Welcome. Biindigen. Bienvenue.
A welcoming community of 78,000, Sault Ste. Marie provides a mix of urban and natural amenities that offer an affordable, active lifestyle in the heart of the Great Lakes. This pilot is designed to support economic development in our community and strengthen our local business's capacity to develop and retain a skilled workforce. This pilot is being managed by the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation. Thank you for your interest in the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Rural Community Immigration Pilot
The Rural Community Immigration Pilot offers a pathway to permanent residence (PR) to skilled workers who want to work and settle in our rural community. Boundary Map for Sault Ste. Marie. This is an employer-led program; only designated employers located in the boundary can send in a recommendation application. Once designated, the employer will be listed on our website and given access to send in applications through our web portal.
THE PORTAL WILL OPEN UP ON AUGUST 17, 2026 - AUGUST 23, 2026 FOR EMPLOYERS TO SEND IN NEW APPLICATIONS.
Priority Sectors have been updated for 2026
Health | Education, Law and Social Community and Government Services | Business and Finance | Trade, Transport and Equipment Operators | Manufacturing and Utilities | Sales and Services
PLEASE NOTE: It will take six weeks for processing and application once our office receives a complete application for a recommendation.
We were granted permission by Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada to make changes to one of our sectors for the remainder of 2026.
Effective July 1, we will be removing the Natural Applied Sector and adding the Sales and Service Sector. For the new sector, applications will be accepted in August 2026.
Occupation Caps
IRCC has established limits on several occupations within the Sales and Service sector. As a community, we cannot exceed these caps or the allocation limits assigned to Sault Ste. Marie.
Employers may continue to seek support for occupations already identified on our website. For occupations within the Sales and Service sector that are not currently listed, we may be able to support applications on a limited basis until the applicable IRCC cap has been reached.
To ensure fair access across employers and to manage our remaining allocations responsibly:
- A maximum of two applications per employer for the Sales and Service Sector for occupations not currently listed on the website.
- Support will be provided only while occupation specific and overall community caps remain available.
- Please note that eligibility does not extend to fast food establishments, restaurant-based businesses, or security companies.
We encourage employers to contact our office before submitting an application to confirm eligibility and availability under the remaining allocation limits
