International Students Exemption

photo of young adults

If you have or will complete at least a two-year diploma at the Okanagan College Vernon Campus you can apply for RNIP without qualifying work experience and an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) is not required. 

International Students must still be offered a full-time permanent job that you are capable of performing.

Distance learning from Okanagan College Vernon Campus is permitted; however students must be residing within the community while distant learning.

Please review the information below. 

International students can work part time (20 hours per week) during school and full time during scheduled breaks.

If you have qualifying work experience of 12 months and 1560 hours in one occupation, you may also apply without the student exemption.  In this case, please follow the information on the general RNIP Applicants page.

Create your candidate profile online here.

For all community-based questions, please direct them to Ward Mercer at wardmercer@rnip.ca. For all other questions regarding the pilot, please go to IRCC’s website.

Immigration Representatives

You may choose to use a representative to act on your behalf or to assist you with finding a qualifying job offer, completing your RNIP application for recommendation or completing your Permanent Resident application. There are different types of representatives: paid and unpaid and authorized and unauthorized. Representatives are authorized if they are:

  • lawyers and paralegals who are members in good standing of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society
  • notaries who are members in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Québec and
  • citizenship or immigration consultants who are members in good standing of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council

The Community will not communicate with, or allow for, unauthorized representatives to assist with your RNIP application. If you use an unauthorized representative, in Canada or abroad, we may return your application or refuse it.

It is important to note that using a representative does not change how your application will be reviewed or whether it will be approved or rejected. All applications are handled the same regardless of whether a representative is used or not. Immigration representatives cannot guarantee Community Recommendation, Permanent Residence, or a more expedient processing of an application.

Fraud and Mis-representation

Fraud and mis-representation are taken very seriously by the Community and by IRCC. Any applicant found to be mis-representing themselves or committing fraud will be banned from applying for recommendation for the duration of the pilot along with any associated parties.

Mis-representation and fraud can take many forms including but not limited to:

  • Submission of fraudulent documents
  • Accepting or offering money for a job offer
  • Intentionally misleading the Community

It is important to note the following:

  • All decisions made by the Community are final and are not subject to appeal.
  • Receiving a recommendation from the Community does not guarantee permanent residence; IRCC has sole authority to approve or refuse all applications for permanent residency.