Rural Community Immigration Pilot, British Columbia
North Okanagan-Shuswap RCIP: Eligibility Check and Points Calculator
Vernon, Salmon Arm, Armstrong, Enderby and the rest of the North Okanagan-Shuswap community. Built from the community's 2026 priorities page, with the caps, excluded businesses and real cutoff scores that a points grid alone does not show.
- Built from the community's 2026 priorities page
- Last verified October 2026
- Built by a licensed RCIC
- Maximum points
- 125
- Pool floor
- 50
- Last published cutoff
- 94
- Intake 3, July 23, 2026
- Next intake window
- Nov 8 to 15
- Decision December 7, 2026
Part 1 of 4
The job offer
Everything in this pilot starts with a job offer from a designated employer. These answers decide eligibility before any points are counted.
Part 2 of 4
Your experience, language and education
These are the federal rules IRCC applies to every rural pilot community.
Part 3 of 4
Ties to the community
These do not decide eligibility, but they decide where you rank in the pool. The cutoff is the lowest score recommended at each meeting. Every 2026 cutoff so far has been in the low 90s.
Part 4 of 4
Settlement funds
IRCC needs proof you can support your family on arrival, unless you already work in Canada.
2026 priority occupations, wages and caps
The community sets 6 priority sectors and a list of occupations inside them. The sector comes first: a priority occupation with an employer outside a priority sector is not eligible. The community minimum is $22 an hour unless the occupation sets a higher one.
- Business, finance and administration
- Health
- Education, law and social, community and government services
- Sales and service
- Trades and transport
- Manufacturing and utilities
Excluded: Gasoline stations (NAICS 4471); Food service contractors (NAICS 722310); Mobile food services (NAICS 722330); Fast food (limited-service eating places, NAICS 722512); Cafeterias, grill buffets and buffets (NAICS 722514); Snack and non-alcoholic beverage bars (NAICS 722515).
| NOC | Occupation | TEER | Points | Minimum wage | 2026 status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12200 | Accounting technicians and bookkeepers | 2 | 20 | $22 | Open |
| 13111 | Legal administrative assistants | 3 | 20 | $22 | Open |
| 21321 | Industrial and manufacturing engineers | 1 | 20 | $32.92 | Open |
| 32124 | Pharmacy technicians | 2 | 20 | $22 | Open |
| 33100 | Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants | 3 | 20 | $29 | Open |
| 33101 | Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations | 3 | 20 | $23.99 | Open |
| 33102 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 3 | 20 | $23 | Open |
| 42201 | Social and community service workers | 2 | 20 | $22 | 10 per employer per year; 50 recommendations for all employers in 2026 |
| 42202 | Early childhood educators and assistants | 2 | 20 | $22 | OpenEarly childhood educator assistant applications are considered as a secondary NOC, which scores 10 job-offer points. |
| 14200 | Accounting and related clerks | 4 | 15 | $22 | 1 per employer per year |
| 63100 | Insurance agents and brokers | 3 | 15 | $22 | Open |
| 72310 | Carpenters | 2 | 15 | $26 | Open |
| 72402 | Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics | 2 | 15 | $30 | Open |
| 72410 | Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers | 2 | 15 | $22 | Open |
| 73300 | Transport truck drivers | 3 | 15 | $22 | Open |
| 90010 | Manufacturing managers | 0 | 15 | $35.54 | Open |
| 94140 | Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing | 4 | 15 | $22 | Open |
| 13100 | Administrative officers | 3 | 10 | $24.64 | OpenA degree or diploma in business or public administration is required. |
| 60030 | Restaurant and food service managers | 0 | 10 | $25 | 1 per employer per year; 15 recommendations for 2026 (9 still available on August 7, 2026) |
| 62010 | Retail sales supervisors | 2 | 10 | $22 | 1 per employer per year; 10 recommendations for 2026 (6 still available on August 7, 2026) |
| 62021 | Executive housekeepers | 2 | 10 | $25 | 10 recommendations for 2026 (none used by August 7, 2026) |
| 63202 | Bakers | 3 | 10 | $22 | 2 per employer per year |
| 65310 | Light duty cleaners | 5 | 10 | $22 | Open |
| 75110 | Construction trades helpers and labourers | 5 | 10 | $22 | 2 per employer per year; 15 recommendations for 2026 (14 still available on August 7, 2026) |
| 94212 | Plastic products assemblers, finishers and inspectors | 4 | 10 | $22 | Open |
A secondary NOC needs written approval from the RCIP team before the employer files anything. It scores 10 job-offer points. Source: community 2026 priorities and scoring grid.
2026 intakes and cutoff scores
Your employer can only file during an intake. The cutoff is the lowest score recommended at each meeting. Every 2026 cutoff so far has been in the low 90s.
| Intake | Applications accepted | Decision | Cutoff score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intake 1 | January 17, 2026 to January 25, 2026 | March 5, 2026 | 91 |
| Intake 2 | March 22, 2026 to March 31, 2026 | May 4, 2026 | 93 |
| Intake 3 | May 31, 2026 to June 10, 2026 | July 23, 2026 | 94 |
| Intake 4 | September 12, 2026 to September 20, 2026 | October 19, 2026 | Not published |
| Intake 5Next | November 8, 2026 to November 15, 2026 | December 7, 2026 | Not published |
A recommendation is valid for 6 months. Caps are set per occupation: some NOCs are limited to one or two applications per employer a year, and some have a community-wide limit for 2026.
How the process works
Step 1
Check the federal rules
Work experience, language, education and funds are set by IRCC and do not change from community to community.
Step 2
Get a qualifying job offer
Full-time, at least 30 hours a week, permanent and non-seasonal, from a designated employer, in a priority occupation and sector, at or above the community wage.
