The City of Thunder Bay, Ontario, has officially published its list of designated employers under the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP). This announcement marks a significant development for skilled foreign workers seeking permanent residence (PR) through employer-supported pathways in Canada.
About the RCIP
The Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) is a federal immigration initiative designed to connect foreign skilled workers with designated employers in participating rural communities. It provides a direct pathway to permanent residence, but only for candidates who:
- Receive a valid job offer from a designated employer
- Meet community-specific and federal immigration requirements
Thunder Bay’s RCIP is administered in partnership with its Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC), which is responsible for approving employer participation and recommending qualified candidates to the federal government.
Thunder Bay’s Designated Employers (2025)
Here is the list of employers in Thunder Bay currently designated under the RCIP:
| Designated Employer | Address |
|---|---|
| 14786068 Canada Inc. Circle K | 3 Balsam Street |
| 1000661225 Ontario Inc. Circle K | A-1500 James Street South |
| Clara Industrial Services Limited | 1130 Commerce Street |
| Golden Wok | 106 May Street South |
| Great Canadian Oil Change | 1160 Memorial Avenue |
| Guac Mexi Grill | 570 Harbour Expressway, Unit 2 |
| Inspired Cabinetry & Granite Inc | 146 Gore Street West |
| JKS Enterprises – Diamond Taxi | 113 Leith Street |
| Kasper Bus Lines | 947 Memorial Avenue |
| Lakehead Roofing & Metal Cladding Ltd. | 1190 Russell Street |
| Land of Spices | 707 Memorial Avenue, Unit 1 |
| Lowerys, Limited | 540 Central Avenue |
| Mahmowenchike Family Development Centre | 150 Redwood Avenue West |
| Maltese Grocery Ltd | 301 Pearl Street |
| Northern Turf Equipment | 710B Balmoral Street |
| Outlaws Burgers & Fries | 801 Central Avenue |
| Scott Family Dental | 276 Park Avenue |
| Shelter House | 420 George Street |
| Shoppers Drug Mart | 194 N. Court Street and 572 Arthur Street West |
| SLR Contracting Corp. | 105 May Street North, Unit 7 |
| Spadoni Leasing Limited | 450 Sifton Avenue |
| Thundermaple Asian Food Co | 777 Memorial Avenue |
| Village Market | 336 Wardrope Avenue |
| Wasabi Restaurant | 538 Arthur Street West |
Only employers that have been approved by the Thunder Bay CEDC can participate in the RCIP and offer eligible job opportunities to foreign nationals.
Who Is Eligible for Thunder Bay’s RCIP?
To be eligible for the RCIP through Thunder Bay, foreign workers must:
- Secure a valid job offer from one of the designated employers listed above
- Ensure the offer is for an occupation listed under Thunder Bay’s priority occupations, revealed last month
- Meet federal and community-level eligibility criteria, including:
- Relevant work experience
- Minimum language proficiency
- Required educational qualifications
- Adequate settlement funds
After securing a job offer, the employer submits a candidate application to the Thunder Bay CEDC. Once approved and recommended by the community, the candidate may apply to IRCC for permanent residence.
Thunder Bay and the RCIP Landscape
Thunder Bay is the second RCIP community to publish a list of designated employers. Timmins, which also participates in the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP), released its list last week.
So far, the following RCIP communities have shared their priority sectors and occupations:
- Claresholm
- Timmins
- Brandon
- Sault Ste. Marie
- Thunder Bay
- North Okanagan-Shuswap
- North Bay
A total of 14 communities are participating in the RCIP. More lists of designated employers and occupations are expected in the coming weeks.
Skynet Immigration Can Help You Apply Through RCIP
At Skynet Immigration, we assist skilled foreign workers in navigating the RCIP process from job search to permanent residence application. Under the leadership of RCIC Salekur Rahman (RCIC# R514379), our services include:
- Verifying RCIP eligibility
- Connecting candidates with designated employers
- Preparing complete, error-free applications
- Assisting with CEDC and IRCC documentation
Book your free eligibility assessment today to see if you qualify for Thunder Bay’s RCIP or other community-driven immigration pathways in Canada.
