Canada | New pilot programs announced

The Canadian government announced two new pilot programs to help rural and Francophone minority communities.

Key Points:

• The pilot programs are designed to attract and retain newcomers with the right skills to help certain regions succeed.
• The Rural Community Immigration Pilot and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot will provide 18 communities with a permanent residence pathway to attract and retain newcomers to fill key jobs and who want to live long-term in certain areas.

Additional Information: Officials stated they are working to establish the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, which preceded these new pilots, as a permanent program. In the meantime, the Canadian government will ensure that rural communities have access to programs that address labor shortages and help local businesses find the workers they need. The Francophone Community Immigration Pilot focuses on economic development and increasing the number of French-speaking newcomers settling in Francophone minority communities outside of Quebec. The list of communities that will participate in each pilot program, as well as more information on the programs themselves, can be found here.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

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