Greater Sudbury RCIP-FCIP Update: New 79-Point Cut-Off and Stricter Rules for Maintained Status Applicants
The City of Greater Sudbury has updated its official Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) and Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP) program pages with three significant changes. These updates affect candidates on maintained status, set a new minimum score cut-off for RCIP applicants, and clarify the rules for visitors and new graduates applying to the program.
According to the official Invest Sudbury website, these changes are effective immediately and apply to anyone currently in the RCIP or FCIP candidate pool, as well as new applicants going forward.
Quick Background: What Are the Sudbury RCIP and FCIP Programs?
The Greater Sudbury RCIP and FCIP programs are delivered by the City of Greater Sudbury’s Economic Development division and funded by FedNor, the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation, and the City of Greater Sudbury itself. Both programs offer a unique pathway to permanent residence for international workers, aimed at filling labour shortages in Greater Sudbury and the surrounding communities.
Designated Employers under both programs are expected to look locally first, including to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, before recruiting foreign nationals. Both pathways are meant for workers who intend to live in the community long term. If approved, candidates gain the ability to apply for permanent residence along with an LMIA-exempt work permit.
New Update 1: Stricter Requirements for Applicants on Maintained Status
Effective immediately, employers supporting applicants who are working under maintained status must now provide additional information and supporting documentation to demonstrate the applicant remains eligible to work in Canada.
According to the official program update, maintained status alone, without this additional documentation, is no longer sufficient for a candidate to be eligible for an RCIP or FCIP community recommendation. Program staff must be satisfied that a candidate is legally authorized to work in Canada and eligible under the specific work permit category they applied for.
Applicants on maintained status will now need to explain the basis of their work permit application and provide documentation showing that:
- Their maintained status is based on a work permit application submitted before their previous status expired
- They meet the eligibility requirements of the work permit category under which they applied
- They satisfy the specific conditions and circumstances that support eligibility for that work permit
The program notes that failing to meet these requirements could result in the work permit application being refused, which would likely also affect any subsequent applications submitted while the candidate was on maintained status.
New Update 2: Minimum Score Cut-Off for RCIP Applicants
Due to significant program demand, candidates interested in applying to the Sudbury RCIP program must now achieve a minimum score of 79 points to have their application considered for the RCIP pool. Candidates scoring below 79 points will not be considered at this time.
Candidates are required to complete a candidate scoring sheet to determine whether they meet this minimum cut-off before their employer submits an application on their behalf. This is a program-specific eligibility filter, separate from the community scoring grid used to rank and select candidates once they are already in the pool.
FCIP continues to operate differently. Rather than a points-based ranking system, FCIP applications are processed on a first-in, first-out basis, with complete eligible applications receiving a recommendation in the order they are received, until all recommendations for that intake are allocated.
New Update 3: Rules for Visitors and New Graduates
Visitors and candidates without valid status: Candidates on a Visitor Permit in Canada, or without valid status in Canada, are not eligible to apply to the Sudbury RCIP or FCIP programs. Applicants located within Canada must provide proof of valid temporary resident status.
New graduates: New graduates planning to apply after completing their studies must make sure their employer does not submit an application on their behalf until after they have actually started working for the Designated Employer supporting their application.
For new graduates applying using the work experience exemption, the required documentation includes:
- A copy of the original diploma for a post-secondary program of 2 years or longer
- A copy of the official transcript
- Proof of application for a Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP). Candidates can be on maintained status at this stage, but must show evidence that a PGWP application has been submitted to IRCC
Priority Sectors for Sudbury RCIP
| Priority Sector |
| Business, Finance and Administration* |
| Natural and Applied Sciences |
| Health |
| Education, Social, Community and Government Services |
| Trades and Transport |
| Natural Resources and Agriculture |
*No specific occupations within this sector are currently listed as priority occupations, but the program notes limited circumstances where candidates from this category could still be considered, provided they meet all eligibility requirements, including the 79-point minimum cut-off.
