Ontario Launches New Pilot Program to Attract Skilled Immigrants

Ontario has rolled out an exciting new pilot program designed to bring skilled workers to some of its rural and northern regions. The new initiative, called the Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) pilot, aims to address labor shortages in crucial sectors such as healthcare, technology, and skilled trades, including construction. This program is set to run from January 2 to December 31, 2025, with the goal of attracting up to 800 highly skilled immigrants to Ontario’s smaller communities.

The REDI pilot will focus on four specific regions: Lanark, Leeds and Grenville, Sarnia-Lambton, and Thunder Bay. These areas have been selected for their pressing need for workers in key industries and their potential for growth. Immigrants who successfully apply to the program will receive a provincial nomination from the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), allowing them to directly apply to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residency in Canada.

How The REDI Program Works

The REDI pilot program will process applications through the OINP’s Employer Job Offer streams. These streams include the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream, Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream, and Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream. Each of the four targeted regions will be given 200 additional nominations to help meet local business needs.

The primary goal of the REDI pilot is to fill labor shortages in sectors that are in high demand in these regions. The program will focus on healthcare professionals, tech experts, and skilled trades workers—fields that are essential for the region’s growth and development.

To be eligible, candidates must meet the job offer requirements in one of the OINP’s Employer Job Offer streams. This means they need a full-time, permanent job offer from an employer based in one of the participating regions. Additionally, candidates must meet specific requirements based on the job type, such as the need for a professional license or a certain level of work experience in the field.

Eligibility for the REDI Pilot Program

Applicants must meet the criteria outlined in one of the three job offer streams:

1. Foreign Worker Stream: Candidates need a job offer for a full-time, permanent position in a high-demand occupation. The job must be in a regulated occupation, and applicants must have the necessary work experience or qualifications to fill the role.
2. International Student Stream: This stream is aimed at recent graduates from Canadian colleges or universities. To qualify, candidates must have completed an eligible education program in Ontario and be offered a permanent, full-time job in a high-demand field.
3. In-Demand Skills Stream: This stream is designed for those with a high school diploma and at least nine months of relevant work experience in a critical role. Candidates must have a full-time, permanent job offer that meets the median wage for the occupation in Ontario.

In all streams, applicants must show that they intend to live in Ontario and be authorized to practice their occupation if it’s regulated.

The REDI Pilot’s Importance for Ontario

This pilot program builds on the success of the previous OINP Regional Pilot, which concluded in 2020. The earlier program focused on regions like Chatham-Kent and Belleville, and its success demonstrated that attracting skilled immigrants to rural areas can significantly boost local economies. Ontario’s government believes that the REDI program will have a similar impact, helping to fill gaps in the labor market and contribute up to 100 billion CAD to the province’s GDP over the next five years.

The new program is part of Ontario’s broader strategy to spread the benefits of immigration beyond the major metropolitan centers, such as Toronto, to smaller, rural communities. By targeting areas with specific labor needs, the REDI pilot ensures that skilled immigrants can help drive growth where it’s needed most.