Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP): A Step-by-step process to get nomination

AIP is a fast-track immigration program that allows employers in Canada’s four Atlantic provinces to hire foreign nationals.

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What is The Atlantic Immigration Program?

Originally launched in 2017, the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) has now brought in 10,000+ new permanent residents to Atlantic Canada. Four Canadian provinces – New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island – together make up Atlantic Canada.

Building upon the success of the pilot, the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program was made permanent on December 17, 2021, and accordingly renamed as Atlantic Immigration Program. The new permanent program officially opened on January 1, 2022.

The Atlantic Immigration Program is a type of immigration program that allows employers in the Atlantic provinces of Canada to hire immigrants for jobs. You can also apply for permanent residence via this program.

Initially, the AIP had a total of three pathways for skilled workers and international students. These were –

Program	Description
Atlantic High-Skilled Program	For high-skilled workers with work experience at National Occupation Classification (NOC) skill type level 0, A, or B.
Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program	For intermediate-skilled workers with work experience at NOC skill level C, obtained either overseas or within Canada.
Atlantic International Graduate Program	For international students with a diploma or other related credentials from a public educational institution in Atlantic Canada.

Who can apply under Canada’s Atlantic Immigration Program?

To be able to apply under the AIP, you must –

Intend settling in Atlantic Canada,
Have recently completed graduation from a recognized post-secondary institution in Atlantic Canada, or
Be a skilled worker.

Do I have to be in Canada when applying for the AIP?

You can be either –

Living abroad, or
Already be in Canada as a temporary resident.

Can I get Canadian permanent residence by AIP?

If eligible, you can take the AIP route to Canada PR and settle within any of the Canadian provinces that make up Atlantic Canada –

Newfoundland and Labrador,
Nova Scotia,
New Brunswick, or
Prince Edward Island.

You can immigrate to Atlantic Canada through the AIP if you are a skilled worker or an international student.

Atlantic Immigration Program – Eligibility Requirements

Category	Details
Work Experience OR Education in Atlantic Canada
Qualifying Work Experience	Worked at least 1,560 hours (30 hours/week in a year) within the previous five years. Paid work (not self-employed). Work can be overseas or in Canada. If in Canada, must have been legally authorized to work as a temporary resident.
Education	Must be a graduate from any of the 24 recognized post-secondary institutions in Atlantic Canada.
Educational Requirements	If studied outside Canada, an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) is required (done within the previous 5 years).
Job Offer Requirements	For NOC Skill Type 0 (Management) or Skill Level A (Professional): Canadian one-year post-secondary credential or higher, or equivalent overseas education.For NOC Skill Level B (Technical) or Skill Level C (Intermediate): Canadian high school diploma or equivalent overseas education.
Language Requirements	For NOC Skill Type 0 (Managerial): CLB5 / NCLC 5 For NOC Skill Level A (Professional): CLB5 / NCLC 5 For NOC Skill Level B (Technical): CLB5 / NCLC 5 For NOC Skill Level C (Intermediate): CLB4 / NCLC 4
Accepted Language Tests	English: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training. French: TEF Canada, TCF Canada.
Funds	Must show sufficient money for financial support for yourself and family when settling in Canada. The funds required depend on family size and must be shown for family members not coming with you.
Important	No funds need to be shown if already working in Canada on a valid work permit.

Note. NOC: National Occupational Classification. CLB: Canadian Language Benchmarks. NCLC: Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens. CELPIP: Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program. IELTS: International English Language Testing System. TEF: Test d’évaluation de français. TCF: Test de connaissance du français

Do I need a job offer in Atlantic Canada for AIP?

If you meet the above eligibility requirements and are interested in immigrating to Canada through the AIP, the next step would be to look for a job with a designated employer in Atlantic Canada.

Who is exempted from the AIP work experience requirement?

You don’t have to meet the work experience requirement if you fulfil all of the following conditions.

You must be –

An international graduate
With a degree, certificate, or diploma etc.
That took a minimum of two years’ studies
From any of the recognized 24 post-secondary institutions in Atlantic Canada,
Were a full-time student for the entire period
Lived in any one of the Atlantic Canada provinces for at least 16 months during the two years before graduating, and
Had the required visa or permit while you were in Canada.

