In the latest phase of two previously announced immigration pilot programs, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is now receiving community applications for the Rural Community Immigration Pilot and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot. These initiatives, aiming to bolster Canada’s long-term growth and linguistic diversity, are slated to commence onboarding and training selected communities this fall. IRCC anticipates processing up to 5,500 permanent resident applications annually through these programs.
The selection of 15 communities will be based on various factors, including economic needs and the capacity of economic development organizations to partner with IRCC. Interested organizations can apply on behalf of their communities using an IRCC questionnaire by July 2. Regarding the Rural Community Immigration Pilot, it serves as a replacement for the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, offering an economic immigration pathway to permanent residence. Meanwhile, the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot aligns with IRCC’s mandate to promote the French language outside of Quebec, with a focus on increasing the number of French-speaking newcomers settling in Francophone minority communities. These initiatives are part of IRCC’s strategy to enhance French language proficiency among newcomers, aiming to achieve targets of 6% in 2024, 7% in 2025, and 8% in 2026.
Sourced from: https://www.cicnews.com/2024/05/ircc-now-accepting-community-applications-for-two-new-pilot-programs-0544483.html#gs.9y2hlr
