Atlantic Immigration Program

AIP (Atlantic Immigration Program)

The new Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) has replaced the earlier Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP). Applicants can now submit your permanent residence application to the new program.

The AIP offers a pathway to permanent residence for overseas skilled workers and foreign graduates who wish to work and live in one of Canada’s four Atlantic Provinces, i.e.

he AIP (Atlantic Immigration Program) is an employer-driven program planned to help employers in Atlantic Canada recruit qualified candidates for jobs they could not fill within the Atlantic Canada. You must have an employment offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada to partake in the program.

Who can immigrate to Canada through AIP?

To immigrate to Atlantic Canada through AIP, you need to be either

a fresh graduate of a recognized post-secondary institution in Atlantic Canada, or
a skilled worker

You may be staying abroad or already be in Canada as a temporary resident.

What is Processing time of AIP (Atlantic Immigration Program)?

The processing time of Atlantic Immigration Program is 12 months.

What is Fees for AIP?

The fee for AIP (Atlantic Immigration Program) starts from $1,365, i.e. the Processing fee ($850) and right of permanent residence fee ($515).

The program helps employers in Atlantic Canada recruit qualified applicants for jobs they have not been able to fill within the region. The applicants can be outside Canada or living in maple leaf country as temporary residents.

Post obtaining a job offer from Atlantic Canada, there are several steps that a candidate need to complete. If as an applicant, you fulfil all the requirements, you can then apply for PR status in Canada.

Key requirements to apply in AIP

To be eligible for the AIP, you need to

have be suitable work experience, unless you’re a foreign graduate of a recognized post-secondary institution in Atlantic Canada
fulfil or surpass the educational requirements
fulfil or surpass the language requirements
show that you have sufficient funds to support yourself and your family when you get to Canada
If you are already living and working in Canada with a valid work permit, you do not need to show proof.

If you fulfil all of the above requirements, you can begin looking for a job with a designated Atlantic employer.

Work experience

In the last five years, you need to have worked minimum 1,560 hours. This is the number of hours you would have worked in one year if you were working 30 hours per week. To calculate your hours

Sum the hours worked in part-time and full-time jobs.
You should total only paid hours of work. Volunteering or unpaid internships do not count.
Do not count hours when you were self-employed.
Count hours worked inside or outside Canada. You must have been legally authorized to work in Canada as a temporary resident.
Count hours that accumulated over a period of minimum 12 months.
Count work experience acquired while studying, as long as the work hours don’t exceed what was authorized.

This work experience must be at one of these National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill levels

NOC Skill Type 0 (management jobs such as restaurant managers, mine managers)
NOC Skill Level A (professional jobs that usually need a degree from a university, such as doctors, dentists, architects)
NOC Skill Level B (technical jobs and skilled trades such as chefs, electricians, plumbers)
NOC Skill Level C (intermediate jobs that usually call for high school and/or job-specific training, such as industrial butchers, long-haul truck drivers, food and beverage servers)

Your work experience must comprise

Foreign graduates

You do not need to fulfil the work experience requirements if you’re an international graduate who

has a degree, diploma, certificate, or trade or apprenticeship certification that
took minimum two years of studies
is from a accepted post-secondary institution in 1 of the 4 Atlantic provinces
was a full-time student for the whole time you were studying
lived in one of the Atlantic provinces for minimum 16 months during the last two years before you graduated
had the visa or permit you needed to work, study or get training while you were in Canada

Educational requirements

You must have one of these:

However, if your qualification is from outside Canada, you need an educational credential assessment (ECA) to confirm that your studies are equivalent to or higher than the required level of education for your job offer.

Language Ability

You must fulfil the minimum language requirements as per your NOC category that applies to your employment offer. This can either be the

The minimum language requirements for each NOC category are

You must provide your test results from an approved language testing organization with your application. These results must not be older than two years.

Settlement funds

You must have sufficient funds to support yourself and your family when you arrive in the maple leaf country. The amount you require rest on on the size of your family. If you are already staying and working in Canada with a valid work permit, you do not require showing proof of funds.

Employment offer

You will need to search job opportunities with designated employers. Once you get an employment offer from an employer in Atlantic Canada