The Vernon and North Okanagan Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) is a federal immigration program designed to bring immigrants to smaller communities.
The RNIP Coordinator’s Role
The RNIP coordinator is available to help area businesses hire foreign nationals at no cost to the business.
Businesses that have a permanent full-time job vacancy can advertise on this website at no cost to attract international applicants. The RNIP coordinator will list your job and forward qualitied applicants to your business.
The RNIP Project Coordinator is available to help employers understand the program and offer direct support all through the application process.
The Coordinator can help from the beginning of your search for an employee up to approval of Permanent Residence.
Businesses must take free training to get approved for the RNIP program. This starts with a one-on-one training session. Support includes forwarding applications from qualified candidates through the RNIP job website to you making hiring easier.
Recommendations for RNIP work permits may be offered to foreign nationals through this pilot to fill labour market needs or skill shortages.
An employer may request up to 6 candidates to be recommended by the committee per calendar year with the exception of preferred NOC codes. This rule takes effect starting in September 1, 2022.
Employers, who reached this cap for the calendar year 2022 prior to September 1st, will be granted two additional requests for candidate approval until December 2022. This rule takes effect starting in September 1, 2022.
Should the program be extended beyond its original expiry date, an employer may request up to 6 candidates to be recommended by the committee per calendar year with the exception of preferred NOC codes. This rule takes effect starting in September 1, 2022.
Jobs must be Full-time Permanent in an RNIP Community
Jobs must be within the boundary map of the North Okanagan region including: This Pilot region includes the
- City of Vernon
- District of Lake Country
- District of Coldstream
- City of Armstrong
- Township of Spallumcheen
- City of Enderby
- Village of Lumby
- Several unincorporated areas within the North Okanagan, Columbia Shuswap, Central Okanagan, Thompson Nicola Regional Districts, and
- Land under the authority of the Okanagan Indian Band and the Splatsin First Nation.
It is important to note that this excluding the census subdivision of Kelowna (City), as defined by Statistics Canada.
Hiring an International Candidate
Once you select a candidate and make a job offer, this RNIP Pilot makes it easier for foreign nationals to get their RNIP specific work permit leading to Permanent Residency.
Also, the time needed to get Permanent Residence is faster than with other programs (12 months), less expensive for the employer ($230) and has a high success rate due to the community recommendation.
With RNIP, employers can extend their employee’s status, or bring in a new worker on a LMIA-exempt RNIP-specific work permit, saving cost and time.
