The three Ontario regions participating in the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP) have released their priority sectors and occupations for 2026.
All regions have removed certain occupations from eligibility, replacing them with newly-selected occupations that match evolving local labour demands.
Consult with a lawyer at Cohen Immigration Law
This article will detail the 2026 priority sectors and occupations of each Ontario region participating in the FCIP, including
- Timmins;
- Sudbury; and
- Superior East Region.
Foreign nationals need to meet French-language requirements and possess a job offer from a designated employer in a priority sector and occupation to qualify for consideration under the FCIP.
Timmins
Situated on the Mattagami First Nation Traditional Territory in Northeastern Ontario, Timmins, is prioritizing the same five sectors under the FCIP in 2026 as it did the year prior:
- Education, law and social, community and government services;
- Health;
- Business, finance and administration;
- Natural resources, agriculture and related production; and
- Trades, transport and equipment operators.
Under its community scoring grid, Timmins is allotting more points to those with a job offer in the final three priority sectors listed above (15 points vs 10 points).
Timmins is one of only two regions participating in both the FCIP and the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP)—the other being Sudbury. You can view the FCIP/RCIP boundary map for Timmins here.
Eligible 2026 priority occupations
Timmins is prioritizing the following 25 occupations (and their associated NOCs) for PR under the FCIP in 2026.
The occupations that have been bolded represent newly targeted occupations in 2026 (four total), whereas all others were also prioritized in 2025.
- Accounting technicians and bookkeepers (12200)
- Administrative assistants (13110)
- Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians (32104)
- Automotive and heavy truck and equipment parts installers and servicers (74203)
- Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers (72410)
- Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics (72400)
- Construction trades helpers and labourers (75110)
- Customer services representatives – financial institutions* (64400)
- Early childhood educators and assistants (42202)
- Electricians (except industrial and power system) (72200)
- Elementary school and kindergarten teachers* (41221)
- Financial advisors* (11102)
- Heavy equipment operators (73400)
- Heavy-duty equipment mechanics (72401)
- Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations (44101)
- Labourers in wood, pulp and paper processing (95103)
- Licensed practical nurses (32101)
- Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations (33101)
- Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (33102)
- Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (31301)
- Social and community service workers (42201)
- Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators* (84120)
- Transport truck drivers (73300)
- Underground mine service and support workers (84100)
- Welders and related machine operators (72106)
*These occupations are unique to the FCIP, meaning they are not being prioritized by Timmins for the RCIP.
Occupations that have been deprioritized in 2026
Below are the four occupations that were prioritized under the FCIP in 2025, but in 2026 have been removed from eligibility:
- Legal administrative assistants (13111)
- Medical laboratory technologists (32120)
- Industrial electricians (72201)
- Underground production and development miners (83100)
In 2026, Timmins is allowing each designated employer to recommend up to five employees. There are nine recommendation intake periods scheduled throughout this year, which you can find here under “Step 3.”
To enter the FCIP candidate pool (and be eligible to be drawn), individuals must have a minimum score of 50 points. Draws are held once a month.
You can find the list of designated employers under the FCIP (16 at the time of this writing) by visiting this PDF, which was last updated on January 20, 2026.
Sudbury
This year, Sudbury—located about 390 kilometers north of Toronto and known as the “City of Lakes”—is prioritizing six sectors (compared to five in 2025):
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- Health;
- Natural resources, agriculture and related production;
- Trades, transport and equipment operators.
- Art, culture, recreation and sport;
- Business, finance and administration; and
- Education, law and social, community and government services.
In 2026, Sudbury is prioritizing two new sectors under the FCIP (“Art, culture, recreation and sport” and “Business, finance and administration”) and has removed one previously prioritized in 2025: “Natural and applied sciences.”
The FCIP (and RCIP) community boundaries for Greater Sudbury can be found here. Foreign nationals with a job offer from an employer outside these boundaries do not qualify under the FCIP.
Eligible 2026 priority occupations
In 2026, Sudbury is targeting foreign workers with job offers in the following 25 occupations (and NOCs) under the FCIP.
There are 13 new occupations being prioritized by Sudbury this year, which are represented in bold. All others were also prioritized in 2025.
