This pilot project was introduced by IRCC to help employers in Atlantic Canada to hire foreign skilled workers who want to immigrate to Atlantic Canada and international graduates who want to stay in Atlantic Canada after they graduate.
Provinces participating in the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Project:
An Overview of Atlantic Immigration Pilot
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) is an innovative partnership aimed at attracting and retaining skilled immigrants and international graduates to meet the unique workforce needs of the Atlantic region. The goal is to ensure the long-term retention and integration of newcomers in Atlantic Canada to help drive economic growth.
The Government of Canada and the Atlantic provinces launched the Atlantic Immigration Pilot in March 2017. As of February 25, 2019, there were 1,896 AIP designated employers in the Atlantic region.
Atlantic Immigration Pilot program was initially launched as a three-year pilot. Now the IRCC intends to extend the program by two years to December 2021. This
International Students and Employers in the healthcare sector
Firstly, international graduates will now have 24 months of post-graduation to apply for the AIP. Therefore, this change will increase the number of eligible international graduates that can participate in AIP and give them the time they need to complete the PR application process.
Secondly, Employers in the healthcare sector will be able to hire internationally trained nurses to work as continuing care and home care support workers in order to fill job vacancies.
Thirdly, the Atlantic provinces will have new authorities to focus their AIP spaces on in-demand labour market needs. This change will lead to better oversight of the pilot and give provinces greater ability to manage designated employers.
Fourthly, beginning May 1, 2019, IRCC will require that applicants meet the language, education and work experience requirements of the AIP prior to being approved for a work permit.
Most importantly, the Atlantic Immigration Pilot was introduced to help employers in Atlantic Canada to hire qualified candidates for jobs that they have not been able to fill locally. These candidates can be overseas or living in Canada temporarily.
There are 3 programs available for this Pilot Project:
International Graduate Program
High-skilled Program
Intermediate-skilled Program
Each program has requirements that the employers and candidates must meet.
- The employers must be designated by the provincial government of the Atlantic province where the candidate will be working prior to making a job offer.
- Once the employers make a job offer, then the candidate and the employers have to complete several steps.
- If the employer and the candidate meet all the requirements, the candidate gets permanent resident status in Canada.
Eligibility criteria for international graduates
If you’ve lived and studied in one of the Atlantic provinces, you may be eligible to apply for the Atlantic International Graduate Program under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program.
To qualify for the, you must:
- have lived in an Atlantic province for at least 16 months in the 2 years before getting your degree, diploma or credential
- meet the education requirements
- take a language test to show you can communicate in English or French
- show that you have enough money to support yourself and your family when you get to Canada
- This program doesn’t require work experience.
Education
You must meet all of these requirements:
- You must have at least a 2-year degree, diploma, certificate, or trade or apprenticeship credential from a recognized publicly funded institution in an Atlantic province.
- You must have been a full-time student for the entire duration of your studies.
- You graduated from this institution in the 24 months before we receive your permanent resident application.
- You lived in the Atlantic province of the institution granting the education credential for at least 16 months within the 24‑month period before the credential was granted.
- You had the visa or permit you needed to work, study or train in Canada.
Education outside Canada
Only your education in Canada is considered. However, if you have education credentials from outside Canada you want to include, you must have your education outside Canada assessed.
Language testing
Even though you were educated in Canada, you must take one of the language tests we approve. The test shows you can communicate in English or French well enough to live and work in Canada. If you have taken an approved test, you can send those results if they are less than 2 years old and show that you meet the level the program requires
Proof of funds
You need to have enough money to support yourself and your family when you get to Canada. The amount you need depends on the size of your family. The size of your family also includes anyone you support who isn’t immigrating with you.
2. Get a job offer
You must have a job offer that meets all of these requirements:
- The job offer was made using the Offer of Employment to a Foreign National [IMM 5650] (PDF, 1.55 MB) form.
- The employer has been designated as an employer taking part in the AIP by the Atlantic province where you’ll be working (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island). They must have a Confirmation of Designation from the province.
- The job must be full-time, meaning you’ll work at least 30 paid hours per week.
- The job must be non-seasonal. In general, this means you have consistent and regularly scheduled paid employment throughout the year.
