RCIP: These are the occupations British Columbia regions are prioritizing for PR
The three regions in British Columbia that are participating in the Rural Community Immigration (RCIP) have released the sectors and occupations they will be prioritizing in 2026.
Foreign nationals whose job offers align with the workforce needs of a BC community can use this pilot as a pathway to permanent residence (PR).
Assess your eligibility for the Rural Community Immigration Pilot
Occupations carry differing language requirements based on the TEER they fall under, which can be found in the second digit of your National Occupational Classification (NOC) code. More on this below.
This article explores the sectors and occupations that each participating region in British Columbia is prioritizing under the RCIP in 2026.
Participating British Columbia Regions include:
North Okanagan-Shuswap;
Peace Liard; and
West Kootenay.
North Okanagan-Shuswap
The North Okanagan-Shuswap region—located in the southern interior of British Columbia—is prioritizing these sectors under the RCIP in 2026:
Health;
Education, law and social, community and government services;
Sales and service;
Trades, transport and equipment operators;
Manufacturing and utilities; and
Business, finance and administration.
Its 2026 selection remains largely the same as last year’s, except for the newly included business, finance and administration sector.
You can find the list of occupations that the North Okanagan-Shuswap region is prioritizing under the RCIP in 2026 below.
You can view North Okanagan-Shuswap’s list of designated employers here. This list will be updated monthly.
Peace Liard
The Peace Liard region, situated in the northeastern corner of British Columbia, will be prioritizing worker recruitment in the following six sectors throughout 2026:
Education, law and social, community and government services;
Trades, transport and equipment operators;
Sales and service; and
Natural resources and agriculture;
Health; and
Business, finance and administration.
Health and business, finance and administration sectors are newly prioritized sectors this year. Last year, the Peace Liard region prioritized the first four sectors on the list, as well as the natural and applied sciences sector—now absent.
You can find the 25 occupations (and their associated NOCs) being prioritized by Peace Liard under the RCIP in 2026 below.
You may view the list of designated employers in the Peace Liard region here.
West Kootenay
West Kootenay, a mountainous region in southeastern British Columbia, has deemed the six sectors listed to be of priority in 2026:
Health;
Education, law and social, community and government services;
Sales and service;
Trades, transport and equipment operators;
Manufacturing and utilities; and
Business, finance and administration.
The business, finance and administration sector is a new inclusion this year, with all other priority sectors selected remaining the same as those selected in 2025.
West Kootenay is prioritizing workers in the following 25 occupations for selection under the RCIP in 2026:
You can find the list of West Kootenay’s designated employers under the RCIP in 2026 here.
About the RCIP
The Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP), established in 2025, provides foreign nationals with a pathway to permanent residence (PR) while helping 14 rural communities outside Quebec address labour shortages.
Each community designates employers to hire workers in priority sectors and occupations decided on by the community.
Candidates must hold a job offer from a designated employer and secure a community recommendation before applying to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for PR.
Individuals also need relevant work experience, appropriate language skills, recognized educational credentials, and sufficient settlement funds to qualify:
Work experience: At least one year (1,560 hours) of related work experience within the last three years.
Language proficiency: Individuals with TEER 0–1 job offers must meet a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 6, those with TEER 2–3 job offers need to show a CLB 5, and TEER 4–5 job offer-holders require a CLB 4.
Educational credential: Have a Canadian credential or the foreign equivalent—if the latter, you must have a valid Educational Credential Assessment.
Settlement funds: Sufficient funds to support yourself and your family, which ranges from $10,507 for a single applicant to $27,806 for a family of seven.
Assess your eligibility for the Rural Community Immigration Pilot
