• Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Careers
  • Who We Are
    • Our Board
    • Our Staff
    • Governance and Accountability
    • Annual Reports and Financial Statements
  • Who We Serve
  • News
  • Learning
Community Futures North Okanagan
  • Home
  • Business Services
    • Starting Your Business
      • Self Employment
      • Buying a Business
      • Business Coaching
      • Planning Tools
      • Business Loans
    • Growing Your Business
      • Employer Support
      • Business Coaching
      • Succession Planning
      • Supports, Funding, Grants
      • Momentum
      • Business Exchange
      • Export Navigator
      • Continuity Planning
      • Business Loans
    • Loans
      • Loans Application
      • Business Loans
      • Micro Loans
      • 4-H Loans
    • Workshops
      • Workshop Calendar
  • Programs
    • Self Employment
    • Employ for Youth
    • Momentum
    • Business Exchange
    • Entrepreneurs with Disabilities
    • Export Navigator
    • Enterprize Challenge
    • Reach
    • SharED
    • WorkBC
    • Inclusive Hiring Hub
    • RNIP – Rural & Northern Immigration Pilot
    • Newcomers Loan
  • Employment Services
    • WorkBC
    • Employ for Youth
  • Contact
  • Menu Menu

CFNO launches Rural Northern Immigration Pilot

January 21, 2020/in News

RNIP project helps Okanagan attract—and keep—talented international workers

VERNON, BC—In just a few weeks, local employers will be able to post jobs that could help bring up to 100 skilled foreign workers to the North Okanagan every year until 2022— bolstering the economy and helping employers overcome a looming skilled labour shortage that can’t be filled solely by residents.

Vernon is one of two communities in BC and one of 11 in Canada selected to participate in the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP), which aims to help smaller communities benefit from the immigration of skilled workers by creating a path to permanent residence. RNIP Vernon will see Community Futures North Okanagan (CFNO) endorse qualifying job postings and support the local committee that recommends the applications of eligible skilled international workers.

Click To Find Out More On How The Rural And Northern Immigration Pilot Will Help Local Businesses Overcome Skilled Labour Shortage

“Our region is extremely fortunate to have been selected to participate in this project,” says Leigha Horsfield, General Manager, CFNO. “The opportunities it presents to enhance and fill gaps in our workforce needs is exceptional. One of the many outcomes we’d like to see is the promotion of the North Okanagan as a destination of choice for skilled immigrants and their families.”

The pilot is scheduled to begin in Vernon Feb. 1 and this week CFNO begins hosting ongoing RNIP training sessions for employers, who must meet several eligibility requirements, including being within a 40-kilometre radius (except for Kelowna), already having at least three full-time employees, and be posting a full-time permanent position. As of Feb. 1, employers can post a position on the new RNIP Vernon website, which goes live today for information, and employers will also be required to post the job locally so current residents can apply.

On Feb. 3, RNIP candidates will be able to create a profile on the RNIP Vernon site and can then apply for postings. To be considered eligible, candidates must meet federal permanent residency criteria as well as language benchmarks, and intend to live in the community. Once there’s a match between qualified employers and applicants, a CFNO committee reviews applications monthly and can recommend up to 100 applicants per year.

“This is a proactive solution that supports our region’s economic development goals. Vancouver and Kelowna are such draws, how do we attract and keep skilled workers? They need to have good jobs and a good place to live,” says Mercer.  

“If we can target skilled workers who can earn a living wage, and if they have job security and a welcoming community, these people and their families are more likely to stay and continue contributing to our region,” says Ward Mercer, Regional Coordinator, RNIP, adding with an aging population, only 47 per cent of Vernon residents are active in the workforce, and that number will continue to shrink as baby boomers retire.

The pilot runs February 2020 to 2022. The maximum number of recommended applicants would be 300 over the three-year period, in addition to applicants’ spouses and children, if their applications are also successful.

The RNIP project is supported by the City of Vernon, Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust, the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction and the Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

To learn more, visit www.rnip-vernon.ca

ABOUT COMMUNITY FUTURES NORTH OKANAGAN

Community Futures North Okanagan is a not-for-profit organization that supports economic development projects and helps our business community, job-seekers, and employers succeed. As a community-based organization with roots in Vernon dating back to 1984, Community Futures acts as a leader to create opportunities for growth and success across the North Okanagan. A team of nearly 45 staff provide workshops, programs and services for three departments: Business Services, Employment Services, and Economic Development. Visit www.futuresbc.com to learn more.

(feature image courtesy pexels.com)

Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share by Mail
https://www.futuresbc.com/wp-2/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/woman-in-red-shirt-beside-woman-in-white-shirt-1181724-scaled.jpg 1707 2560 Kazia Mullin https://futuresbc.com/wp-2/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Community-Futures-North-Okanagan-Logo.png Kazia Mullin2020-01-21 13:02:412020-01-21 13:02:41CFNO launches Rural Northern Immigration Pilot
0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Pages

  • Apply To This Year’s Enterprize Challenge
  • Business Loan Application
  • Directions Application
  • Enterprize Challenge 2022 Final Pitch and Awards Program
  • Event Submission
  • Home
  • Momentum Application
  • Privacy Policy
  • Reach Application
  • Self Employment Program Application
  • Thank your applying!
  • Volunteer Application
  • Our Staff
  • Bridges Application Form
  • Bridges Application
  • Our Board
  • Who We Serve
  • Our Mission
  • Governance and Accountability
  • Annual Reports and Financial Statements
  • News
  • Self Employment
  • Buying a New Business
  • Business Coaching
  • Planning Tools
  • Employer Support
  • Succession Planning
  • Supports, Funding, Grants
  • Business Loans
  • Micro Loans
  • Newcomers Loan
  • 4-H Loans
  • Small Business Week 2022
  • Workshop Calendar
  • Employ for Youth
  • Momentum
  • Business Exchange
  • Continuity Planning
  • Reach
  • Entrepreneurs with Disabilities
  • Export Navigator
  • Enterprize Challenge
  • SharED
  • RNIP – Rural & Northern Immigration Pilot
  • Contact
  • Past Projects
  • Careers
  • Partners
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Categories

  • News
  • Success Story
  • Uncategorized

Archive

  • January 2023
  • October 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • April 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • July 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • October 2016
  • August 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • August 2015
  • May 2015
  • December 2014

About Community Futures

From our office in downtown Vernon, Community Futures North Okanagan offers employment, business and economic development services to help residents build their future and the community. We service Armstrong, Coldstream, Enderby, Grindrod, Lavington, Lumby, Mara, Okanagan Indian Band,  Spallumcheen, Splatsin and Vernon.

Careers Volunteer Partners Privacy Policy Issue Resolution Services en Français
Government of BC logo

© Copyright - Community Futures North Okanagan | Developed by Tambellini Design Studios
  • Terms and Conditions
Enterprize Challenge 2020: Submit Your EntriesMaking Connections: How Enterprize Gave Them a Headstart
Scroll to top
Open toolbar Accessibility Tools

Accessibility Tools

  • Increase TextIncrease Text
  • Decrease TextDecrease Text
  • GrayscaleGrayscale
  • High ContrastHigh Contrast
  • Negative ContrastNegative Contrast
  • Light BackgroundLight Background
  • Links UnderlineLinks Underline
  • Reset Reset