Immigration
Canada increases funds needed to immigrate through rural pathways for PR by over 30%
By Janice Rodrigues, CIC News
The RCIP and the FCIP are employer-driven pathways to permanent residence in Canada for those looking to settle in rural or francophone communities outside Quebec. (Pexels Photo)
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has increased the minimum settlement fund requirement for those immigrating through the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP).
As of July 29, 2025, foreign nationals need a minimum of $2,544 more in settlement funds to immigrate through the RCIP or the FCIP.
For a family of one, the minimum funds required to qualify for the RCIP or the FCIP increased from $7,963 to $10,507 on July 29 – a 31.94% increase.
The RCIP and the FCIP are employer-driven pathways to permanent residence in Canada for those looking to settle in rural or francophone communities outside Quebec.
How much money do I need to immigrate to Canada through the RCIP or the FCIP?
The minimum amount of funds needed to immigrate through the RCIP or the FCIP depends on the size of your family.
Both programs share the same settlement funds requirements.
| Number of family members | Funds required (CAD) from July 29, 2025 | Previous minimum fund requirement |
| 1 | $10,507 | $7,963 |
| 2 | $13,080 | $9,692 |
| 3 | $16,080 | $12,069 |
| 4 | $19,524 | $15,056 |
| 5 | $22,143 | $17,145 |
| 6 | $24,975 | $19,015 |
| 7 | $27,806 | $20,884 |
| For each additional member over 7 | $2,831 | $1,869 |
How do I calculate the size of my family?
Your family size includes
- Yourself;
- Your spouse or common-law partner; and
- Dependent children (yours, your spouse or common law partner’s).
You must include a spouse or common-law partner and dependent children even if they are Canadian citizens or permanent residents, and/or even if they are not coming to Canada with you.
What does IRCC accept as proof of funds?
Proof of funds can be any one of the following documents:
- bank account statements;
- bank drafts;
- cheques; or
- money orders.
The money needs to be available when applying for the program, and when you are issued your permanent resident visa.
About the RCIP and the FCIP
The RCIP and the FCIP launched earlier this year to help employers in rural communities outside Quebec address labour shortages.
To be eligible, a foreign national must have a job offer from a designated employer in the region.
This offer must also be endorsed by a local economic development organization.
Besides that, the foreign national has to meet certain eligibility criteria regarding education, work experience, language proficiency, and settlement funds. For the FCIP, foreign nationals need to prove French language proficiency.
Those who meet all the eligibility criteria can apply directly to the federal government for PR.
They are also eligible to apply for a work permit so they can start working for their employer while their PR application is being processed.
There are 14 communities in total participating in the RCIP, while there are six communities participating in the FCIP. Each community has selected specific priority sectors and occupations based on their economic goals and workforce needs.
