The Rural and Francophone Community Immigration Program together has about 2,000 PR eligible jobs as per QuestJobs data.
The Regional District of Central Kootenay in southeastern British Columbia has announced its roster of designated employers under the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP). Stretching from Rock Creek in the south to Yahk in the east, and bounded by Hughes Peak and Duncan Lake to the north, this area includes the key centres of Nelson, Castlegar, Trail, Kaslo and Nakusp.
By aligning local labour needs with international talent, the RCIP offers a direct path to permanent residence for newcomers who secure a job and community endorsement.
The pilot requires applicants to hold a valid, full-time job offer from one of these designated employers, obtain a recommendation from the regional economic development office, and meet standard federal criteria including language ability, education and work experience.
Below is a summary of designated employers by sector:
| Sector | Designated Employers |
|---|---|
| Health |
Ancron Medical Services (Nelson); CareCorp Mountain Lake Village (Nelson); Castleview Care Centre (Castlegar); Misha Zibin Society (Grand Forks); Trail Association for Community Living |
| Education, Social & Community Services |
Blueberry Creek Community School (Castlegar); Brent Kennedy Learning Centre (South Slocan); Community Connections Support Services (Trail/Nelson); Four Winds Daycare (Nelson); Golden Bears Children’s Centre (Rossland); Growing Steps Academy (Trail); Kootenay Employment Services – Creston; Kootenay Family Place (Castlegar); Kootenay Society for Community Living (Castlegar); Silly Monkeys Childcare (Castlegar); Songbird Early Learning Centre (Nelson); Sunningdale Childcare Centre (Trail); The Schoolhouse ECLC (Nelson) |
| Accommodation, Food Services & Retail |
0807658 BC Ltd; 0081392 BC Ltd; The Adventure Hotel (Nelson); Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort; Amanda’s Restaurant (Nelson); Ashley Furniture (Trail); Ashman’s Burgers (Nelson); Baker Street Inn Best Western (Nelson); Bayleaf Indian Fusion (Creston); Blue Barn Pet and Hobby Farm (Castlegar); Boaz Enterprises (Trail); Boston Pizza (Castlegar); Broken Hill Restaurant (Nelson); Busaba Thai (Nelson); Canadian Tire (Trail); Cantina Del Centro (Nelson); Castlegar Shell; Chahko Mika Mall (Nelson); Chopsticks (Castlegar); Columbia River Hotel Best Western (Trail); Creston Hotel / Jimmy’s Pub; Cuisine of India (Castlegar); Cut Rite Meats and Deli (Nakusp); Edgewood General Store; El Taco (Nelson); Ferraro Foods (Trail/Rossland); Finley’s Bar & Grill (Nelson); Golden Chopsticks II (Grand Forks); Grand Forks Inn; The Handy Store (Trail); Haryanvi Retail (Trail/Castlegar/Nelson); HG Insurance Agencies (Castlegar); Hume Hotel (Nelson); JMJ Building Maintenance (Castlegar); The Josie Hotel (Rossland); Kaslo Hotel; KC Restaurant (Nelson); Kokanee Glacier Resort (Nelson); Kootenay Bakery Cafe Coop (Nelson); Kootenay Co-op Grocery Store; Kootenay Tamil Kitchen Food & Beverage; Kootenay Tamil Kitchen Ethnic Foods (Creston); Kootenay Tamil Kitchen Masala Shop (Nelson); Kurama Sushi (Nelson); L&C Bakery (Nelson); Mainstreet Diner (Nelson); Maple Leaf Store (Slocan); MapleMirch Foods (Castlegar); Milano Pizza (Fruitvale); The Nineteenth (Castlegar); Oso Negro Coffee (Nelson); Outer Clove Restaurant (Nelson); Port 701 (Nelson); Prestige Lakeside Resort (Nelson); Red Fin Sushi (Castlegar); Rel-Ish Bistro (Nelson); Serendipity Nail Studio (Nelson); Shatti Esthetics Studio (Trail/Rossland); Simran’s No Frills (Grand Forks); Sunner Barber Shop (Trail/Castlegar); Sushiwood (Nelson); Supersave Gas (Grand Forks); SureStay Best Western (Castlegar); Tahnam Thai (Nelson); Taste of India (Trail); Thor’s Pizza (Nelson); The Uphill Market (Nelson); Valet Restorations (Castlegar); Villa Motel (Nelson); Western Traveler Motel (Grand Forks); Working Ventures Insurance Solutions (Trail); Yum Son (Nelson) |
| Trades, Transport & Equipment Operators |
A3 Plumbing (Nelson); Ace Couriers (Castlegar/Grand Forks); Babe’s Automotive (Slocan); BC ECO Industrial Services (Nelson); Castle Fuels (Grand Forks); Martech Electrical Systems (Castlegar); Marwest Industries (Castlegar); Mercer Forestry Services; Mountain City Painting (Trail); OK Tire/Practicar (Trail); Paradise Painters (Nelson); Rokform Solutions (Castlegar); RSD Holdings (Castlegar); The Sutherland Group (Salmo); Valor Painting (Nelson) |
| Manufacturing & Utilities |
Kalesnikoff Lumber (Thrums); Kalesnikoff Mass Timber (Castlegar); KC Recycling (Trail); Nelson Naturals (Nelson); Popov Leather (Nelson); Spearhead (Nelson); Treasure Life Flour Mills (Creston) |
As per the latest job listings at Questjobs, the following communities dominate the number of companies designated as well as the number of job listings,
Timmins
Sudbury
Thunder Bay
North Bay
To qualify for this rural pathway, applicants must have at least 1,560 hours of relevant work experience within the last three years (though international graduates from recognized local institutions may be exempt), meet the program’s language benchmarks, hold a Canadian secondary-school diploma or equivalent foreign credential, and demonstrate sufficient settlement funds.
By targeting small but thriving communities, the West Kootenay RCIP offers newcomers and employers a mutually beneficial route to permanent residence. Job seekers gain access to a diverse range of sectors—from health care and education to hospitality, retail and technical trades—while employers benefit from a reliable pipeline of vetted international talent.