Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced two new pilot programs on March 6, 2024 – the Rural Community Immigration Pilot and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot. These programs are focused on expanding permanent immigration options in rural and Francophone minority communities, with the goal of addressing the labour shortage in rural communities and attracting Francophone newcomers to settle in Francophone minority communities outside of Quebec. 

Both pilot programs are expected to be launched in the fall of this year. We expect to hear details of each pilot program in the coming months, including details of the participating communities.  

The announcement of IRCC can be found here.

Learn more about Gowling WLG’s Immigration Group

Immigration legislation and practices continue to change frequently. Our Immigration Group would be pleased to help with any questions you may have about immigration into Canada or the U.S. To find out more about our group, reach out to a member of our team and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates.