Sault Ste. Marie is one of 14 communities across Canada to participate in the RCIP, a federal program that helps rural communities attract and retain skilled immigrants.
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Calling all employers having difficulty finding employees!
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The City and the Algoma Workforce Investment Corp. (AWIC) want employers to share their workforce needs by completing a survey as part of the new Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP).
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The RCIP is a vital tool to help us fill critical labour gaps and support our growing industries,” said Lackeisha Currie, the city’s labour development coordinator. “By gathering direct input from employers, we can ensure that local needs are aligned to deliver real benefits to businesses and newcomers.”
Sault Ste. Marie is one of 14 communities across Canada to participate in the RCIP, a federal program that helps rural communities attract and retain skilled immigrants. It also serves as a pathway to permanent residence for eligible foreign nationals who secure a job offer from a designated local employer.
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In May, the city closed its first intake period for 2025. The intake process was one of several steps required to help employers fill jobs that can’t be filled locally and bring more immigrants to the community.
The new survey is designed to provide local insights into the specific challenges facing employers, said Silvia Alves, executive director of AWIC.
“By working together, we will ensure the RCIP connects skilled newcomers with the jobs where they are most needed, strengthening both our workforce and our economy for Sault Ste. Marie.”
Under RCIP, priority sectors to draw workers have already been identified, including healthcare, education, manufacturing, sales and service and trades and transport. There are about 20 employers who are on a list of designated employers that qualify for the program, something that had previously been described as an ever-evolving process.
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The program that preceded RCIP, the Rural Northern Immigration Pilot program (RNIP) helped Sault Ste. Marie’s population grow over the past few years. It ended Aug. 31, 2024.
Statistics Canada reported in 2024 that Sault Ste. Marie’s population has risen over the past few years – by almost 4,000 since 2021.
It listed the city’s population at 78,574, up from 74,679 in 2021.
The former RNIP data show that since that program’s launch, 1,094 applicants have received permanent residency.
The survey will delve into hard-to-fill occupations within those sectors and identify emerging needs over the next three years.
The survey can be accessed at through this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RCIPSSM .
Employers interested in learning more about becoming a designated RCIP employer can contact labourforce@cityssm.on.ca.
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