What is Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)?

The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) offers a pathway to obtain permanent residency for skilled foreign workers and international graduates who intend to live and work in any of the 4 Atlantic provinces of Canada: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. 

 

Notes:

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP) was launched in 2017 as a pilot program. This pathway was closed on December 31, 2021. The Atlantic Immigration Program replaces the pilot program and came into force on January 1, 2022. 

Therefore, the 3 programs under the Pilot program: Atlantic Intermediate Skilled Program (AISP), Atlantic High Skilled Program (AHSP), and Atlantic International Graduate Program (AIGP), were also closed. 

The program is initiated by employers in Atlantic Canada who are seeking to recruit qualified candidates for jobs that have been unable to fill within the region. To be eligible for the program, an individual must have received a job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada. 

 

Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP): Eligibility

To relocate to Atlantic Canada through the AIP, an individual must either be:

• A skilled worker, or 
• A recent graduate of a recognized post-secondary institution in Atlantic Canada

The applicant can be living abroad or already residing in Canada as a temporary resident. 

 

Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP): Requirements

To qualify for the Atlantic Immigration Program, the following conditions must be met:

• You have received the confirmation of the Provincial Endorsement
• You must have relevant work experience unless you are an international graduate from a recognized post-secondary institution within Atlantic Canada.
• You must meet or exceed the educational requirements.
• You must meet or exceed the language proficiency requirements.
• You must demonstrate that you have enough money to support yourself and your family upon arrival in Canada. However, if you are already employed and living in Canada with a valid work permit, proof of financial resources is not required.

Once you meet all of these criteria, you may begin your job search with a designated employer in Atlantic Canada. 

 

AIP Work Experience Requirements

In the past 5 years, you must have completed a minimum of 1,560 hours. This represents the number of hours worked annually, assuming you worked 30 hours per week. 

To calculate your work hours, you can follow the guidelines below:

• Count working hours for both part-time and full-time jobs
• Only consider paid hours of work. Volunteering or unpaid internships are not considered
• Do not include hours when you were self-employed
• Count hours worked within or outside Canada, provided you were legally permitted to work in Canada as a temporary resident
• Only count hours that were accumulated over a period of at least 12 months
• Count work experience acquired while studying, as long as the work hours don’t exceed what was authorized

The work experience must fall under one of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) categories, which include:

• TEER 0 (management jobs such as restaurant managers or mine managers)
• TEER 1 (professional jobs that usually need a degree from a university, such as doctors, dentists or architects)
• TEER 2 (technical jobs and skilled trades requiring at least 2 years of college or apprenticeship, or occupations with supervisory or safety responsibilities such as police officers and firefighters)
• TEER 3 (technical jobs and skilled trades requiring less than 2 years of college or apprenticeship; or more than 6 months of on-the-job training)
• TEER 4 (intermediate jobs that usually call for high school and/or several weeks of job-specific training, such as industrial butchers, long-haul truck drivers, or food and beverage servers)

Your work experience should include the tasks specified in the NOC description, with the majority of the main duties of your NOC.

 

AIP International Graduates Requirements

If you are an international graduate and fulfill the following requirements, you do not need to satisfy the work experience requirements mentioned above.

• Obtained a degree, diploma, certificate, or trade or apprenticeship certification after at least two years of study
• Graduated from a recognized post-secondary institution in one of the four Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, or Newfoundland and Labrador)
• Was a full-time student throughout your study period
• Resided in one of the following provinces for at least 16 months within the last two years prior to graduation: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Labrador, or Prince Edward Island
• Had the necessary visa or permit for work, study, or training while in Canada

 

AIP Educational Requirements

To be eligible to apply for the AIP, you must fulfill one of the following educational requirements:

• If you have a job offer in the NOC 2021 TEER 0 or 1 category, you need to have a Canadian post-secondary educational credential of at least one year or its equivalent from a foreign educational institution.

• If you have a job offer in the NOC 2021 TEER 2, 3, or 4 categories, you must have a Canadian high school diploma or its equivalent from a foreign educational institution.

 

Other Eligibility Criteria

Language Skill Requirement

You must meet the minimum language proficiency requirements depending on the NOC 2021 TEER category of your job offer.

• TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3: CLB/NCLC 5
• TEER 4: CLB/NCLC 4 

 

Proof of Settlement Funds

Sufficient funds are required to support yourself and your family upon arrival in Canada. The required amount depends on the size of your family, including those who are not immigrating with you but are dependent on you.