British Columbia regions name priority jobs for PR , i.e., three regions in British Columbia that are part of the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) have now shared the sectors and occupations they will focus on in 2026.
This pilot program gives foreign nationals a pathway to permanent residence (PR) if their job offer matches the labour needs of a participating community in British Columbia.
Language requirements for occupations under the RCIP depend on the TEER category of the job. The TEER level can be identified using the second digit of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) code.
Today, we will discuss 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
- West Kootenay
North Okanagan-Shuswap
The North Okanagan-Shuswap region, located in the southern interior of British Columbia, will continue to focus on key sectors in 2026 under the RCIP.
The region is prioritizing the following sectors:
- Health
- Education, law and social, community and government services
- Sales and service
- Trades, transport and equipment operators
- Manufacturing and utilities
- Business, finance and administration
Most of these sectors remain the same as in the previous year. However, the business, finance and administration sector has been newly added for 2026.
Below is the list of occupations that North Okanagan-Shuswap is prioritizing under the RCIP in 2026.
Eligible Priority Occupations
- Accounting and related clerks (14200)
- Accounting technicians and bookkeepers (12200)
- *Administrative officers (13100)
- Bakers (63202)
- Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers (7241)
- Banking, insurance, and other financial clerks (14201)
- Carpenters (72310)
- Construction trades helper (75110)
- Dental assistant and dental laboratory assistants (33100)
- **Early childhood educators and assistants (42202)
- Executive housekeepers (62021)
- Heating, refrigeration, and air conditioning mechanics (72402)
- Industrial and manufacturing engineers (21321)
- Legal administrative assistants (13111)
- Light duty cleaners (65310)
- Manufacturing managers (90010)
- Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations (33101)
- Nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates (33102)
- Pharmacy technicians (32124)
- Plastic products assemblers, finishers and inspectors (94212)
- Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing (94140)
- Restaurant and food service managers (60030)
- Retail sales supervisor (62010)
- Social and community service workers (42201)
- Transport truck drivers (73300)
*Individuals must have a degree in business or public administration to be considered.
**Applications for assistant roles will not be accepted.
To qualify, candidates must receive at least $22 per hour. The wage range for these priority occupations generally falls between $22 and $35.54 per hour.
North Okanagan-Shuswap also maintains a list of designated employers, which is updated monthly.
Peace Liard
The Peace Liard region, located in northeastern British Columbia, has also announced its priority sectors for 2026.
The region will focus recruitment efforts in the following six sectors:
- Education, law and social, community and government services
- Trades, transport and equipment operators;
- Sales and service
- Natural resources and agriculture
- Health
- Business, finance and administration
The health sector and the business, finance and administration sector are new additions this year. In 2025, the region focused on the first four sectors listed above along with natural and applied sciences, which has now been removed.
The 25 occupations prioritized by Peace Liard under the RCIP in 2026 are listed below.
Eligible Priority Occupations
- Accommodation service managers (60031)
- Accounting technicians and bookkeepers (12200)
- Administrative assistants (13110)
- Administrative officers (13100)
- Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors (72404)
- Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors (72600)
- Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanic repairers (72410)
- Cashiers (65100)
- Social and community service workers (42201)
- Computer network and web technicians (22220)
- Cooks (63200)
- Early childhood educators and assistants (42202)
- Food service supervisors (62020)
- Hotel front desk clerks (64314)
- General building maintenance workers and building superintendents (73201)
- General office support workers (14100)
- Information systems specialists (21222)
- Light duty cleaners (65310)
- Other assisting occupations in support of health services (33109)
- Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants (33103)
- Restaurant and food service managers (60030)
- Retail and wholesale trade managers (60020)
- Retail sales supervisors (62010)
- Storekeepers and partspersons (14401)
- *Transport truck drivers (73300)
*Only local transport truck drivers will be considered.
To qualify under Peace Liard, the wage offered must meet or exceed the Job Bank minimum wage for the occupation in the northeast BC region.
The region also publishes a list of designated employers for the program.
West Kootenay
West Kootenay, a mountainous area in southeastern British Columbia, has also confirmed its priority sectors for 2026.
The region will focus on the following sectors:
- Health
- Education, law and social, community and government services
- Sales and service
- Trades, transport and equipment operators
- Manufacturing and utilities
- Business, finance and administration
The business, finance and administration sector is new this year. All other sectors remain unchanged from 2025.
West Kootenay is prioritizing workers in the following 25 occupations for selection under the RCIP in 2026:
Eligible Priority Occupations
- Accounting technicians and bookkeepers (12200)
- Administrative assistants (13110)
- Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers (72410)
- Bakers (63202)
- Chefs (62200)
- Construction millwright and industrial mechanics (72400)
- *Construction trades helpers and labourers (75110)
- Cooks (63200)
- Early childhood educators and assistants (42202)
- Financial auditors and accountants (11100)
- *Food and beverage servers (65200)
- **Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations (44101)
- Hotel front desk clerks (64314)
- Insurance agents and brokers (63100)
- Licensed practical nurses (32101)
- ***Material handlers (75101)
- Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (33102)
- ****Other labourers in processing, manufacturing and utilities (95109
- Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) (73112)
- Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing (94140)
- Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (31301)
- Restaurant and food service managers (60030)
- Retail and wholesale trade managers (60020)
- Social and community service workers (42201)
- *****Transport truck drivers (73300)
General note: Fast food franchises, law firms, and gas stations are not eligible under the West Kootenay RCIP, with certain exceptions applying for the latter.
*To be eligible under this occupation, work experience must be in the same NOC code.
**Private households are not eligible to be designated employers, meaning job offers for work in private households do not count for consideration under the RCIP. Accepted job titled include “Home support worker.”
***To be eligible under this occupation, work experience must be in the same NOC code, and accepted job titles include 1) Forklift operator, 2) Forklift truck operator, 3) Labourer-material handling, 4) material handler-manufacturing and warehousing.
****To be eligible under this occupation, work experience must be in the same NOC code, and accepted job titles include “General labourer – manufacturing.”
*****For this NOC, at least 75% or more of one’s driving/job duties must occur within the West Kootenay RCIP region.
These 2025 priority occupations/NOCs were removed this year, but employers wishing to hire a candidate in these secondary occupations may still be considered if they have a strong application under the points system:
- General office support workers (14100)
- Career development practitioners and career counsellors (except education) (41321)
- Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations (65201)
- Light duty cleaners (65310)
- Carpenters (72310)
- Heavy-duty equipment mechanics (72401)
- Other trades helpers and labourers (75119)
To qualify, the job offer must pay at least $21 per hour or meet the Job Bank median wage for the occupation, whichever is higher.
West Kootenay also maintains a list of designated employers under the RCIP for 2026.
About The RCIP
The Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP), launched in 2025, helps foreign nationals gain permanent residence while supporting 14 rural communities outside Quebec that face labour shortages.
Under the pilot, each community selects priority sectors and designates employers who can hire foreign workers.
To qualify for permanent residence through the RCIP, candidates must:
- Hold a valid job offer from a designated employer; and
- Receive a community recommendation before applying to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Applicants must also meet several basic requirements.
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 Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 6. Those with TEER 2–3 job offers need CLB 5, while TEER 4–5 job offers require CLB 4.
Educational Credential: Candidates must hold a Canadian credential or a foreign equivalent supported by a valid Educational Credential Assessment.
Settlement Funds: Applicants must show enough funds to support themselves and their family. Required amounts range from $10,507 for a single applicant to $27,806 for a family of seven.
The RCIP continues to serve as an important pathway for foreign workers whose skills match the labour needs of smaller Canadian communities.
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