Updated July 2026. Three British Columbia regions in the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) have published their 2026 priority sectors and occupations. RCIP isn’t a general open PR pathway — you generally need a job offer from a designated employer in the community, followed by a community recommendation, before applying to IRCC.
Which BC Regions Participate
- North Okanagan-Shuswap
- Peace Liard (Northeast BC)
- West Kootenay
2026 Priority Sectors by Region
Each community can select up to six priority sectors for the year.
North Okanagan-Shuswap: Business, finance and administration; Health; Education, law and social, community and government services; Sales and service; Trades, transport and equipment operators; Manufacturing and utilities.
Peace Liard: Business, finance and administration; Health; Education, law and social, community and government services; Sales and service; Trades and transport; Natural resources and agriculture. Business/finance/admin and Health are both newly prioritized for 2026.
West Kootenay: Business, finance and administration; Health; Education, law and social, community and government services; Sales and service; Trades, transport and equipment operators; Manufacturing and utilities. Business/finance/admin is new for 2026 — every other sector carries over from 2025.
Priority Occupations
Both West Kootenay and Peace Liard have published lists of 25 priority occupations each, covering roles like registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, health care aides, accountants, retail and food service managers, chefs and cooks, construction millwrights, automotive service technicians, and transport truck drivers, among others. Most community recommendations tend to go toward candidates in these specifically listed occupations, so checking your region’s exact NOC list matters more than the general sector category.
Practical Details for 2026
- West Kootenay reopened for community recommendation applications on April 7, 2026, with 200 allocations available for the year.
- Job offers must pay at least $21.00 per hour or the Job Bank minimum wage for the occupation, whichever is higher.
What to Do Next
If your occupation appears on your target region’s priority list, your realistic path starts with securing a job offer from a designated employer in that community — RCIP recommendations flow through the local economic development organization, not IRCC directly. Check each region’s own site (linked from IRCC’s rural and francophone pilots page) for current employer listings and application windows, since allocations and intake periods vary by community and can close once the year’s allocation is used.
Source: IRCC, Rural and Francophone Community Immigration pilots.
