Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP): A Pathway to PR in Atlantic Canada

TL;DR — The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is a permanent federal economic-immigration program for skilled foreign workers and international graduates with a job offer from a designated employer in one of the four Atlantic provinces: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island. AIP became permanent on March 6, 2022, replacing the earlier Atlantic Immigration Pilot. Designated employers must support a settlement plan for each candidate.

What AIP is

The Atlantic Immigration Program is a federal economic-immigration program managed by IRCC in partnership with the four Atlantic provinces. It is not a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) — Atlantic provinces have their own PNP streams that operate alongside the AIP. The AIP is unique because:

It requires a job offer from a pre-designated employer (not just any employer with an LMIA).
It does not require an LMIA (the program is its own LMIA-exemption code).
The candidate must have a provincial endorsement from one of the four provinces.
The employer must offer a settlement plan (drafted in partnership with a settlement-service provider organization (SPO) before endorsement).

AIP became permanent on March 6, 2022, after operating as the Atlantic Immigration Pilot from 2017 to 2022.

Eligibility

Three main applicant categories:

1. Atlantic International Graduate stream

For international graduates of a recognized post-secondary institution in one of the four Atlantic provinces:

Graduated from a recognized DLI in NS, NB, NL, or PEI in the past 12 months.
Studied for at least 2 years (full-time equivalent) in the Atlantic region.
Held a valid study permit or visa during the program.
Did not study primarily in distance education or under a scholarship requiring return home.
Holds a job offer from an AIP-designated employer.
Meets language requirement: Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in all four abilities (English or French).
Has settlement funds (per family size) — exempt if already legally working in Canada.
Has CIC-attested education (no ECA needed for Atlantic graduates).

No prior work experience is required.

2. Atlantic Skilled Worker stream

For skilled workers with at least one year of work experience in any country, in any TEER 0/1/2/3 occupation:

At least one year of paid full-time work experience in the past 5 years (TEER 0/1/2/3).
Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) showing Canadian-equivalent secondary or post-secondary education.
CLB 5 (TEER 2/3) or CLB 4 (TEER 0/1/4/5) in all four abilities.
Job offer from a designated Atlantic employer at TEER 0/1/2/3, full-time, non-seasonal, at least 1-year term.
Settlement funds (per family size).

3. Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Worker stream

For workers in TEER 4 occupations:

One year of full-time work experience in past 5 years.
ECA showing Canadian-equivalent education.
CLB 4 in all four abilities.
Job offer from a designated employer at TEER 4 (or TEER 0/1/2/3), full-time, at least 1-year term.

Designated employers

Employers must apply to the provincial AIP office to become designated before they can hire under AIP. Designation requires:

Operating in NS, NB, NL, or PEI.
Demonstrated commitment to supporting newcomer integration (settlement plan attached to each offer).
Compliance with provincial labour standards.
Two years of operating history (in most provinces).

Designated employers have a list published on each provincial AIP website. Candidates apply for jobs directly with these employers.

Application process

Step 1: Get a job offer

Candidates apply to designated employers in Atlantic Canada. The employer must offer a full-time, non-seasonal position with a duration matching the candidate's stream (1-year for AIP graduates and skilled workers; 1-year for intermediate-skilled).

Step 2: Settlement plan

The employer connects the candidate with a designated Settlement Provider Organization (SPO) which prepares a settlement plan covering housing, transportation, language training (if needed), employment connections for spouse, schools for children, and community supports.

Step 3: Provincial endorsement

The employer applies to the provincial AIP office for an endorsement. If endorsed, the province issues an endorsement certificate to the candidate.

Step 4: PR application to IRCC

The endorsed candidate applies to IRCC for permanent residence. The application includes:

Endorsement certificate.
Job offer letter.
Settlement plan.
Language test results.
ECA (if not Atlantic graduate).
Police certificates and medical exam.
Application fees (~CAD $1,500 per principal applicant).

Optional: Temporary work permit

While the PR application is pending, the candidate can apply for a temporary 1-year LMIA-exempt work permit (employer-specific) to start working in Canada. This is processed faster (typically 4–8 weeks).

Processing times

IRCC's service standard for AIP PR applications is approximately 6 months from a complete application. Real times vary; live estimates are on canada.ca.

Provincial allocations

Under the 2025–2027 Levels Plan, AIP admissions are capped at approximately 6,500 per year (split across the four provinces). Allocations have remained relatively stable.

Key facts at a glance

Provinces covered: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island.
Three streams: International Graduate, Skilled Worker (TEER 0/1/2/3), Intermediate-Skilled (TEER 4).
No LMIA required.
Designated employer required.
Settlement plan required.
Provincial endorsement required.
Language: CLB 4 or 5 depending on stream.
Temporary work permit available while waiting for PR.
Service standard: ~6 months.
Fees: ~CAD $1,500 per principal applicant + provincial endorsement fee (varies by province).

Source attribution

This article rewrites public information published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/atlantic-immigration.html. The original Government of Canada content is licensed under the Open Government Licence — Canada.

Verify on canada.ca

AIP rules, designated-employer lists, and provincial endorsement requirements change. Verify on canada.ca: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/atlantic-immigration.html.

IRCC.com is an independent news and information aggregator. We are not affiliated with the Government of Canada and do not provide immigration services or advice. For personalized help, contact a CICC-licensed RCIC or a Canadian immigration lawyer.

IRCC.com is independent and not affiliated with the Government of Canada. Verify all details on canada.ca/immigration.