuine and aligns with the pilot’s integrity standards.

All information is kept confidential and used only to assess eligibility.

No. Once a candidate becomes a permanent resident, their immigration process is complete and cannot be revoked—even if they leave your business or the community.

If the worker leaves before getting permanent residence, West Kootenay RCIP may consider revoking their recommendation—especially if the job offer is no longer valid.

If this happens, contact West Kootenay RCIP right away.

There are several possible reasons your candidate was not recommended by West Kootenay RCIP. Common reasons include:

• The job offer was not in a current priority sector and occupation
• The employer was not designated or did not meet designation requirements
• The candidate did not meet federal eligibility criteria, such as language, education, or work experience
• The application was incomplete or missing required documents
• There were concerns about the genuineness of the job offer or intent to reside in the community
• The recommendation cap for that sector, occupation, or employer had already been reached

For more information or to ask whether you can reapply, contact West Kootenay RCIP.

If West Kootenay RCIP informed you that your application is incomplete, you’ll need to:

• Review the feedback carefully to understand what’s missing
• Gather the missing documents or information
• Submit a complete, updated application

Incomplete applications cannot be processed and will be returned without a recommendation.

If you’re unsure what’s needed, contact West Kootenay RCIP for clarification before resubmitting.

Yes—employers can hire a licensed immigration consultant to support them with the RCIP process. However:

• Only the employer can sign and submit the Employer Designation and Community Recommendation applications.
• The employer must still complete the mandatory training.
• You must disclose in your application if you used a representative.
• West Kootenay RCIP may contact you directly to confirm details, even if you are working with a representative.

Authorized representatives include:

• Lawyers and paralegals (Canada): Federation of Law Societies of Canada
• Notaries in Québec: Chambre des notaires du Québec
• Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs): College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants

West Kootenay RCIP may contact you directly to confirm details, even if you’re working with a representative.

You can check the official directories to make sure your representative is active and in good standing:

• Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs): College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants
• Lawyers and paralegals (Canada): Federation of Law Societies of Canada
• Notaries in Québec: Chambre des notaires du Québec

Make sure the representative is currently active and in good standing before you hire them.

Important fraud warning
Be careful when choosing a representative. Some people may try to take advantage of employers or applicants. Remember:

• Authorized representatives cannot guarantee that your application will be approved.
• No one should ask you for money in exchange for a job offer or a community recommendation.
• Using an unauthorized or fraudulent representative could cause your application to be refused.

West Kootenay RCIP cannot work with unlicensed or unauthorized representatives.

For questions about the immigration process, work permits, and how to support your candidate, employers can contact IRCC’s Dedicated Service Channel for RCIP.

Note: To access this service, contact West Kootenay RCIP.

No. Decisions made by West Kootenay RCIP are final and there is no formal appeal process.

However, if your situation changes—or you believe you now meet the eligibility requirements—you’re welcome to submit a new application.

For the latest updates on priority sectors, occupations, application changes, and pilot news, visit the West Kootenay RCIP Updates page.