The Liberal Party of Canada has proposed a Canadian Immigration Pilot, i.e., Municipal Nominee Program. It is a program expected to distribute the benefits of economic immigration to smaller, underserved communities. Till date, there have been consultations with stakeholders about the MNP, but the program is yet to be launched. The delay was partly because of the pandemic.  

With the reduction of pandemic-related restrictions across Canada & witnessing the suffering of smaller communities & local businesses because of the pandemic, the program’s launch is quite near. 

This blog is all about the Municipal Nominee Program. So, ensure you stick with it till the end. 

What Is The Municipal Nominee Program? 

The Municipal Nominee Program is a regional economic immigration program which enables non-major cities across Canada to support immigrants with permanent residence in the communities. The program will have around 5,000 spaces to be filled by interested immigrants/ newcomers. While the selection criteria haven’t been released, applicants will need to fill the labor gaps & showcase a genuine intention to reside in the community. 

Just like RNIP & PNP, interested as well as eligible communities will be invited to submit participation proposals to IRCC. 

Thus, like past initiatives aimed at increasing PR in smaller communities, the MNP will start as a pilot program. Based on the outcomes, IRCC will decide if the program will stay permanently or not.  

How Is The MNP Different From the PNP? 

Both PNPs & MNPs will offer authority to jurisdictions across the country to fill labor gaps.

Provincial Nominee Programs allow each province & territory to set the requirements for their immigration streams. Every province & territory has different nominee programs which operate in different ways. 

While these programs are successful in inviting immigrants to the country, 80% of the immigrants selected under these programs still land in metropolitan areas. 

To spread the benefits of immigration, MNPs would offer autonomy to smaller communities & municipalities within the territories & provinces. 

How Do Regional Immigration Programs Benefit International Workers? 

While Express Entry can be a quick & primary way of immigrating to Canada, it is also incredibly competitive. Express Entry’s CRS offers scores based on various factors, like age, language ability, education, etc. Individuals who do not meet the CRS cut-off will continue to be in the pool of applicants indefinitely. That’s where regional immigration programs come in. 

Regional immigration programs, like PNPs, are targeted in their selection of applicants. These programs select applicants for their ability to fill local demographic & labor gaps. As a result, the requirements tend to be more flexible to meet the needs of the region. 

Instead of targeting a specific score requirement, there are many programs which target businesspeople, students, skilled workers, semi-skilled professionals, etc. Additional targeted factors primarily depend upon the demographic needs of the province. For instance, some programs target skilled professionals with strong proficiency in the French language to help increase their Francophone population.   

What Is The Selection Criteria Of Municipal Nominee Programs? 

While the federal government hasn’t yet released details on the Municipal Nominee Program selection criteria, one of the main considerations will definitely be relation to immigrant retention. 

Well, one of the key struggles that Canadian mid-size communities face is retaining immigrants/ newcomers after they arrive. Of the stakeholders surveyed, over half of them believed that retention rates in selected municipalities would be the most vital indicator of the success of this program. For the same reason, many existing programs have a strong focus on applicants having ties to the area. In addition, it is also crucial to ensure that newcomers are provided settlement services in order to retain them.  

Moreover, some regional immigration programs require applicants to submit their evidence of intention to settle in the area once they are nominated. On the contrary, others require a tie to the region, like family members, employment offers, and relevant work/ study experience. This helps ensure that the applicant intends to stay in the region upon receiving permanent status in Canada.   

What Is The Main Purpose Of Municipal Nominee Program? 

The main aim of the Municipal Nominee Program is somewhat similar to AIP & RNIP, i.e., to spread the advantages of economic immigration to smaller communities by crafting a pathway to permanent residence for skilled professionals who wish to work & permanently live with the participating communities. 

Programs like MNP, AIP, & RNIP handle the key issue that PNPs presently do not address adequately, i.e., economic immigration distribution from major metropolitan areas to least populated communities experiencing labor shortages. If executed aptly, the Municipal Nominee Program will attract & retain more workers in small to midsize communities while promoting economic development in these communities. 

Conclusion 

While it’s not clear when the Municipal Nominee Program will be launched nor what it will look like. What is clear is that regional & municipal immigration programs are required to make rural as well as smaller communities experiencing labor shortages more attractive to skilled professional immigrants/ newcomers. 

Depending upon the high retention rates learned from AIP & RNIP, high retention rates along with overall increased immigration in selected communities & municipalities are projected to be the leading indicators of MNP’s success. 

Thus, MNPs must incorporate retention-based principles prioritizing strong community settlement services, community infrastructure, & career development opportunities.