- Accounting and related clerks (14200)
- Accounting technicians and bookkeepers (12200)
- Administrative assistants (13110)
- Administrative officers (13100)
- Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers (72410)
- Banking, insurance and other financial clerks (14201)
- Business development officers and market researchers and analysts (41402)
- Carpenters (72310)
- Cashiers* (65100)
- Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics (72400)
- Construction trades helpers and labourers (75110)
- Database analysts and data administrators (21223)
- Dispatchers (14404)
- Early childhood educators and assistants (42202)
- Financial sales representatives (63102)
- Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations (44101)
- Human resources professionals (11200)
- Livestock labourers (85100)
- Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (33102)
- Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations (11202)
- Receptionists (14101)
- Records management technicians (12112)
- Social and community service workers (42201)
- Transport truck drivers (73300)
- Welders and related machine operators (72106)
Occupations that have been deprioritized in 2026
With the addition of 13 new priority occupations in 2026, the following 13 occupations that were prioritized in 2025 have been removed from eligibility this year:
- College and other vocational instructors (41210)
- Customer services representatives – financial institutions (64400)
- Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians (22310)
- Elementary school and kindergarten teachers (41221)
- Financial advisors (11102)
- Graphic designers and illustrators (52120)
- Instructors of persons with disabilities (42203)
- Insurance agents and brokers (63100)
- Licensed practical nurses (32101)
- Pharmacists (31120)
- Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants (33103)
- Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (31301)
- Secondary school teachers (41220)
Sudbury’s list of designated employers—currently 64 total—can be found here.
In Sudbury, the FCIP operates on a first-in, first-out basis. There are eight recommendation intake periods under which designated employers can submit an employee recommendation—with one already having occurred (February 17–20, three candidates recommended). See Sudbury’s official webpage for more details.
Consult with a lawyer at Cohen Immigration Law
Superior East Region
The Superior East Region is located along the northern shore of Lake Superior, and spans approximately 230 kilometers. It includes the communities of Chapleau, Dubreuilville, Wawa, White River, Hornepayne, Manitouwadge, and surrounding First Nations.
In 2026, the Superior East Region is prioritizing the following six sectors under the FCIP (compared to five in 2025):
- Education, law and social, community and government services;
- Health;
- Manufacturing and utilities;
- Natural resources, agriculture and related production;
- Sales and service; and
- Trades, transport and equipment operators.
The “Manufacturing and utilities” sector is a new addition this year, whereas all other listed sectors were also prioritized by the region in 2025.
Eligible 2026 priority occupations
The Superior East Region is prioritizing the 25 occupations (and associated NOCs) under the FCIP in 2026.
The bolded occupations are new additions this year (two in total), while all others were also prioritized by the region in 2025.
- Accommodation, travel, tourism and related services supervisors (62022)
- Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers (72410)
- Carpenters (72310)
- Cashiers (65100)
- Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics (72400)
- Construction trades helpers and labourers (75110)
- Cooks (63200)
- Early childhood educators and assistants (42202)
- Electricians (except industrial and power system) (72200)
- Elementary school and kindergarten teachers (41221)
- Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations (65201)
- Food service supervisors (62020)
- General building maintenance workers and building superintendents (73201)
- Heavy equipment operators (73400)
- Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations (44101)
- Labourers in wood, pulp and paper processing (95103)
- Licensed practical nurses (32101)
- Light duty cleaners (65310)
- Nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates (33102)
- Other small engine and small equipment repairers (72429)
- Paramedical occupations (32102)
- Retail sales supervisors (62010)
- Secondary school teachers (41220)
- Underground production and development miners (83100)
- Welders and related machine operators (72106)
Occupations that have been deprioritized in 2026
Here are the occupations that were removed from the Superior East Region’s priority list in 2026:
- Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians (32104)
- Social and community service workers (42201)
At the time of this writing, the Superior East Region lists 10 designated employers for its FCIP, with the potential for new inclusions throughout the year.
Further information about intake periods, recommendation limits, and FCIP draws is not currently provided by the region.
About the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot
The FCIP, launched in 2025, was designed to promote francophone immigration to communities outside Quebec.
This is an employer-led permanent residence (PR) pathway, meaning it requires a qualifying job offer (from an employer that’s been designated by the community).
After a job offer has been given, the employer can recommend the foreign national to the community. If the community approves the foreign national, they will be given a recommendation certificate, and can apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for PR.
Consideration under the FCIP requires meeting the following federal requirements, beyond having a qualifying job offer:
- Language proficiency: Demonstrate an Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC) level 5 across all four language abilities.
- Work experience : Have at least 1,560 hours (one year) of related work experience in the last three years (job-offer dependent).
- Educational credential: Have at least a Canadian high school credential or foreign equivalent.
- Settlement funds: Demonstrate sufficient funds dependent on family size (not required for those already working in Canada).
Special two-year (closed) work permits are available under the FCIP for eligible individuals, allowing them to begin working in Canada while their PR application is being processed.
Consult with a lawyer at Cohen Immigration Law