Time is running out to take advantage of the

Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot to assist with filling labour shortages

Time is running out to take advantage of the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot to assist with filling labour shortages

Staffing challenges continue to dominate discussions throughout Brandon. While the conversation is not new, the magnitude of impacted businesses and depth of need within the workplace has ballooned. Employers know far too well the economic and human toll chronic labour shortages are placing on their businesses. The upside (if there is one) of current labour woes is that employers are upping their game when it comes to recruiting and retaining employees.

An exciting tool many local employers have embraced over the past three years is the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot often referred to as RNIP Brandon is one of only 11 communities in Canada to have access to an employer friendly immigration stream to fill local vacancies

What sets RNIP apart from other immigration streams is:

Brandon determines labour need, meaning employers do not have to undertake an expensive and lengthy labour market impact assessment, nor do the jobs they wish to fill have to be on Manitoba’s in demand occupation list before hiring foreign nationals or people in Canada on temporary status

Application fees, travel costs, relocation costs, accommodation and settlement costs are the responsibility of the RNIP applicant not the employer

Employers can find applicants that they would like hire to fill vacancies on their own or take advantage of the free Economic Development Brandon online RNIP job portal that currently has over 74,000 active employee profiles

Like any hiring process employees don’t always work out If an individual is hired through RNIP and doesn’t work out, an employer is not obligated to retain the employee

Built into the RNIP program is an expedited path to permanent residence and eligibility for a temporary work permit not only for the person you wish to hire, but their immediate family members as well. These features make RNIP highly desirable to individuals wishing to make Canada their permanent home

Brandon has authorization from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to recommend individuals for permanent residence (meaning decision makers understand community needs and realities)

RNIP works for people living abroad or for people that are already in Canada with legal temporary status If you have an employee that has a valid temporary work permit or a study permit who would like to stay in Canada permanently, the program could also work for them

Employers have direct access to City of Brandon Economic Development staff and Brandon Economic Development Staff have immediate access to dedicated IRCC staff meaning we can provide timely assistance and guidance for employers and applicants as required

Brandon employers from many sectors of the economy including construction, communications, professional services, medical, agri-food, manufacturing, childcare, religious, retail, food services, accommodation, automotive have successfully used RNIP to fill employment vacancies If desired, the Economic Development Brandon team can connect you with an employer that has used RNIP so you can hear firsthand their experience with the program

As long as the job you are looking to fill is a minimum of 30 hours per week and is permanent and offers a wage that falls with the range posted on the Canada Job Bank for the position, RNIP may be an option for you The Economic Development team has purposefully designed the employer RNIP process to be as easy as possible If you are interested in RNIP as one of your staffing tools, please learn more by visiting www economicdevelopmentbrandon com/e mployer or by emailing immigration@brandon ca

Article submitted by Economic Development Brandon