Many people living in Brampton, Mississauga, Scarborough, and other parts of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) are struggling to obtain Canadian permanent residency because they do not have the required Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for Express Entry.
If you are unable to secure PR from your current location, moving to another community may be an option worth exploring. However, deciding where to move can be difficult because Northern Ontario has several communities, and each location may offer different opportunities.
Northern Ontario is a preferred option for people looking to explore Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (OINP) pathways. Nova Scotia is another option, particularly for people who can secure a job and obtain the necessary support there. There has been significant success with Nova Scotia PNP, and people have been obtaining PR through this pathway.
However, if you have already studied in Ontario, moving to Northern Ontario may be a more suitable option than moving to Nova Scotia. Completing three months of work experience may make you eligible for an Ontario PNP stream, as discussed here. Therefore, Ontario graduates who are unable to obtain the required score while living in the GTA may want to explore Northern Ontario communities.
1. Understanding the REDI Initiative
The Regional Economic Development Through Immigration (REDI) initiative is a regional pilot associated with the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). It is a regional component of Ontario PNP rather than a completely separate immigration program.
Similar to the RCIP, REDI focuses on regional communities. The communities included in the initiative can change over time, so it is important to identify which communities are participating.
The initiative aims to attract and retain skilled workers in regional communities by using the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program.
The initiative has supported 1,000 workers across seven partner communities, and invitations have been issued to applicants through this initiative. Healthcare and skilled trades have been major areas for invitations. People working in these occupations may therefore find this pathway worth exploring if they are living and working in the participating communities.
The communities specifically named for REDI in this discussion are:
Kenora
Nipissing
Rainy River
Renfrew
The discussion refers to six communities at the time, while specifically identifying these four locations. The participating communities may change.
2. Why You Should Consider Both RCIP and Ontario PNP
When Express Entry is not working for you, depending entirely on one immigration pathway may limit your options. Having a second pathway can provide an alternative if the first one is not available.
The two pathways to consider together are:
Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP)
Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (OINP)
Provincial nominee draws can pause, so applicants should not assume that invitations will continue at the same pace. At the time discussed, Ontario PNP draws were on pause, with no draws since August, and applicants were waiting for the next draws.
This is why exploring RCIP alongside Ontario PNP can be useful. Rather than depending entirely on Express Entry or waiting for a provincial draw, applicants can explore regional communities that may provide access to more than one pathway.
The objective is to keep alternative options available instead of relying on a single route to Canadian permanent residency.
3. Five Northern Ontario Communities to Consider for RCIP
Five Northern Ontario communities identified for RCIP are:
Sudbury
North Bay
Thunder Bay
Timmins
Sault Ste. Marie
These communities are worth exploring if you are considering moving from the GTA to improve your Ontario PNP and PR options.
Northern Ontario can offer advantages in the Ontario PNP points system, and applicants may also be able to explore RCIP in participating communities.
The location you choose should also depend on where you are finding job opportunities and getting a positive response from employers. If you are applying for jobs in several communities and receiving better responses in one location, that can help you decide where to move.
4. How Northern Ontario Can Improve Your Ontario PNP Points
Location can make a difference to the points discussed for Ontario PNP.
The comparison provided is:
| Location | Ontario PNP points |
|---|---|
| Greater Toronto Area (GTA) | 5 points |
| Northern Ontario | 15 points |
| Toronto | 0 points |
According to this comparison, living in Northern Ontario rather than the GTA can provide a 10-point increase. Compared with Toronto, the difference is 15 points.
Another advantage highlighted is that cut-off scores are usually lower for the draws being discussed, and there are more draws for Northern Ontario.
These factors make Northern Ontario worth considering for applicants who are unable to achieve the required score from their current location.
Instead of continuing to depend only on the options available in Brampton, Mississauga, Scarborough, or Toronto, applicants can explore regional communities where they may have access to additional immigration pathways.
5. Why Sudbury and Thunder Bay Are the Two Main Communities to Target
Among the five RCIP communities, Sudbury and Thunder Bay stand out because they are identified as participating in both RCIP and the REDI pilot.
