Community Futures Central Kootenay (CFCK) is pleased to announce the launch of the West Kootenay Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP)—a new initiative of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The initiative offers a pathway to permanent residency for newcomers who want to settle long-term in the West Kootenay region and help fill key job vacancies that support the local economy.
RCIP builds on the strong foundation of the West Kootenay Rural & Northern Immigration Pilot, which ran from 2020 to 2024. That earlier program supported 256 local employers in hiring talent for over 650 hard-to-fill positions. While RCIP is structured differently, its purpose remains the same: helping employers across the region attract and retain skilled newcomers to meet persistent workforce challenges.
“RCIP is a vital tool for helping local businesses tackle persistent labour shortages,” says Andrea Wilkey, Executive Director of Community Futures Central Kootenay. “By connecting employers with skilled newcomers who are eager to build their lives here, we’re strengthening our regional economy and ensuring businesses have the workforce they need to thrive.”
Based on input from the West Kootenay RCIP Steering Committee—which includes leaders from economic development, education, and the non-profit sector—the following sectors have been identified as regional priorities due to critical labour shortages:
- Health
- Education, Law, and Social, Community & Government Services
- Sales & Service
- Trades, Transport & Equipment Operation
- Manufacturing & Utilities
To participate in RCIP, employers must first become designated before they can submit applications for candidates to receive a community recommendation for permanent residency. Designation confirms that employers are committed to fair recruitment practices and prepared to support newcomers in their transition to living and working in the region. Information on how to become designated is available at: https://westkootenayimmigration.ca/employer-designation/.
The RCIP program covers a wide area, including the entire Regional District of Central Kootenay and most of the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary, extending west to and including Rock Creek.
Implementation of the pilot in the West Kootenay is made possible through funding support from Selkirk College, the Regional District of Central Kootenay, the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary, and the Société de développement économique de la Colombie-Britannique.
Once enough employers have been designated, West Kootenay RCIP will begin accepting applications for community recommendations. It is anticipated that community recommendation applications from designated employers will open in early July 2025.