This program focuses on skilled workers or international students who want to immigrate and live in Atlantic Canada after graduating. It was launched to fill the needs of local employers, and now it is a permanent immigration program.

To obtain this work permit, candidates will need:

• Job offer
• Letter from the province
• Language test
• Educational Credentials Report ( if you studied outside Canada)
• Proof of funds
• Application guide of each program (documents and forms)
• Settlement plan

Requirements of education, work experience and job offer depend on each province or whether the applicant is a skilled worker or an international student.

If an employer wants to hire skilled foreign workers under the Atlantic Immigration Program, the first step is receiving an Employer Designation. To do it, employers must meet some requirements and commit to supporting newcomers and their families settling in Canada. This program doesn’t  require a Labour Market Impact Assessment ( LMIA) .

Once the employer finds the candidate, he must send the job offer and connect the candidate with a designated settlement service provider organization to create the settlement plan.

Employer Designation and settlement service providers are different for each Atlantic province. Employers with locations in multiple regions will require a separate designation for each.

There are some similar documents required for all cases:

• Job offer.
• Settlement plan for each adult family member.
• Endorsement application.

When the Province approves the application, they send the candidate an endorsement letter that must be included in the application.

• Potential applicants must determine which of the categories they belong to:

• Skilled Worker

• Express Entry Skilled Worker

• International Graduate

• Then the applicant needs to download and complete all required provincial and federal forms for their category.
• Scan the required supporting documentation (Birth Certificates, Diplomas, Passports etc).
• Upload all forms and documentation to the Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism. Below is a brief overview of the categories.

• The applicant arrives with a job offer.
• The Labour Market Impact Assessment process is not needed.
• Newcomers and their families will have a Settlement Plan. It includes language training, housing, education and child care.
• There are Canadian job opportunities for all levels in different economic sectors, such as food, customer services or administrative services.
• Pathway to get the Permanent Residence faster than other programs.

The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is a federal immigration program that allows designated employers to hire skilled foreign workers and international graduates to fulfill labour needs.

It is an employer-driven program that aims to support the local market and the community in Nova Scotia.

If you want to immigrate to Nova Scotia, it is one of the most exciting programs since it doesn’t require foreign workers to get a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to obtain a valid job offer.

After all, through the Atlantic Immigration program in Nova Scotia, qualified candidates and their close family members can become Canadian permanent residents.

Since the Atlantic Immigration Program is an employer-driven program that aims to support the economy of Nova Scotia, employers must be first authorized and get a designation. After that, employers can have their positions endorsed by the Province of Nova Scotia.

After the employer’s positions are endorsed, the selected international worker can receive the job offer and apply directly to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for permanent status. Also, the foreign worker can obtain a temporary work permit while waiting for permanent residency.

The application under the Atlantic Immigration Program should be online.

A valid job offer under the Atlantic Immigration Program should be:

• full time
• non-seasonal
• valid for at least 1 year from the time the candidate becomes a permanent resident. If it is for a job position NOC 0, A, or B level job
• it should be a permanent position if it is for a NOC C level job
• The work experience of the foreign worker should meet the requirements for the position unless it is an international student who has graduated from an institution in Atlantic Canada.

• It will depend on your job offer in Nova Scotia. For example:
• If you have a job offer at a skill type NOC 0 or A, you must have a Canadian one-year post-secondary educational credential or higher, or the equivalent outside Canada.
• If you have a job offer at the NOC B or C skill level, you must have a Canadian high school diploma or the equivalent outside Canada.

For both cases, if you studied outside Canada, you need to obtain your Educational Credential Assessment to confirm that your studies are equal to or higher than the required.

The Atlantic Immigration Program in New Brunswick is one of the most exciting pathways to permanent residency. It targets skilled foreign workers and international graduates from a post-secondary institution in Atlantic Canada who desire to settle and work in New Brunswick.

This program helps New Brunswick employers hire qualified candidates for jobs they haven’t been able to fill locally. Under the Atlantic Immigration Program, all principal applicants arriving in New Brunswick or any other Atlantic Province will hold a job offer from a designated employer and a settlement plan for them and their families.

A secure job and settlement plan are key to retaining newcomers and helping them to succeed in the region.

Employers in New Brunswick who face shortages in identified sectors must first become “designated” and have their positions “endorsed” by the Province of New Brunswick to hire a foreign individual.

Being “designated” means you can hire candidates under the Atlantic Immigration Program. The provinces are in charge of designating employers.

After the employer obtains its designation and its positions are endorsed, selected foreign workers can directly apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for permanent residency.

While waiting for PR, the foreign candidate may receive a temporary work permit to start working as soon as possible.

• Business Service Centers
• Education
• Healthcare
• Hospitality- hotel and full-service restaurants
• Forestry
• Information Technology
• Skilled Trades
• Public Service

• It will depend on your job offer in New Brunswick. You need to meet the following criteria to qualify for the job position:
• If you have a job offer at a skill type NOC 0 or A, you must have a Canadian one-year post-secondary educational credential or higher, or the equivalent outside Canada.
• If you have a job offer at the NOC B or C skill level, you must have a Canadian high school diploma or the equivalent outside Canada.

For both cases, if you studied outside Canada, you need to obtain your to confirm that your studies are equal to or higher than the required.

