Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP): Eligibility, Employer Role and Application Steps

What is Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)?

Atlantic Canada is a unique part of the country with its distinct vibe and way of doing things. Here, the people are more relaxed, things move a little slower, and there’s certainly not a lot of rush hour, even in the urban centres. The Atlantic Immigration Program is a route to permanent residence for qualified foreign workers and international graduates from a Canadian institution who want to live and work in one of Canada’s four Atlantic provinces—New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, or Newfoundland and Labrador. The initiative assists employers in filling positions they haven’t been able to fill locally with eligible people.

These provinces have relied most heavily on natural resources in the past, but in-demand jobs include those in services, health, sciences, IT, tourism and finance, among others. These are the types of jobs that will give Atlantic Canada a more significant economic base to draw upon.

Who can apply for Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)?

The Atlantic Immigration Program is designed for intermediate and high-skilled workers and those who have graduated from a minimum two-year program from a recognized, publicly funded institution in any of the Atlantic Provinces.

Work Experience for Atlantic Immigration Program

You must have put in at least 1,560 hours during the past five years. If you worked 30 hours a week, you would have put in this amount of time in a year. This work should be at one of the six National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) categories.

International Graduate – No Work Experience

International graduates do not need to meet the requirements for work experience. Although you must have a degree, diploma, certificate, or trade or apprenticeship certification that requires at least two years of study and is from one of the four Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, or Newfoundland and Labrador).

You must have been a full-time student for the entirety of your studies and have lived in one of the following provinces for at least 16 months in the two years before graduating from your programme in one of the four provinces.

Educational Requirements for AIP

• If you have a job offer in the NOC 2021 TEER 0 or 1 category, you must possess a Canadian postsecondary degree or equivalent from outside Canada or one that is at least one year long.
• You must have a Canadian high school diploma or equivalent from outside Canada to be hired in the NOC 2021 TEER 2, 3 or 4 categories.

Language Requirements for AIP

Those applying to any programs within the Atlantic Immigration pilot program have to meet the language requirements:

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

Settlement funds

Applicants must also prove sufficient funds to support themselves and their families after arriving in Canada. This is not required if the applicant is already working in Canada with a valid work permit. Check the proof of funds requirements for Atlantic Immigration Program here.