Get designated as an employer

Being “designated” means you can hire candidates under the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP). The Thunder Bay CEDC is responsible for designating employers in the Thunder Bay CMA.

1.   Check that you meet the requirements

To be designated, you must:

• have been operating continuously for at least 2 years in the Thunder Bay CMA.
• comply with employment standards and occupational health and safety legislation
• do business in at least one priority occupation that the Thunder Bay CEDC has identified
  • The Thunder Bay CEDC Advisory Council has set priority sectors and occupations that can be filled through the pilot based on local economic development priorities
• do at least 75% of business work inside the community
• not be in violation of the employer compliance regime
• complete the free required onboarding training
• complete the free required intercultural competency training
• agree to support the settlement of newcomers and their families

You cannot be

• a consulate
• a staffing or employment agency
• an employer that a candidate (or their spouse or common-law partner) owns or controls
  • This includes any business that a candidate owns a majority stake (more than 50%) in, either directly or indirectly.
• an employer that:
  • runs a business offering striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massage on a regular basis
  • offers jobs that are not genuine
  • owes administrative penalties
• a business owned by an authorized immigration representative

2.   Apply to your participating community

Each community has its own application process. There is no cost to becoming a designated employer. You can find applications to become designated on our RCIP website by clicking here. 

If you have questions about the designation process, contact the Thunder Bay CEDC directly. immigration@thunderbay.ca

3.   Receive your designation

Once you’re designated, you’ll receive a Confirmation of Designation from the Thunder Bay CEDC.

You must complete 2 free online courses for designation:

• onboarding training
• intercultural competency training

You’ll get a certificate for completing each of these courses which you should include along with your Employer Designation Application Form via our portal.

Onboarding training 

This training covers:

• an introduction to Canada’s immigration system
• background on the pilot
• how the pilot works
• an overview of roles and responsibilities
• permanent residence applications
• work permit applications
• settlement and integration into the community.

Intercultural competency training 

Intercultural competency training can help you to take meaningful steps to welcome and integrate your newcomer employees. This will help you to retain internationally trained talent in the long term.

This training aims to support those who are involved in the day-to-day management of the organization, such as those responsible for hiring or managing employees in your organization. The training covers topics such as:

• creating welcoming and culturally inclusive workplaces
• newcomer experiences
• cultural awareness

Once you’re designated, you can offer jobs to eligible candidates.

The Rural Community Immigration Pilot does not match candidates with jobs. You may find a candidate on your own or a candidate may approach you.

The job you’re offering must be

• within the boundaries of Thunder Bay CMA
• full time (at least 30 paid hours per week)
• non-seasonal (year-round)
• indeterminate (no end date)
  • Volunteer work and unpaid internships don’t count.
• at a similar skill level as your candidate’s qualifying work experience (see this table)

In certain circumstances, your candidate doesn’t need qualifying work experience if they’re an international student who has graduated from Lakehead University or Confederation College. For more information, review the work experience exemption.

 If your candidate’s work experience is in NOC 31301 (Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses – TEER 1), you can make a job offer in one of the following occupation categories:

• NOC 33102 (TEER 3): Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates or
• NOC 44101 (TEER 4): Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations

Rural Community Immigration Pilots: Who can apply – Canada.ca

To apply for permanent residence through the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP), you must:

• have a valid job offer from a designated employer in the community
• have at least 1 year (1,560 hours) of related work experience in the past 3 years
• work experience exemption if you studied and graduated in the community
• prove your language abilities by taking an approved test
• have a Canadian educational credential or the foreign equivalent
• prove you have enough money to support your transition and your family’s transition into the community if the candidate is not currently in Canada

The minimum score they need depends on the NOC TEER category of the job offer. NOTE: the score must be across all categories, not based upon an average score.

• TEER 0 or 1: CLB 6
• TEER 2 or 3: CLB 5
• TEER 4 or 5: CLB 4

If the candidate has applied for permanent residence under the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP), they may also be eligible for a 2-year work permit. The work permit lets them work while their permanent residence application is being processed.

This work permit:

• is only for the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP)
• is valid for 2 years
• only lets the candidate work for the employer who offered them the job

To qualify for a work permit, the candidate must:

• have an eligible offer of employment from a designated employer
• have a Recommendation Certificate from a participating community
• be eligible to apply for a work permit

Work permits for spouses or common-law partners

• The candidate’s spouse or common-law partner can apply for an open work permit at the same time as they apply for their 2-year work permit.
• Their work permit will only let them work in the same community as the candidate.

How to apply for the work permit

The application forms and process you need to follow depend on where you’re applying from. For more information on applying for the RCIP work permit or spousal RCIP work permit, please visit: Rural Community Immigration Pilot: Optional: Work permit – Canada.ca

You must use the IRCC webform found here

You must report any changes to both the:

• IRCC using the webform found here, and
• Thunder Bay CEDC by email: immigration@thunderbay.ca

Hire a Registered Immigration Consultant of Canada

Newcomer Legal Clinic of Thunder Bay provides free legal support to qualifying individuals in immigration, refugee, and citizenship law to immigrants, refugees and people living without status in Northwestern Ontario.