A valid job offer under the Atlantic Immigration Program should be:

• full time
• non-seasonal
• valid for at least 1 year from the time the candidate becomes a permanent resident. If it is for a job position NOC 0, A, or B level job
• it should be a permanent position if it is for a NOC C level job
• The work experience of the foreign worker should meet the requirements for the position unless they are an international student who has graduated from an institution in Atlantic Canada.

The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is a national immigration program to help employers attract and hire skilled international workers and graduates to meet labour demands. It was launched as a pilot program in 2017, but it is now a permanent program due to its success.

The Atlantic Immigration Program designates employers and positions to hire foreign individuals and ensures each has personalized settlement support to start a new successful life in Newfoundland.

Newfoundland and Labrador is working closely with the other Atlantic Provinces and the Government of Canada to ensure the successful development and delivery of the AIP.

The AIP supports Newfoundland and Labrador’s capability to attract and retain a skilled workforce by creating an innovative approach for immigrants. This approach concerns closer coordination between governments, employers, communities, and settlement agencies to enhance immigrant retention.

Then, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador can designate employers to hire foreign skilled individuals through the AIP while supporting eligible applicants with a job offer from a designated employer to get permanent status. Once established, employers can more easily secure qualified immigrants.

To qualify for the Atlantic Immigration Program in Newfoundland, prospects can temporarily live abroad or be in Canada. Yet, they must hold a job offer or be employed by a designated employer before applying.

Hiring international workers through the Atlantic Immigration Program is a three-step process. The first one is that employers need to be “designated” to ensure the program fits the employer’s needs.

As an employer in Newfoundland, to get designated and hire foreign individuals, you must complete the following steps

• Designation Checklist
• Designation Application Form
• Required Recruitment Activities
• Use of Representative Form

As a second step of the process, employers need to complete the Endorsement of their position before offering it to the international worker. These are the following documents an employer needs to get the approval:

• Endorsement Checklist
• Endorsement Application Form
• Offer of Employment to Foreign National
• Commitment Form
• Required Recruitment Activities
• Representative Form

• To apply for permanent residency through the AIP in Newfoundland and Labrador, foreign workers must:
  • Have a valid endorsement certificate issued by the Province
  • International workers who require a work permit must have a work permit referral letter issued by the Province

It is a process where first, interested employers in Newfoundland need to work with a settlement service provider organization to help newcomers integrate into their new community in Newfoundland. In this way, they can settle and help grow the economy.

Under the Atlantic Immigration Program, each principal applicant comes to Newfoundland with a job offer and an individualized settlement plan for themself and their family. This plan helps connect and support their successful integration into the new community.

Then after a designated employer finds a skilled immigrant who meets their employment needs and criteria, they offer the job.

In many cases, a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is needed for immigration purposes. It proves that no Canadian permanent resident or citizen can do the job. However, to help address Newfoundland’s labour market needs, employers do not need to get a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) for jobs offered to international skilled workers under the AIP.

After accepting the job, the employer will connect the skilled immigrant with a designated settlement provider organization to create a settlement plan.

The Atlantic Immigration Program is an employer-driven program designed to help businesses in Prince Edward Island with their permanent labour shortages by supporting skilled foreign workers and international graduates for permanent residency in Prince Edward Island.

Overall, we could say that the Atlantic Immigration Program is one of the best immigration programs to handle employers’ needs in Atlantic Canada.

To qualify, the first step for interested employers is to obtain a designation of their business. To receive the designation, employers in Prince Edward Island should follow these steps:

• Wanted to hire full-time, non-seasonal international workers for 30 hours per week.
• The business should be active under the same management for at least two years in Prince Edward Island and good standing.
• The employer needs to demonstrate its commitment to maintaining a welcoming workplace.
• The employer must support the candidate and any accompanying family member with settlement services.

Again, to be eligible to hire a foreigner, you must be a designated employer in Prince Edward Island.

The endorsement application requires a business to:

• Prove it hasn’t been able to fill the job with someone locally—either a permanent resident or a citizen.
• Employers under the Atlantic Immigration Program don’t need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
• Show that the job offer meets the program requirements.
• Complete the free onboarding training and the intercultural competency training
• It’s necessary only for the first Endorsement Application.

A Designated Employer can apply for Endorsement by completing the online form. It must be submitted by the Designated Employer and not by the candidate directly.

Do I have to pay a fee?

No, on Prince Edward Island, there are no fees payable to the Province for the endorsement process.

What information should be included in the online application?

When completing an application for the AIP in Prince Edward Island, the following documents are complete and saved as one combined PDF file:

• Job Offer Form
• Job Description
• Proof of recruitment efforts
• Evidence of the applicant’s prior work experience
• Copy of language test results, if applicable.
• Settlement Plan for the principal applicant and each family member
• Signed copy of the Employee Declaration Form
• If the prospect is in Canada, a copy of his legal status.

General Requirements under the Atlantic Immigration Program

Work Experience

• One-year full-time work experience within the past three years: Foreign or in-Canada under legal status.
• International graduates from an educational institution in an Atlantic province are exempt from the work experience requirement.

Job offer

• Full time and non-seasonal job offer
• For a one-year contract if the position is NOC 0, A or B and permanent if NOC C.
• for a type 0 or Level A or B occupation under NOC
• from a designated employer in an Atlantic province

Education

• High school diploma or post-secondary certificate/degree or its Canadian equivalent

Language Proficiency

•  CLB/NCLC 5 for a job offer in skill level NOC 0, A and B
•  CLB/NCLC 4 for a job offer in skill level NOC C

Financial Stability

• Proof of capability to support self and family members in Canada