Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
The Atlantic Immigration Program is a pathway to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers and international graduates from a Canadian institution who want to work and live in 1 of Canada’s 4 Atlantic provinces—New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador. The program helps employers hire qualified candidates for jobs they haven’t been able to fill locally.
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot closed on December 31, 2021. If you received a valid provincial certificate of endorsement before December 31, 2021, you can still apply for permanent residence under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot until March 5, 2022.
The Atlantic Immigration Program has replaced the pilot. You can submit your permanent residence application to the new program starting March 6, 2022.
Atlantic Immigration Pilot
Employers
Request referral letters for work permits and extensions for candidates who received an endorsement certificate before December 31, 2021
Applicants
Apply for permanent residence until March 5, 2022 (if you already have a valid provincial certificate of endorsement), for a work permit or for a work permit extension
The federal and provincial governments want to hire 7000 or more immigrants by 2022. As part of the Atlantic Growth Strategy, the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP) is designed to fill labor shortages in the Canadian Atlantic provinces: New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Read on to know more about the AIP Immigration program.
What is The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program?
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot 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.
Introduced in 2017, AIPP has two programs for skilled workers:
- Atlantic High-Skilled Program: High-skilled workers must have work experience at National Occupation Classification(NOC) skill type level 0, A, or B.
- Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program: Intermediate-skilled workers must have work experience at NOC skill level C, obtained from either inside or outside of Canada.
It also has a program for international student graduates:
- Atlantic International Graduate Program: Atlantic International Graduate Program is for international students who have a diploma or other related credentials from an Atlantic public educational institution.
Eligibility for the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
The qualifying criteria for the Atlantic immigration pilot for Canada depend on the chosen program.
Atlantic immigration pilot has three programs.
- The Atlantic High-Skilled Program
- The Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program
- The Atlantic International Graduate Program
Each program has specific requirements that are given in the table below.
| Eligibility criteria | Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program (AISP) | Atlantic High-Skilled Program (AHSP) | Atlantic International Graduate Program (AIGP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | Canadian high school diploma or equivalent Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) | Two-year post-secondary diploma from a publicly funded learning institution in the Atlantic region, obtained within the 12 months before the submission of the application for permanent residence. | |
| Skilled work experience | One year in a related field | One year in a related field | - |
| Language skills | CLB Level 4 for English or Niveau de compétenceLinguistiqueCanadien for French | ||
| Provincial endorsement | Letter of endorsement | ||
| employer | Full time Indeterminate NOC 0, A, B or C |
Full time One-year contract NOC 0, A or B |
Full time One-year contract NOC 0, A, B or C |
Documentation for the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
Several documents are required for the AIPP. The documents differ according to the chosen programs. A few primary documents are needed for all.
The basic documents you will need are :
- Valid passport
- Test results for language skills (TEF or IELTS)
- 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 Pilot 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 Pilot Program
| Application | SCAN |
|---|---|
| Your application Processing fee ($825) and right of permanent residence fee ($500) |
1,325 |
| Your application (without right of permanent residence fee) | 825 |
|
Include your spouse or partner Processing fee ($825) and right of permanent residence fee ($500) | 1,325 |
| Include your spouse or partner (without right of permanent residence fee) | 825 |
| Include a dependent child | 225 (per child) |
Note: Dependent children are exempt from paying the Right of Permanent Residence fee.
| Biometrics fees | SCAN |
|---|---|
| Biometrics (per person) | 85 |
| Biometrics (per family) (2 or more people) Maximum fee for a family of 2 or more people applying at the same time and place | 170 |
Processing Time: How long does it take to get PR through AIPP?
The processing time for AIPP 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.