CIC News Update 2025

Ontario’s Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) Pilot Program

The REDI Pilot Program is a new initiative under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) to attract skilled immigrants to rural and northern regions in Ontario. The program runs from January 2 to December 31, 2025, and focuses on addressing labor shortages and fostering local economic growth.

Key Highlights

• Target Regions:

  • Lanark

  • Leeds and Grenville

  • Sarnia-Lambton

  • Thunder Bay

• Target Immigrants: Up to 800 highly skilled immigrants.

• Pathway to PR: Approved candidates receive a provincial nomination from OINP, which can be used to apply to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence (PR).

Program Functionality

The program processes applications through the OINP Employer Job Offer Streams. Each region is allocated 200 additional nominations for candidates applying under one of these streams:

1. Foreign Worker Stream

2. International Student Stream

3. In-Demand Skills Stream

Who Can Apply?

• Candidates must:

  • Reside and work in Ontario.

  • Have a qualifying job offer from an employer in one of the identified regions.

  • Be licensed or authorized to practice their occupation (if applicable).

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Eligibility Criteria by Stream

1. Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream

2. Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream

3. Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream

Apply Now for the Ontario REDI Pilot Program

Program Background

• The REDI is a continuation of the Regional Pilot (ended in 2020), which successfully allocated 300 nominations to rural areas.

• Similar federal pilots include:

  • Rural Community Immigration Class

  • Francophone Community Immigration Class

Program Goals

• Address labor shortages in key sectors: healthcare, technology, skilled trades, and construction.

• Promote regional development and economic growth.

• Enable skilled immigrants to work in professions aligned with their training and experience.

Benefits of the REDI Pilot

• Helps smaller communities meet labor demands.

• It contributes to Ontario’s economic growth (up to a $100 billion GDP boost over five years).

• Encourages newcomers to settle in underpopulated regions.