If you’ve been considering making Canada your new home through a rural immigration pathway, this could be your chance.
The community of Altona/Rhineland in southern Manitoba has officially announced its priority sectors, occupations, and designated employers for the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP)—a new, employer-driven pathway to Canadian permanent residence. Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) – Parisa Erfani
What is the RCIP?
The Rural Community Immigration Pilot is designed to attract skilled foreign workers to smaller Canadian communities that need labour support. To qualify, candidates must receive a community-endorsed job offer from a designated employer.
For the Altona/Rhineland area, this includes the Town of Altona and the Municipality of Rhineland, both located near the U.S. border in southern Manitoba.
Altona/Rhineland’s Priority Sectors
The region has identified five key economic sectors in need of workers:
- Education, Law, Social, Community & Government Services
- Sales & Services
- Trades & Transport
- Natural Resources & Agriculture
- Manufacturing & Utilities
High-Demand Occupations
Here are some of the priority occupations eligible under the RCIP in Altona/Rhineland:
| Occupation | NOC Code | Sector(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Early Childhood Educators | 42202 | Education & Community Services |
| Cooks | 63200 | Sales & Service |
| Industrial Butchers | 94141 | Manufacturing & Utilities |
| Welders | 72106 | Manufacturing, Trades & Transport |
| Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics | 72401 | Trades, Transport & Agriculture |
| Food Counter Attendants | 65201 | Sales & Service |
| Manufacturing Managers | 90010 | Manufacturing & Agriculture |
| Financial Auditors | 11100 | Manufacturing & Agriculture |
| Retail Sales Supervisors | 62010 | Sales & Service |
| Construction Millwrights | 72400 | Multiple sectors |
| …and many more |
Designated Employers in Altona/Rhineland
To apply under RCIP, you must receive a job offer from a designated employer. The current list includes:
- Elmer’s Welding & Manufacturing Ltd.
- Greenvalley Equipment (2009) Inc.
- Buffalo Creek Mills (2017) Inc.
- Kiddie Sunshine Centre Inc.
- Subway (Altona)
- Pioneer Meats Ltd.
- ETG Commodities Inc.
- Access Credit Union Ltd.
- Friesens Corporation
- Altona Hotel
Note: The list of employers will continue to expand as more receive their designation.
Why Designation and Sector Matter
To qualify for RCIP in Altona/Rhineland:
- You must receive a job offer from a designated employer.
- The job must fall under one of the community’s priority occupations.
- The employer must operate in a priority sector approved by the local economic development authority.
Once these conditions are met, the job can be endorsed by the community, allowing the applicant to apply for permanent residence directly to IRCC under the RCIP.
More Communities Participating
Altona/Rhineland is one of 14 participating communities under the RCIP as of July 2025. Many of these have also released their own lists of sectors and employers.
