Peace Liard Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP)
The Peace Liard region, located in the northeast corner of British Columbia, is the latest area to publish its list of priority sectors and occupations under the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP).
Communities in the Peace Liard RCIP Region
The Peace Liard RCIP region covers a wide geographic area and includes (but is not limited to) the following communities:
Fort St. John
Dawson Creek
Chetwynd
Tumbler Ridge
Taylor
Pouce Coupe
Hudson’s Hope
Fort Nelson
It also includes the surrounding rural areas within the Peace River Regional District and the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality.
What Is the RCIP?
The Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) is an employer-driven immigration program that allows foreign workers with job offers from designated employers in participating rural communities to apply for Canadian permanent residence (PR).
Candidates must meet all federal and community-specific requirements, but the program creates a direct pathway to settle permanently in smaller Canadian communities.
Peace Liard’s Priority Sectors
The region has identified the following five priority sectors:
Natural resources and agriculture
Natural and applied sciences
Education, law, and social, community, and government services
Sales and service
Trades and transport
Peace Liard’s Priority Occupations
| Occupation Name | National Occupation Code (NOC) |
|---|---|
| Accommodation Service Managers | 60031 |
| Accounting Technicians and Bookkeepers | 12200 |
| Administrative Officers | 13100 |
| Air Pilots, Flight Engineers, and Flying Instructors | 72600 |
| Cashiers | 65100 |
| Cleaning Supervisors | 62024 |
| Computer Network and Web Technicians | 22220 |
| Construction Millwrights and Industrial Mechanics | 72400 |
| Cooks | 63200 |
| Early Childhood Educators and Assistants | 42202 |
| Elementary and Secondary Teacher Assistants | 43100 |
| Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers, and Related Support Occupations | 65201 |
| Food Service Supervisors | 62020 |
| Food and Beverage Servers | 65200 |
| General Office Support Workers | 14100 |
| Heavy Equipment Operators | 73400 |
| Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics | 72401 |
| Hotel Front Desk Clerks | 64314 |
| Light Duty Cleaners | 65310 |
| Pharmacy Technical Assistants and Pharmacy Assistants | 33103 |
| Restaurant and Food Service Managers | 60030 |
| Service Station Attendants | 65101 |
| Social and Community Service Workers | 42201 |
| Store Shelf Stockers, Clerks, and Order Fillers | 65102 |
| User Support Technicians | 22221 |
Why Priority Sectors and Occupations Matter
Each year, RCIP communities select five priority sectors and 25 NOC codes that reflect their local labour market needs.
Only employers operating in these approved sectors and occupations can apply to become designated employers.
Job offers must be full-time, permanent, and within one of the listed occupations.
Foreign workers must secure a qualifying job offer from a designated employer before applying for PR.
Eligibility Criteria for Foreign Nationals
In addition to having a qualifying job offer in one of the priority occupations, applicants must also:
Have at least 1 year (1,560 hours) of relevant work experience in the past 3 years, OR qualify for the international graduate exemption.
Meet language proficiency requirements.
Hold a Canadian educational credential or a recognized foreign equivalent.
Demonstrate sufficient settlement funds to support themselves and their family.
Applicants approved by the Peace Liard RCIP community can then apply directly to the federal government for permanent residence, and may also request a work permit while their application is being processed.
Designated Employers in Peace Liard
As of now, the Peace Liard region has not yet announced its official list of designated employers for the RCIP. Once published, only those employers will be eligible to recruit foreign workers under this program.