The Atlantic Immigration pilot program was launched in 2017 as part of a joint initiative to stimulate economic growth in Canada’s Atlantic provinces by attracting skilled workers. The Atlantic provinces include New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
In order to qualify for the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program, applicants must have an official job offer. Usually, in order to obtain a Canadian job offer valid for immigration purposes, the applicant must obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). This is not required for the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program. Instead, the job offer must be from a designated employer. In 2018 the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program aimed to welcome a maximum of 2,500 new immigrants to the Atlantic region, with targets increasing to 4,000 by 2020. Initially a three-year pilot program, AIP has been extended until at least December 2021.
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program facilitates immigration through connecting two parties:
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program has different requirements for both of these parties.
Foreign nationals interested in immigrating to either New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island, may do so through the Atlantic Immigration Pilot program only if they meet certain requirements. First, the foreign national must have an official job offer from a designated employer.
Second, the foreign national must meet the eligibility requirements for one of the program streams. These requirements vary depending on which of the three streams of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program an applicant uses:
The province of New Brunswick regularly organizes events overseas for foreign nationals who wish to immigrate to Canada. Those who are successful through these information sessions will be eligible to immigrate to Canada through the New Brunswick PNP or the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
To qualify under this stream, an applicant must have a job offer from a Designated Employer for a duration of at 12-months for a position under National Occupational Classification (NOC) Skill Level 0, A, or B. In addition to a job offer, applicants in this stream must meet the following criteria:
To qualify under this stream, an applicant must have a job offer from a Designated Employer for a permanent position under National Occupational Classification (NOC) Skill Level 0, A, B, or C. In addition to a job offer, applicants in this stream must meet the following criteria:
To qualify under this stream, an applicant must have a job offer from a Designated Employer for a duration of at least 12-months under National Occupational Classification (NOC) Skill Level 0, A, B, or C. In addition to a job offer, applicants in this stream must meet the following criteria:
Employers interested in participating in the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program must apply to become designated employers. As a designated employer, a business will have the ability to hire foreign nationals without obtaining a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Designated employers required to assist employees hired through the pilot with settlement in their province of residence.
In order to hire foreign nationals through the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program, first an employer must apply to be officially designated. In order to become designated, the employer may apply directly to the province where the business for which they want to hire foreign nationals is located. The employer will have to demonstrate that they are in good standing with any provincial regulatory bodies. They will also have to submit a description of their labour needs, including their reason for hiring international workers.
Finally, designated employers must demonstrate that they can provide settlement support to the workers they hire through the Atlantic Immigration Pilot. In order to obtain applications to become a designated employer, businesses can consult the immigration webpages of the Atlantic provinces: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.