Step 3
Your employer files for recommendation
Through the RCIP Employer Platform during an intake window. You provide the documents, including a written statement of intent to live in the community.
Step 4
Ranking in the pool
Eligible applications enter a ranked pool. The highest scores are presented to the committee at the next recommendation meeting.
Step 5
Recommendation, then permanent residence
Recommended candidates receive a letter within five business days of the meeting. It is valid for six months. Apply to IRCC for PR, and for the optional two-year work permit if you need one.
Step 6
Settle in the community
Your employer and local settlement providers are expected to help. The community expects you to follow the plan in your statement of intent.
The federal rules behind the checks
IRCC sets these for every rural pilot community. The community adds its own sector, wage and points rules on top.
Work experience and TEER match
At least one year (1,560 hours) of related paid work in the last three years. The TEER of the job offer decides which TEERs of experience count.
| Job offer TEER 0 or 1 | Experience in TEER 0, 1, 2, 3 |
| Job offer TEER 2 | Experience in TEER 1, 2, 3, 4 |
| Job offer TEER 3 or 4 | Experience in TEER 2, 3, 4 |
| Job offer TEER 5 | Experience in TEER 5, same five-digit NOC |
One exception: a year as a registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse (NOC 31301) counts for a job offer as a nurse aide, orderly or patient service associate (NOC 33102) or as a home support worker or caregiver (NOC 44101).
Recent graduates of a public post-secondary institution inside the community can be exempt. They must have studied full-time for the whole program and received the credential no more than 18 months before applying for permanent residence. After a program of two years or more, they must have spent at least 16 of the last 24 months of study in the community; after a master’s or doctoral program shorter than two years, they must have been there for the whole program.
Language, education and funds
| TEER 0 or 1 job | CLB 6 in every ability |
| TEER 2 or 3 job | CLB 5 in every ability |
| TEER 4 or 5 job | CLB 4 in every ability |
Education: a Canadian secondary school diploma, or a foreign credential with an Educational Credential Assessment under five years old. Funds: not required if you already work in Canada on a valid work permit. Otherwise:
1: $10,507, 2: $13,080, 3: $16,080, 4: $19,524, 5: $22,143, 6: $24,975, 7: $27,806, then $2,831 per extra family member.
North Okanagan-Shuswap designated employers
Only an employer the community has designated can make an RCIP job offer in the North Okanagan-Shuswap. Designation means the employer may take part. It does not mean the employer is hiring.
The community says its list is not to be used by candidates or immigration consultants to solicit job offers, and that an unsolicited request for a job offer may be treated as a breach of its guidelines, with significant consequences.
For employers in Vernon, Salmon Arm and the region
The employer files the application. We help you get designated and file it right.
Designation, the job offer form, the recruitment record, the recommendation package and the worker’s permanent residence application, all timed to the intakes.
Common questions about the North Okanagan-Shuswap pilot
Can I apply from outside Canada?
Yes. The community accepts candidates who are outside Canada, as long as you have a job offer from a designated employer and meet the federal rules. The points grid does reward a connection to the area, such as family there or past work or study in the community.
How does the North Okanagan-Shuswap RCIP scoring grid work?
Five factors, 25 points each, 125 in total: the job offer (scored by the occupation's category), work experience, language, education, and ties to the community. The calculator on this page applies the community's 2026 grid to your answers, and the points table below it shows every line.
What score do I really need?
You need at least 50 points to enter the pool. But the pool is ranked, and the community only presents the highest scores at each recommendation meeting. The published cutoffs in 2026 were 91, 93 and 94. Treat the low 90s as the real target, not 50.
My occupation is on the list but my employer is not in a priority sector. Am I eligible?
No. The community says the sector takes precedence. A priority occupation with an employer outside the six priority sectors is not eligible. Six kinds of business are excluded even inside a priority sector, and even if already designated: gasoline stations, food service contractors, mobile food services, fast food outlets, cafeterias and buffets, and snack and non-alcoholic beverage bars.
What if my job is not on the priority list?
A designated employer can ask the RCIP team to approve a secondary NOC for a specific hire. The team decides case by case, some approvals come with extra conditions, and a secondary NOC scores 10 job-offer points instead of up to 20.
Who files the application, me or my employer?
Your employer. Designated employers file the recommendation application through the RCIP Employer Platform during an intake window. You supply the documents. The community does not help candidates find jobs, and unsolicited approaches to designated employers can be treated as a program violation.
How long does the recommendation take, and how long is it valid?
There is no fixed processing time because the pool is ranked. Applications that are not recommended stay in the pool for six months. A recommendation letter is valid for six months and cannot be reissued, so the PR application has to go in within that window.
Can I work while IRCC processes my permanent residence application?
Yes, through the optional RCIP work permit. It is employer-specific, valid for two years, and needs the recommendation, the job offer, and proof that you have already applied for permanent residence. Your spouse or partner can get an open work permit limited to the same community.
What counts as a close family member for the connection points?
Siblings, parents, grandparents and adult children who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents and have lived in the community for at least twelve months.
Last reviewed by Cancord Immigration Services Inc.: October 2026. Reviewed against the community's 2026 priority sectors and NOCs page, its 2026 intake schedule and self-scoring sheet, and the Canada.ca eligibility pages for the Rural Community Immigration Pilot. Community Futures North Okanagan was awarded the agreement to run the pilot in February 2025 for a three-year term. Boundary: All of the Regional District of North Okanagan, plus electoral areas C, D, E, F and G of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District and the City of Salmon Arm.
Other communities in the pilot: West Kootenay, Peace Liard, Greater Sudbury.
A Job Offer Is Only the Start
We check the offer against the community and federal rules, build the file before the intake opens, and handle the permanent residence application after the recommendation.