Updated: May 20th, 2021

Thunder Bay: Canada Northern and Rural Immigration Pilot

When thinking about Canada, our thoughts are immediately drawn to cities such as Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, even if we’ve never been to those places. These major cities have plenty of history and recognizable landmarks. Film blockbusters such as “Juno” and “Mean Girls” were made in those cities. However, there are hidden gems in Canada that we’re completely sleeping on.

Thunder Bay is a city in the Thunder Bay District, Ontario. It is actually the capital of Northwestern Ontario and the largest city among the Northwestern cities. This quiet and beautiful city attracts many people from inside and outside of Canada who wants to live in a peaceful community.

The Canadian government is currently focused on increasing tourism and immigration to Thunder Bay due to its potential to become a strong and prosperous city. The government has invested as much as 1 million CAD to support the immigration program for this city: Canada Northern and Rural Immigration Pilot.

Apply through the Canada Northern and Rural Immigration Pilot to start your settlement in Canada. Start a more closed-knit, community-driven life by applying through this program. 

Thunder Bay History

Thunder Bay is a city in the northern part of Canada. Its history includes being two separate cities originally called Port Arthur and Fort Williams. On New Year’s Day of 1970, the two detached cities were declared as one. Its current name, Thunder Bay, was a result of the majority of poll votes against other names.

The city currently has around 126,500 residents, as per the Economic Profile Series “Immigration Matters“. People over the age of 55 take the biggest slice in the working demographics. The territory proper has around 2,600 square kilometers of land.

The Canada Northern and Rural Immigration Pilot is inviting younger people to work and live in Thunder Bay. The goal is to enable and create more work opportunities and a higher quality of life for generations to come.

Thunder Bay Benefits

While Thunder Bay still has room to grow, it also has plenty to offer. Let’s take a look at the nice perks of living in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Lifestyle 

Thunder Bay has a peaceful lifestyle compared to the big cities. If you love being close to nature, enjoy lots of urban space, and you’re pursuing a place full of career and academic opportunities – then this Canadian territory might be perfect for you.

Religious Acceptance

Thunder Bay is full of churches of all denominations, including Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Muslim. You can even connect with specific associations for finding information about faith communities, places of worship, and ethnocultural organizations.

Generally speaking, Thunder Bay is very active in promoting diversity. With efforts and work to fight for the end of racism and discrimination, you won’t find yourself feeling different here.

Economy

Thunder Bay is Ontario’s commercial, administrative, and medical powerhouse. The city has been developing knowledge-bade industries in health and life sciences, biotechnologies, molecular medicine, and even trees!

Regardless, there is a progressive job market and an inviting workforce. Since the city is still growing, you will also find opportunities to open and develop your own business. There are many programs and networking opportunities for commercial development and more.

Check out Canada’s In-Demand Career Opportunities for 2021

This is all made possible for you through Canada Northern and Rural Immigration Pilot.

Cost of Living

Unlike many big cities, Thunder Bay prides itself as one of the most affordable places to live in. In times where personal economic stability is put to a test, you need a place where you can sustain yourself comfortably without draining your finances. 

In Thunder Bay, the average cost of living for one person is around 1300 CAD. Rent for a single-bedroom apartment in the city is around 1000 CAD. Compare this to Toronto’s 1800 CAD for the same one-bedroom within the city.

Outdoor Activities

Just because it’s quiet – doesn’t mean there are any adventures! You will find plenty of outdoor activities in Thunder Bay during all seasons: skiing, snowshoeing, ice climbing, hiking, sailing, mountain biking, and more. In fact, there’s so much to do, you might never want to leave.

Canada Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program

The Canada Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot is the main immigration program for Thunder Bay. The program focuses on community support. If you plan to apply for the Canada RNIP, expect to live and work in a more community-centered setting. 

Consider yourself as someone who helps in driving the community economy and a person who contributes to its shortage of workforce. Each person is vital in keeping together the Thunder Bay community.

If you wish to apply through a different program, you have other visa types available to you.

Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Eligibility

As skill and work are important factors for acceptance, the program presents eligibility requirements. These criteria are present to help locate the most suited workers for immigration to Thunder Bay. If you have what it takes to get accepted, perhaps you should start your application process!

These are some of the rural and northern immigration pilot eligibility requirements:

  • An applicable and valid job offer in Thunder Bay from a priority occupation (open to all candidates), or from NOCs in all skills levels (for authorized candidates).
  • At least 1,560 hours of work experience from the past 3 years
  • Meet minimum language requirements in English and/or French
  • Have one of the following: high school credentials from a Canadian school, post-secondary credentials from a Canadian school, educational credential assessment from a foreign educational institution
  • Have sufficient financial support for yourself and/or your family

For International students without relevant work experience:

  • Credentials for a post-secondary program in a DLI in Thunder Bay
  • Master’s Degree that you studied for in Thunder Bay

Move to the City of Thunder Bay

If you’re set on moving to Canada and you feel like Thunder Bay is the perfect way to start your new life, UIS Canada is here to assist with any inquiries and preparations for your visa application.

We can assess your eligibility for the Canada Northern and Rural Immigration Pilot, as well as numerous other immigration programs. Our consultants can then guide you through the application process and help facilitate any necessary procedures.

Migrating to a new place and setting a new home requires focus, time, and effort. With Canada immigration consultants you can take all the time you need to prepare for your move with minimal effort.

Contact UIS Canada immigration consultants today for a visa eligibility assessment and professional consultation.

FAQ

What is the pool?
To be included in the pool you must qualify for one of the specific immigration programs listed under Express Entry. You must also score a minimum of 67 points on your immigration profile. Points are awarded for educational and professional qualifications, work experience, age, language ability, and more. The Canadian government selects the most suitable candidates from the pool and issues them with an official invitation (known as ITA) to become Canadian residents.
How many points do I need to get selected?
The Express Entry system uses what it called the Comprehensive Ranking System, a formula that takes into account your education, skills and experience, those of your husband/wife or partner, and whether you have a specific job offer. These factors go to build up your score out of a possible maximum of 1200. As mentioned, the higher the points you score, the greater the possibility to be selected from the pool.
How long does it take to move to Canada?
The idea of starting a new life in Canada is very exciting. But please be prepared that getting selected for an immigration program takes time. This is why the Express Entry program is extremely popular - the Canadian government aims to select candidates within 6 months. Time may significantly vary between immigration programs; the individual process of each program, government policies, the complexity of your case, and more, may affect the time it would take you to move to Canada.
Are there any goverment fees?
Like many other countries worldwide the Canadian government charges fees for the processing of immigration entries. Depending on the specific program you entered, the size and age of your family, and more – you may need a few hundred to several thousand Canadian dollars. Please note that all government fees are non-refundable. This is one of many reasons you should prepare well for your immigration process, gain as much knowledge as you can, and if possible, seek help from professionals in this field.

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