The community recommendation factors have been updated for the 2021 year. 

The CEDC will prioritize candidates for recommendation who are most likely to settle and reside in Thunder Bay and contribute to the local economy. Candidates who meet a minimum threshold of 50% of the community recommendation factors will be invited to submit an application and must be prepared with all required documentation. Candidate’s who score below 50% will not be considered.

Where more candidates meet the required minimum score than can be given a recommendation in a period of time, the highest scoring candidates will be further assessed for recommendation.  All required documentation must be submitted in either English or French.

How to get these points:

You must meet the minimum language requirements based on the NOC category that applies to the job offer in the community. This can either be the

• Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) or
• Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC)

The minimum language requirements for each NOC category are

• NOC 0 and A: CLB/NCLC 6
• NOC B: CLB/NCLC 5
• NOC C and D: CLB/NCLC 4

Required documentation: 

• Designated language test. These results must be less than 2 years old when you apply

Tool: How to find your language level based on your test results

Bilingual Candidates:

The CEDC will prioritize candidates who are proficient in both official languages. All candidates are required to submit an official language test in only one official language (either English or French) in order to gets points for language. To gain additional points and show proficiency in a second language we will accept any one (1) of the following:

• Proof of graduation from an academic program of 2 years or more where the program’s primary language of instruction was in either English or French

OR

• An official language (score of CLB/NCLC 4 or higher on all language factors)

OR

• Undergo an interview with a member of the Thunder Bay RNIP team.

Where the Thunder Bay RNIP official is not satisfied that the applicant is proficient in the second official language, the official may request an additional interview or ask the applicant to provide language results demonstrating a CLB/NCLC 4 or higher in order to be assessed for these points.

How to get these points:

At the time of application for a community recommendation, the candidate has either qualifying educational credential OR work experience that meets the following requirements:

Qualifying Educational Credential:

• Equivalent to minimum 1 year Canadian college certificate.
• Satisfies the employment requirements as described in the Government of Canada National Occupation Classification Profilefor any of Thunder Bay’s priority occupations.

Required documentation: 

• Copy of Canadian certificate/diploma/degree OReducational credential assessment (ECA)

Qualifying Work Experience:

• At least two years of cumulative paid full-time (or the equivalent in part-time) work experience (3,120 hours) within the past 5 years.
• In any of the priority occupations
• Can be with multiple employers in different occupations.
• Satisfies the employment requirements as described in the Government of Canada National Occupation Classification Profilefor any of Thunder Bay’s priority occupations.
• We will not consider self-employed for work experience.

Required documentation: 

• Employment/work experience reference letters that include:
  • company letterhead with address, telephone/fax numbers, email, and website addresses
  • supervisor name & signature
  • employment period and positions held
  • main duties and responsibilities

Offer of Employment

At the time of application for community recommendation, the candidate has a full-time permanent offer of employment within the Thunder Bay CMA. 

How to get these points:

At the time of application for a community recommendation, the candidate has an offer of employment that meets the following requirements:

Priority Occupation:

• The job offer is full-time and permanent
• The job is located within the Thunder Bay Census Metropolitan Area
• The job offer is in an occupation identified on the list of priority occupations

Required documentation:

• IMM 5984 Offer of Employment to a Foreign National
• Employer application (completed the employer) *employer must meet all eligibility requirements*

Any Occupation *Thunder Bay residents only*:

• The job offer is full-time and permanent
• The job is located within the Thunder Bay Census Metropolitan Area
• The job offer is in any occupation in any skill level

Required documentation:

• IMM 5984 Offer of Employment to a Foreign National
• Employer application (completed the employer) *employer must meet all eligibility requirements*
• Employment verification letter written by the employer confirming that the candidate is currently in the position being offered
• Copy of candidate’s valid work permit
• Proof of residency in Thunder Bay for 2+ years
  • To prove residency in Thunder Bay, provide no more than 2 pieces of official mail with a local address, name and dates that show a range of 2 years. (e.g.: candidate submits a bank statement dated June 2018 and a phone bill dated September 2020). Both documents must show name of candidate and a local address.  Other personal details and/or financial information should be blacked out or covered up.

The IMM 5984 Offer of Employment to a Foreign National can be downloaded from the IRCC Rural & Northern Immigration Pilot page.

If you receive an error message when attempting to view the form, go to the upper right hand side of the page and download the form.  Go to downloads and right click the document to open in a PDF viewer

How to get these points:

At the time of application for a community recommendation, the candidate has work experience that meets the following requirements:

• At least two years of cumulative paid full-time (or the equivalent in part-time) work experience within the past 10 years.
• The work experience must be related to the offer of employment.
• Maximum points will be issued to candidates with cumulative work experience between 6 to 10 years.

