I re-checked every RCIP community's official page on October 24. The year is winding down faster than most people expect: five of the fourteen communities have now taken their last 2026 applications, and most of the rest have one intake window left. Below is what changed since my September update, followed by every window that's still open.
Thunder Bay has closed for 2026
On October 2, Thunder Bay's economic development office announced a year-end deadline: designated employers had to submit candidate applications by noon Eastern on Thursday, October 15, when the portal closed. The remaining 2026 recommendation certificates go out in November.
It also posted a warning worth reading twice if your plans depend on Thunder Bay. The office says there's no guarantee that this year's priority sectors and occupations will carry over to the 2027 program, because communities can change their priorities, caps and exclusions each year. Employers can still apply for designation under the 2026 rules, but the office suggests some may want to wait until the 2027 list is published. (official site)
For context, Thunder Bay had recommended 338 candidates by August, with an average score of 89.34 and a high of 116.
Peace Liard got 25 more spots, and filled them in a week
By June, Peace Liard had issued 56 of its 60 recommendations and said a second intake would only happen if IRCC handed out extra allocations. That happened: IRCC granted the region 25 additional allocations for 2026.
The second intake ran from noon on October 13 to noon on October 20, and it came with tight conditions:
- Only designated employers that had not received a recommendation in 2026 could apply.
- Candidates on visitor status weren't accepted.
- Applications are ranked by score and selected competitively, and late submissions weren't accepted.
That window is now closed. If you missed it, the next chance is the 2027 program. (official site)
Timmins is done for the year
Nothing new was announced, but Timmins' last scheduled 2026 intake ran October 13 to 16 and no further dates are listed. Its summer changes still define what to expect next year: a 79-point pool entry score, at most four applications per employer per intake, and at most five recommendations per employer for the year. (official site)
Smaller changes
- Claresholm raised its 2026 allocation from 30 to 36 recommendations. It's also surveying local employers about its 2027 priority sectors and occupations (the survey closes October 27), so expect its list to change next year.
- North Bay now spells out its status rules. Candidates in Canada must hold valid study or work status when their file is reviewed, visitor status isn't eligible, and a file on maintained status won't move until IRCC decides the extension.
- Steinbach has run out of spots for accounting clerks (14200, capped at three a year) as well as early childhood educators. Its portal is closed until November 2.
- North Okanagan-Shuswap pushed the decision meeting for its September intake back to October 28. Its last intake of the year runs November 8 to 15, with decisions on December 7.
- Sudbury held its seventh intake from September 28 to October 2, but hadn't posted the results when I checked. Its August draw selected nobody below 90.
- Brandon's website was down when I checked on October 24, so I couldn't confirm anything new. As of September it was open, first come, first served.
Every 2026 window still open
If you're hoping for a recommendation this year, these are the windows left. All of them need a full-time, permanent job offer from a designated employer, and your employer submits the application, not you.
| Community | Last 2026 window | How it selects |
|---|---|---|
| Pictou County | November 1 to 15 | Points, about 7 per intake |
| Greater Sudbury | November 2 to 6 | Points, 79 to enter the pool |
| Steinbach | Opens November 2, then December 1 | First come, first served (7 applications per window) |
| North Okanagan-Shuswap | November 8 to 15 | Points, recent cut-offs 91 to 94 |
| North Bay | November 15 to 21 | Points, up to 25 per intake |
| Moose Jaw | November 16 to 20 | Pass/fail, first come, first served |
| Claresholm | Monthly to December | Points, highest scores each month |
| Altona/Rhineland | Year-round | First come, first served |
| Brandon | Year-round (not re-confirmed in October) | First come, first served |
Closed for the rest of 2026: Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay, Timmins, West Kootenay and Peace Liard.
A note on TEER, since it trips people up
Your job's TEER category sets your language minimum and how many language points each CLB level earns, so it's worth getting right. The TEER is the second digit of the job's five-digit NOC code. A cook (63200) is TEER 3, which means CLB 5 is the minimum and CLB 8 earns the full 25 points. A home support worker (44101) is TEER 4: CLB 4 minimum, CLB 7 for full points. The calculators on this site now set the TEER automatically when you choose your occupation, and the eligibility checker fills it in when you type your job title. To look up any job directly, use the NOC code finder.
What I'd do now
If your community still has a window open, the deadline is the whole game. In the first-come communities a missing document means waiting until 2027, so get the file complete before the window opens, not during it.
If your community is closed, the next few months are the best time to raise your score for 2027: retake the language test, renew an ECA that's close to five years old, and collect the paperwork for community-tie bonus points. My guide to raising your RCIP score lists the cheapest moves first. And watch for each community's 2027 priority list. Thunder Bay and Claresholm have both said theirs may change.
The communities page shows who's open at a glance, and every calculator uses these October numbers. If a community posts something I've missed, let me know.