LAKELAND – The Rural Renewal Stream (RRS) program has been gaining traction in the Lakeland, showing positive results in RRS-designated municipalities such as the STEP (St. Paul/Elk Point Economic Development Alliance) region and the City of Cold Lake.
The Rural Renewal Stream of the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) is designed to help rural Alberta communities with a population of under 100,000 address labour needs and skill shortages, according to the Government of Alberta.
Approved employers in RRS-designated municipalities can hire foreign nationals, without the need for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Cold Lake
In Cold Lake, the city’s Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC) approved 54 RRS applications as of Aug. 11. According to information from the City, the approval represents local businesses attempting to fill 96 positions.
Also, EDAC approved a total of 22 letters of nomination for applicants who received job offers through the RRS. The letters of nomination allow the applicants to begin their application process with the Alberta Immigration Program (AAIP).
Immigrants on their path to permanent residency are an important part of the labour pool, contributing to Cold Lake’s economy, culture, and quality of life, said Cold Lake Mayor Craig Copeland in an Aug. 11 press release.
“Cold Lake has many examples of residents who made their way here through economic immigration and have gone on to start their own businesses, sports leagues and become integral parts of our community. We hope that this program is another chapter in that story,” said Copeland.
STEP Region
The STEP region has also seen a surge in demand for the program, following its RRS designation in March. The STEP region represents communities from the County of St. Paul, Town of St. Paul, Town of Elk Point, and the Summer Village of Horseshoe Bay.
Linda Sallstrom, economic development officer for the STEP Economic Development Alliance, said 62 letters of endorsement to candidates have been issued as of September.
When asked for clarification on how RRS works for both candidates and employers, Sallstrom said that normally, employers need to have a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) when hiring foreign nationals.
The LMIA is required from employers, because it confirms there is a need for a temporary foreign worker, and there are no permanent residents or Canadian citizens available to do the job. Having the LMIA is a path many foreign nationals use to apply for permanent residency, because this allows them to apply for permanent residency through Express Entry.
Express Entry is Canada’s system of managing immigration applications. There are three immigration programs managed through Express Entry, including the Canadian Experience Class, which requires skilled workers to have three years of Canadian work experience prior to applying for permanent residency.
After gaining enough work experience, they can then choose to apply for permanent residency.
“So, by doing the [RRS], it’s almost like a pre-screening,” said Sallstrom, explaining that with RRS, it “eliminates the requirement from the employer to do an LMIA,” making the hiring process more streamlined and efficient for employers.
Meanwhile, elimination of the LMIA also makes the permanent residency application process for candidates easier. Sallstrom noted that under the RRS, the letter of endorsement by an RRS-designated municipality provided to candidates will allow them to submit an application to the AAIP. If approved, the candidate will become a provincial nominee for permanent residency.
Other advantages for candidates include more flexibility when trying to bring family members to Canada, which is not allowed under the LMIA, said Sallstrom.
For more information on how to apply for RRS in the STEP region, visit stepeconomicdevelopment.ca, under the Immigration page. For Cold Lake, RRS information can be found under the Work page found on the City of Cold Lake's website.
