TORONTO — The Ontario government has launched the Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) pilot program to target highly-skilled immigration for four rural and northern regions with a high demand for skilled labour: Lanark, Leeds and Grenville, Sarnia-Lambton, and Thunder Bay. REDI enables local employers in these communities to attract up to 800 additional workers for in-demand careers that drive local economic growth, such as health care, technology, and the skilled trades, which includes construction.
“Our government is growing rural and northern economies and giving them the tools they need to build for the future,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “With REDI, we’re enabling rural and northern businesses to attract the talent they need, by providing a blueprint for targeted economic immigration that strengthens communities and drives our economic prosperity.”
The new REDI pilot will be delivered through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), which prioritizes and accelerates skilled immigration to fill in-demand labour needs that cannot currently be met. Through REDI, the four participating regions have 200 additional nominations each through the OINP’s Employer Job Offer streams to strengthen local economic growth.
Internationally trained workers interested in applying for permanent residence under the REDI pilot, who have a job offer from an Ontario employer for a position located in one of the pilot communities, are encouraged to visit the OINP website.
“Our government is creating more opportunities for businesses in rural Ontario to attract more in-demand workers that are essential for driving local economic prosperity,” said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Rural Affairs. “It is because of programs such as REDI, that help develop skills needed to meet the growing demand in small towns and communities across the province, that we continue to build a strong and prosperous rural Ontario.”
The province is also training over one million local workers for in-demand careers in every corner of the province by investing up to $1.4 billion through the Skills Development Fund Capital and Training Streams in partnership with local employers, including over $250 million to train rural and northern workers to date. The new REDI pilot and investments are part of how the government is building a brighter future for all Ontarians and ensuring our province remains the best place to live, work and raise a family.