Documentation for the Atlantic Immigration Program

The basic documents you will need are :

Valid passport
Test results for language skills
Police Clearance Certificate
Proof of funds
Medical certificate
Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)
Legit settlement plan
Employment letter
Certificate of Endorsement
Proof of payment

Additional documents :

Proof of experience (if needed)
Marriage license (if needed)

Application Process for the Atlantic Immigration Program

Step 1: The candidate is connected to a settlement service provider by the employer. The said provider will now conduct a needs assessment service to decide on the settlement plan to be followed by the candidate and its family.

Step 2: The selected settlement plan is sent to the employer as well as the candidate.

Step 3: The employer completes the endorsement application and identifies a program that suits the work experience that the employee has. The job offer and settlement plan is submitted to the province.

Step 4: The candidate submits a completed permanent residency application to the IRCC. The required documents and endorsement letter is submitted along with it.

Step 5: The application is submitted, and if approved, the candidate and the people concerned can now move to Atlantic Canada.

Cost of the Atlantic Immigration Program

Application	Amount (in $CAN)
Your application (Processing fee + RPRF)	1,365
Your application (without RPRF)	850
Include your spouse or partner (Processing fee + RPRF)	1,365
Include your spouse or partner (without RPRF)	850
Include a dependent child (per child)	230

Note: Dependent children are exempt from paying the Right of Permanent Residence fee.

Biometrics Fees	Amount (in $CAN)
Biometrics (per person)	85
Biometrics (per family, 2 or more people)	170

Processing Time: How long does it take to get PR through AIP?

The processing time for AIP applications is 6 months. The applicant must file the PR application within six months of getting the endorsement certificate. Employers that need to fill an immediate job vacancy have access to a temporary work permit, so the skilled immigrant can come and work right away while waiting for the application to be processed.

Note: In case the Permanent Residency Visa gets delayed, the applicant is granted a Temporary Work Permit (TWP) for a year.

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Other Important FAQs

What are the different provinces in the Atlantic region of Canada?

The different provinces in the Atlantic region of Canada are –

New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island

What is the purpose of a pilot program?

The purpose of a pilot program is to experiment with the market. It is done before launching a full-scale project. The feedback received helps to improve the program at hand.

How do Provincial Nominee Programs help the Express Entry applicants?

The Provincial Nominee Programs helps the Express Entry applicants by increasing their CRS score. With a provincial nomination, the immigrants can get 600 points. The extra points can easily get you an Invitation to Apply.

There are various programs under the Atlantic Immigration Program. Two of them are for skilled workers. One of the programs is dedicated to global student graduates. It is an effective way to get permanent residency for immigrants.

What are the different areas that Canadian AIP focuses on?

The different areas the Atlantic Immigration Program focuses on are –

Climate change
Infrastructure
Skilled workforce
Clean growth
Innovation
Investment and trade

What is the other way you can migrate to the Atlantic region of Canada?

The other way you can migrate to the Atlantic region of Canada is the Provincial Nominee Program.

The Atlantic region of Canada has four Provincial Nominee Programs.

They are-

New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP)
Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP)
Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP)
New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP)

What are some things that I should factor in?

Details about the Atlantic Immigration Program
The AIP focuses on various areas.
The eligibility criteria for the Atlantic Immigration Program for Canada differ for different programs.
There is no age limit for applying under the AIP.
It is possible for spouses of AIP immigrants to get an open work permit.
There are several ways to obtain a job offer for the Atlantic Immigration Program.

What are some things that I must know about the Temporary Work Permit (TWP)?

The things that you must know about Temporary Work Permit (TWP) are –

Immigrants will be allowed to work in case the Permanent Residency visa gets delayed.
It is specifically for this program (AIP).
It is valid for one year.
Immigrants can only work for the employer who offered the job.

How do I pay the fees for your AIP application?

Visit the link below and follow these instructions to pay:

Go to Online Payment.
Follow the online instructions.
At the end, click on the button to print the IRCC official receipt with barcode. Print two copies.
Attach a copy of this receipt to your completed application.
Keep the second copy of the receipt for your records.

What are the recognized post-secondary institutions for AIP Canada?

24 post-secondary institutions in Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island are recognized for Canadian AIP pathway to Canada PR. These are –

Why do I need temporary work permit for AIP Canada?

A temporary work permit lets you work in Canada while your PR application is being processed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

The Canadian work permit under the AIP will be –

tied to the AIP,
valid for a year, and
only allows you to work for the Atlantic Canada employer that gave you the job offer.

You will be required to send your application for Canadian permanent residence within 90 days of the submission of your temporary work permit application.