This overlap can provide applicants with three potential opportunities:
RCIP: A regional immigration pathway.
Northern Ontario PNP draws: An opportunity through the Ontario PNP points and draw system discussed.
REDI draws: An additional opportunity if a specific draw is conducted under the REDI initiative.
This means that choosing a community participating in both RCIP and REDI may allow applicants to explore three different routes rather than depending on just one.
For applicants who have studied in Ontario and want to remain within the province, Sudbury and Thunder Bay are two locations to consider first.
The choice between these communities should depend on where you are finding better job opportunities and receiving more responses to your applications. If you are getting stronger job traction in one of them, that location may be the more practical choice to explore.
6. Why Sudbury Can Be a Practical Starting Point
Sudbury is one of the locations to consider when moving from Toronto or another part of the GTA.
It is approximately four hours from Toronto and has a population of around 170,000, as discussed. Its size makes it a significant community to consider when searching for employment and exploring regional immigration options.
If you are currently living in Toronto, Sudbury may be a starting point for exploring employment opportunities without immediately looking at more distant locations. You can research jobs, apply to employers, and assess the responses you receive before deciding whether to move.
By choosing Sudbury, you may be able to explore:
RCIP
Northern Ontario PNP draws
REDI draws
Thunder Bay is another option because it is also identified as a community participating in both RCIP and REDI.
Rather than considering every possible location, starting your job search with Sudbury and Thunder Bay can help narrow your choices. The better location will depend on where you can find suitable employment opportunities and gain the necessary employer support.
7. Who Should Consider Moving to an RCIP Community?
People who have completed Grade 12 or a diploma in Canada are encouraged to consider RCIP communities when exploring their PR options.
For applicants who do not have a clear direction, RCIP communities may be a starting point for researching regional immigration opportunities.
The five communities identified for RCIP are Sudbury, North Bay, Thunder Bay, Timmins, and Sault Ste. Marie. Among these, Sudbury and Thunder Bay are particularly important for applicants already in Ontario because they are also identified as REDI communities.
Moving to an RCIP community may allow applicants to explore RCIP alongside Ontario PNP. The discussion also highlights the potential advantages of more draws and higher points associated with the PNP options being considered in these communities.
If you are living in Toronto, Brampton, Mississauga, or elsewhere in the GTA and are unable to identify a suitable PR pathway, researching these regional communities may help you identify a clearer direction.
8. Keep Multiple PR Pathways Open
If Express Entry is not providing the required results, consider exploring alternative pathways rather than waiting indefinitely for one option.
For applicants considering Ontario, the key locations and pathways discussed are:
Northern Ontario: Explore regional communities and the Ontario PNP points advantage.
RCIP: Consider the five communities identified for this pilot.
REDI: Explore the participating communities and potential draws.
Sudbury and Thunder Bay: Give these two overlapping RCIP and REDI communities particular attention.
Nova Scotia PNP: Consider this option if you can secure a job and obtain the necessary support, especially if moving outside Ontario is practical for your situation.
If you have studied in Ontario, Northern Ontario may be a more suitable option to explore first. If you find a job and the required support in Nova Scotia, that may also be an option to consider.
The main objective is to identify a community that offers realistic employment opportunities while allowing you to explore more than one possible immigration pathway.
9. Discuss Your Case and Explore Your Options
Choosing the right community depends on your circumstances, employment opportunities, education, and the immigration pathways available to you. If you are unsure where to move or which option to explore, you can contact us through WhatsApp to discuss your case.
You can also watch the related video discussing recent Express Entry changes and the possibility of gaining 70 or 100 additional points. That video provides a more detailed analysis of the changes and can help you understand how they may affect your Express Entry score.
If you are currently living in the GTA and are struggling to identify a PR pathway, start by researching the regional communities discussed here, particularly Sudbury and Thunder Bay. Explore suitable employment opportunities and assess the pathways available before making your decision.