- The job is skill type/level 0, A, B or C under the National Occupational Classification (NOC).
- The employer is offering you a job that will last for at least 1 year.
- You must meet employment requirements for the job you are offered. You can find these requirements in the NOC. The job doesn’t need to be in the same NOC as other jobs you’ve had.
3. Submit your application
When you and the employer have completed all the steps, you can submit your permanent residence application. To save time, start filling in your application before all of the steps are completed. Gather the documents that go with your application as soon as you can.
Eligibility criteria for high-skilled workers
Work experience
You must have worked at least 1 year (1,560 hours) in the last 3 years. This work must have been at National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill type/level 0, A, or B.
Education
You must have 1 of the following:
- a Canadian certificate, diploma or degree from a recognized institution or
- a foreign degree, diploma or certificate, equal to a Canadian credential. You’ll need an educational credential assessment (ECA) report from a recognized organization.
Language testing
You must take one of the language tests we approve. The test shows you can communicate in English or French well enough to live and work in Canada.
Proof of funds
You need to have enough money to support yourself and your family when you get to Canada. The amount you need depends on the size of your family. The size of your family also includes anyone you support who isn’t immigrating with you.
Get a job offer
You must have a job offer that meets all of these requirements:
The job offer was made using the Offer of Employment to a Foreign National [IMM 5650] (PDF, 1.55 MB) form.
The employer has been designated as an employer taking part in the AIP by the Atlantic province where you’ll be working (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island). They must have a Confirmation of Designation from the province.
The job must be full-time, meaning you’ll work at least 30 paid hours per week.
The job must be non-seasonal. In general, this means you have consistent and regularly scheduled paid employment throughout the year.
The job is skill type/level 0, A or B under the NOC.
The employer is offering you a job that will last for at least 1 year (one year from the time you become a permanent resident).
You must meet employment requirements for the job you are offered. You can find these requirements in the NOC. The job doesn’t need to be in the same NOC as other jobs you’ve had.
Submit your application
When you and the employer have completed all the steps, you can submit your permanent residence application.
Eligibility criteria for intermediate-skilled workers
Work Experience
you must have worked at least 1 year (1,560 hours) in the last 3 years. This is how many hours you would have worked in 1 year if you worked 30 hours per week. These working hours can be inside or outside Canada.
You can use your work experience to qualify for the Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program in 2 different ways.
Option 1
You have work experience at National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level C. NOC skill level C is a type of job that usually requires a secondary (high school) education and/or job-specific training, such as
industrial butchers, long-haul truck drivers or food and beverage servers.
Option 2
You have work experience as one of the following:
as a registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse (NOC skill level A 3012)
as a licensed practical nurse (NOC skill level B 3233)
You also have one of the following job offers:
a nurse’s aide, orderly or patient services associate (NOC skill level C 3413)
a home support worker (NOC skill level C 4412)
Education
You must have 1 of the following:
- a Canadian diploma or degree from a recognized institution or
- a foreign degree, diploma, or certificate equal to a Canadian credential. You need an educational credential assessment (ECA) report from a recognized organization
Language testing
You must take one of the language tests we approve. It will show you can communicate in English or French well enough to live and work in Canada.
Proof of funds
The candidates need to have enough money to support themselves and their family members upon arrival to Canada. The amount you need depends on the size of your family.
Get a job offer
You must have a job offer that meets all of these requirements:
- The job offer was made using the Offer of Employment to a Foreign National [IMM 5650] (PDF, 1.55 MB) form.
- The employer has been designated as an employer taking part in the AIP by the Atlantic province where you’ll be working (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island). They must have a Confirmation of Designation from the province.
- The job must be full-time, meaning you’ll work at least 30 paid hours per week.
- The job must be non-seasonal. In general, this means you have consistent and regularly scheduled paid employment throughout the year.
- The job is skill type/level 0, A, B or C under the NOC.
- Your employment is permanent, that is, there is no set end date.
- You must meet employment requirements for the job you are offered. You can find these requirements in the NOC. The job doesn’t need to be in the same NOC as other jobs you’ve had.
Submit your application under Atlantic Immigration Pilot
The candidates can submit their applications for Permanent residence after they and their employers have completed all steps.