Required documentation:

• Employment/work experience reference letters that include:
  • company letterhead with address, telephone/fax numbers, email and website addresses
  • supervisor name & signature
  • employment period and positions held
  • main duties and responsibilities
  • annual salary, number of hours worked per week, number of weeks of work per year

How to get these points:

At the time of application for a community recommendation, the candidate has work experience that meets the following requirements:

• At least two years of cumulative paid full-time (or the equivalent in part-time) work experience within the past 10 years.
• The work experience must be related to the offer of employment.
• Maximum points will be issued to candidates with cumulative work experience between 6 to 10 years.

Required documentation:

• Employment/work experience reference letters that include:
  • company letterhead with address, telephone/fax numbers, email and website addresses
  • supervisor name & signature
  • employment period and positions held
  • main duties and responsibilities
  • annual salary, number of hours worked per week, number of weeks of work per year

How to get these points:

At the time of application for community recommendation, the candidate has lived as an adult (18 years of age or older) in a community with a population of less than 250,000 people and more than 100 km from a large and densely populated urban area for a minimum of six (6) months OR has resided (currently or previously) within the Thunder Bay Census Metropolitan Area for a minimum six (6) months.

Required documentation: 

• To prove residency in either a small community or in Thunder Bay, provide no more than two (2) pieces of official mail that show a range of two (2) years. Both documents must show name of candidate, a date and a residential address. Other personal details and/or financial information should be blacked out or covered up.

Example: a candidate submits a bank statement dated June 2018 and a phone bill dated September 2020.

*Note for candidates currently in Thunder Bay

If you are applying under the “any occupation” category you are required to show proof of residency in Thunder Bay for 2+ years and you do not have to submit additional documents to show that you have resided here for 6 months.  We will accept the proof of residency for 2+ years in Thunder Bay and issue you points for this community recommendation factor as well.

Candidate has a direct family member (sibling, parent, grandparent, child, cousin, aunt or uncle) within the Thunder Bay CMA who is:

• a Permanent Resident or Citizen; and
• has lived in the community for minimum of two (2) years.

Maximum points allocated for 4 connections.

In-laws are not considered direct family members.

Required documentation: 

• Support letter(s) written by each family member including the name, residency status, relationship history, contact information and description of how the family member will assist the candidate with settlement in Thunder Bay

Candidate has a friend/colleague or extended family/in-laws within the Thunder Bay CMA who is:

• a Permanent Resident or Citizen; and
• has lived in the community for minimum of two (2) years.

Maximum points allocated for 4 connections.

Required documentation: 

Support letter(s) written by friends/colleagues/extended family including the name, residency status, relationship history, contact information and description of how the friend will assist the candidate with settlement in Thunder Bay.

How to get these points:

At the time of application for community recommendation, the candidate is authorized to work and is currently employed (receiving wages) in Thunder Bay with the eligible employer that is making the job offer.

Required documentation: 

• Employment verification letter written by the employer confirming that the candidate is currently in the position being offered

*Note for candidates currently in Thunder Bay

If you are applying under the “any occupation” category you are required to provide an employment verification letter in order to be eligible and do not have to submit this document twice. We will accept the verification of employment you upload as part of your proof of job offer and issue you points for this community recommendation factor as well.

How to get these points:

At the time of application for community recommendation, the candidate has a spouse who is proficient in an official language, a job offer within the Thunder Bay CMA (minimum 15 hours/week) or has qualifications that align with the community’s needs.

Spouse: Language

Required documentation (one of the following):

• Proof of graduation from an academic program of 2 years or more where the program’s primary language of instruction was in either English or French, or
• An official language test where the candidate meets a score of CLB/NCLC 4 or higher on all language factors, or
• Undergo an interview with a member of the Thunder Bay RNIP team

Spouse: Job Offer

Required documentation: 

• Copy of job offer

Spouse: Qualifications align with community needs

To show work experience:

Spouse must show at least 1 year of continuous paid full-time (or the equivalent in part-time) work experience (1,560 hours) within the past 5 years:

• In any of the priority occupations
• Can be with multiple employers in different occupations.
• We will not consider self-employed work experience.

Required documentation:

• Employment/work experience reference letters that include:
  • company letterhead with address, telephone/fax numbers, email, and website addresses
  • supervisor name & signature
  • employment period and positions held
  • main duties and responsibilities
  • annual salary, number of hours worked per week, number of weeks of work per year

To show educational credential:

Has an educational credential that meets the following criteria:

• Canadian or foreign educational credential that closely matches the education needed for entry into one of our priority occupations.

Required documentation: 

• Copy of Canadian or foreign credential (does notneed to be an equivalent to a Canadian credential).