Frequently Asked Questions

To hire through the West Kootenay RCIP, your business must become a designated employer. To be eligible, your business must:

• have been actively operating under the same management in the community for at least two years (or be newly relocated with a significant local contribution).
• Be in good standing with federal and provincial laws, including employment standards, health and safety, and immigration rules.
• Offer eligible jobs that are full-time, permanent, non-seasonal, and offer fair wages based on local standards.
• Operate locally: At least 75% of the work must take place within the community boundaries.
• Support newcomers: You must complete mandatory training and commit to helping your new employee and their family settle in the community.
• Not be excluded: You cannot be a consulate, a staffing agency, or a business owned or controlled by the candidate (or their spouse).

If you meet these requirements, you can apply for designation through the West Kootenay Rural Community Immigration Pilot.

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.

To be eligible, your application must match the current priority sectors and occupations at the time you submit.
If priorities change before you apply and your job is no longer eligible, you won’t be able to proceed—even if you were preparing an application beforehand.

To avoid surprises, we recommend checking for updates regularly on our Updates page and contacting West Kootenay RCIP before applying.

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.

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, 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.

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:

• Unfortunately, they can’t apply for a work permit under RCIP yet. 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 extend their stay (e.g. visitor record or another type of work permit) while the RCIP process is underway. Note: they may have to stop working until they have a new work permit.

Tip: Employers should flag time-sensitive cases to West Kootenay RCIP as early as possible.

If the candidate has received a recommendation and submitted their PR application, then they can apply for the RCIP 2-year work permit. Learn more.

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 any consultant or representative you’ve used in the application
• The consultant must be a member in good standing of one of the following:
  • 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

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

You can verify or search for a licensed immigration consultant or lawyer using these official directories:

• 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. 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.