North Bay & Area RCIP 2026 Priority Occupation List Updates & Mid-Year Adjustments
Effective July 1, 2026, the North Bay & Area Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) will update its Priority Occupation List to better align with our evolving local labour market. Our team has determined that the community’s current needs for Security Guards (NOC 64410) and Administrative Assistants (NOC 13110) have been successfully met. These positions will be officially removed next month, during our mid-year adjustments.
To address the critical, growing shortages in the skilled trades, we will be adding Plumbers (NOC 72300) and Construction Millwrights and Industrial Mechanics (NOC 72400). These changes ensure the program targets the NOC codes most urgently needed to support our region’s economic growth.
Data-Driven Decisions
These decisions were made in collaboration with community partners and workforce planning, following a comprehensive review of labour market statistics and trends for our catchment area. This data provides a clearer roadmap for welcoming newcomers who can immediately contribute to our community’s most vital industries.
All updates made to date echo the core goal of the RCIP program across Canada: to help address labour market needs in priority sectors, such as healthcare, construction, manufacturing, mining, and education. Caps will also remain in place to ensure every employer has the opportunity to access the pilot program.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: We are still excluding all fast food and retail occupations, including convenience store and gas station positions, from this pilot.
Impact on Existing Applications
If you submitted an application under one of the NOC codes that will be removed on July 1, 2026, your documents will no longer receive consideration, and you will, unfortunately, be withdrawn from our pool.
Lastly, please note that RCIP is a highly competitive program for skilled occupations. In addition to this pathway, we recommend that your employers explore the other federal or provincial immigration pathways for which employees may be eligible. You can use this tool to find out more information directly from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
NOC Code Requests
Were your employees’ NOC codes or positions removed? While we appreciate that every occupation contributes to our communities and the economy, RCIP is not for everyone. If your employees are not eligible for the North Bay & Area RCIP in 2026, we would like your feedback. Please submit your requests for consideration here. We will review all requests and consider changes yearly. Requests must be made by EMPLOYERS only.
We appreciate your understanding as we adapt the pilot to better serve our business communities. These updates are a direct result of the feedback we received, and are designed to reflect the actual day-to-day labour requirements of our catchment area. Thank you for your participation in this program, cooperation, and patience.