Priority Occupations for Sudbury RCIP
| NOC Code | Occupation |
| 21330 | Mining Engineers |
| 22100 | Chemical Technologists and Technicians |
| 22300 | Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians |
| 22301 | Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians |
| 22303 | Construction Estimators |
| 22310 | Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technologists and Technicians |
| 31102 | General Practitioners and Family Physicians |
| 31301 | Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses |
| 32101 | Licensed Practical Nurses |
| 32109 | Other Technical Occupations in Therapy and Assessment |
| 33102 | Nurse Aides, Orderlies and Patient Service Associates |
| 33100 | Dental Assistants and Dental Laboratory Assistants |
| 33101 | Medical Laboratory Assistants and Related Technical Occupations |
| 42201 | Social and Community Service Workers |
| 42202 | Early Childhood Educators and Assistants |
| 42203 | Instructors of Persons with Disabilities |
| 44101 | Home Support Workers, Caregivers, and Related Occupations |
| 70010 | Construction Managers |
| 72106 | Welders and Related Machine Operators |
| 72401 | Heavy Duty Equipment Mechanics |
| 72410 | Automotive Service Technicians, Truck and Bus Mechanics, and Mechanical Repairers |
| 72411 | Auto Body Collision, Refinishing and Glass Technicians and Damage Repair Estimators |
| 72400 | Construction Millwrights and Industrial Mechanics |
| 73300 | Truck Drivers |
| 74203 | Automotive and Heavy Truck and Equipment Parts Installers and Servicers |
How Applications Are Processed?
- RCIP: Applications are ranked in a pool using a points-based system. Complete applications meeting eligibility requirements, including the 79-point minimum cut-off, are placed into the Candidate Pool. Draws happen on a set schedule, and the highest-scoring applications as of each draw date undergo further assessment by Sudbury RCIP/FCIP staff. Candidates may be asked to participate in a formal interview before receiving a community recommendation certificate.
- FCIP: Applications are processed first-in, first-out. Complete eligible applications receive a recommendation in the order received, until all recommendations for that period are allocated.
- Tie-breaking rule: If more than one candidate has the same lowest score, the complete application submitted earliest receives the recommendation.
Applications not selected in a given draw remain in the pool and are considered in future draws for up to 6 months, provided they remain complete and continue to meet federal eligibility requirements.
What You Should Do Next?
- If you are on maintained status, gather documentation proving your work permit application was submitted before your previous status expired, and that you meet the eligibility requirements of that work permit category
- Complete the candidate scoring sheet before applying to RCIP to confirm you meet the 79-point minimum
- If you are a new graduate, do not let your employer submit your application until you have actually started working for them, and prepare your diploma, transcript, and PGWP application proof
- Confirm you hold valid temporary resident status if applying from within Canada, since visitor status alone is not eligible
- Check whether your occupation appears on the current priority occupations list above before applying
Book Your Consultation!
These Sudbury RCIP and FCIP updates add new documentation requirements and a higher score threshold that can catch applicants off guard if they are not prepared. If you want to know whether you meet the new 79-point cut-off, or need help preparing your maintained status documentation, book a consultation with Flowertown Immigration. Our licensed RCIC consultant will walk you through your specific situation clearly and honestly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the new minimum score required for the Sudbury RCIP program?
Due to significant program demand, candidates must now score at least 79 points to have their application considered for the Sudbury RCIP Candidate Pool. Candidates scoring below 79 points will not be considered at this time.
Can I apply to Sudbury RCIP or FCIP if I am on a Visitor Permit?
No. Candidates on a Visitor Permit in Canada, or without valid status in Canada, are not eligible to apply. Applicants located within Canada must provide proof of valid temporary resident status.
What documentation do I need if I am applying while on maintained status?
You must provide documentation showing your maintained status is based on a work permit application submitted before your previous status expired, that you meet the eligibility requirements of that work permit category, and that you satisfy the specific conditions supporting your eligibility for that permit.
How is the Sudbury FCIP program different from RCIP in terms of selection?
RCIP ranks applications using a points-based system with a minimum score cut-off. FCIP operates on a first-in, first-out basis, where complete eligible applications receive a recommendation in the order they are received until all recommendations are allocated.
Can a new graduate apply to Sudbury RCIP or FCIP right after finishing their studies?
Not immediately through their employer. New graduates must have actually started working for their Designated Employer before that employer submits an application. Those using the work experience exemption also need their diploma, official transcript, and proof of a submitted PGWP application.