1) Key update: Major cities are excluded
The program excludes all Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs).
This includes:
- Toronto
- Vancouver
- Montreal
- Calgary
- Edmonton
- Ottawa
- Winnipeg
- Halifax
- and many other urban centres
👉 If your job and residence are in these areas, you cannot apply under this pathway. You can check whether your area is a CMA using Statistics Canada’s full list of census metropolitan areas.
This is the single most important rule in the program.
2) What this pathway is designed to do
This is not a general PR program.
Canada is using this pathway to:
- Fill labour shortages in smaller communities
- Encourage immigrants to settle outside major cities
- Retain workers already contributing to local economies
👉 Immigration is shifting from “who you are” → to “where you are”
3) General eligibility criteria (what we know so far)
While full details are still being finalized, the program is expected to require:
Core requirements:
- You are already in Canada (temporary resident)
- You are currently working (authorized employment)
- You have Canadian work experience (likely 1–2 years)
- You live and work outside a major city (CMA)
- You meet basic language requirements (English or French)
- You pass medical and background checks
Program scope:
- Approximately 33,000 spots total
- Focus on workers already in Canada, not new applicants abroad
4) Timeline — critical for planning
Phase 1 — Announcement (late 2025)
- Program introduced through immigration planning
- No application details released
Phase 2 — Soft launch (March 2026)
- Program officially introduced internally
- Signals that implementation is underway
Phase 3 — Full details release (April 2026) ⚠️ key moment
- Expected release of:
- Final eligibility criteria
- Application process
- Required documents
👉 This is when clients must be ready to act
Phase 4 — Application period (2026–2027)
- Program runs over two years
- Estimated:
- ~16,500 spots in 2026
- ~16,500 spots in 2027
👉 Limited intake — likely competitive and time-sensitive
Phase 5 — Expected end date
- Around March 31, 2027
👉 This is a temporary opportunity, not a permanent pathway
