Claresholm, Alberta, has officially announced its priority sectors and occupations under the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP), providing a new pathway to permanent residency (PR) for skilled foreign workers. This initiative aims to address local labor shortages by attracting talent to Claresholm and its surrounding areas, including Granum and Stavely.
Priority sectors and occupations
| Sector | Occupation Title | NOC Code |
| Agriculture | Specialized Livestock Workers and Farm Machinery Operators | 84120 |
| Health Care | Cooks | 63200 |
| Licensed Practical Nurses | 32101 | |
| Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 33102 | |
| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 31301 | |
| Law & Education | Administrative Officers | 13100 |
| Early childhood educators and assistants | 42202 | |
| Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants | 43100 | |
| Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors | 72600 | |
| Manufacturing & Utilities | Administrative Assistants | 13110 |
| Aerospace Engineers | 21390 | |
| Aircraft Assemblers and Aircraft Assembly Inspectors | 93200 | |
| Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors | 22313 | |
| Aircraft Mechanics and aircraft inspectors | 72404 | |
| Carpenters | 72310 | |
| Concrete Finishers | 73100 | |
| Construction Trades Helpers and labourers | 75110 | |
| Crane Operators | 72500 | |
| Engineering Managers | 20010 | |
| Ironworkers | 72105 | |
| Labourers in food and beverage processing | 95106 | |
| Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing | 94140 | |
| Meat cutters and fishmongers – retail and wholesale | 65202 | |
| Sales & Services | Chefs | 62200 |
| Food Service Supervisors | 62020 |
These sectors have been identified based on the community’s labor market needs. Employers operating within these industries are eligible to participate in the RCIP by offering job opportunities to foreign workers.
For 2025, Claresholm has been allocated 30 RCIP slots, distributing three per month. Notably, the Sales and Service sector is capped at five allocations for the year.
Eligibility Criteria for Applicants
To qualify for the RCIP in Claresholm, candidates must:
- – Secure a job offer from a designated employer within one of the priority sectors.
- – Possess at least one year (1,560 hours) of relevant work experience in the past three years or meet the criteria for the international graduate exemption.
- – Meet language proficiency requirements.
- – Hold a Canadian educational credential or its foreign equivalent.
- – Demonstrate sufficient funds to support themselves and their family during the transition.
Only employers operating within the identified priority sectors are eligible for designation under the RCIP. Once designated, these employers can offer positions to foreign workers, facilitating their application for PR through the pilot.
