The 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 Atlantic Canada. You must have an employment offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada to partake in the program.
(AIP) is a pathway to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers and international graduates who want to work and live in 1 of Canada’s 4 Atlantic provinces.
Atlantic Immigration Program is a federal immigration program that helps employers recruit skilled foreign workers and international graduates to meet labor needs.
This new employer-driven program builds on the success of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program, which closed in 2021. Participants in the pilot program must reapply to use the permanent program.
ELIGIBILITY - Atlantic Immigration Program
Once the employer’s positions are endorsed, foreign worker(s) identified by the employer can apply directly to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada for permanent residency. The foreign worker can also get a temporary work permit while waiting for permanent residency.
To participate in the Atlantic Immigration Program, employers must first be approved by being designated and then have their positions endorsed by the Province. You must have been legally authorized to work in Canada as a temporary resident. 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.
Process
1. Employer Designation
To become designated, an employer must:
⦁ Have a business operating in good standing
⦁ Provide information on labor needs
⦁ Commit to working with a service provider organization on settlement and retention
2. Employer Position Endorsement
To have a position endorsed, an employer must:
⦁ Demonstrate that efforts to hire locally have been unsuccessful
⦁ Recruit a foreign worker
⦁ Provide a valid, full-time, non-seasonal job offer co-signed by the foreign worker
⦁ Provide an individualized settlement plan co-signed by the foreign worker
⦁ Complete mandatory onboarding training and, if required, intercultural competency training
3. Foreign Worker Immigration Application
To apply for permanent residency foreign workers must:
⦁ Have a valid endorsement certificate issued by the province
⦁ Foreign workers who require a work permit must have a work permit referral letter issued by the Province
⦁ Employers supporting work permit applications must register in the federal employer portal, submit the job offer and pay a compliance fee