Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
Launched in 2017, the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP) is a part of the Immigration Pilot Program. It is a common initiative to encourage economic growth in the Atlantic provinces of Canada. This program is designed to welcome foreign skilled workers to the Atlantic provinces of the country and includes:
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Nova Scotia
- Prince Edward Island
What is the program all about?
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot is introduced to attract new immigrants. These new immigrants are welcomed to meet the rising needs of the local employers and the communities in the Atlantic Provinces.
This three-year pilot program enables the designated local employers to identify, hire, and retain global talent. Besides the economic stimulation, this pilot program also has other objectives, such as:
- Population Growth
- Development of a skilled workforce
- Increasing the rate of employment
To be precise, the Atlantic Pilot Program builds part of a complete Atlantic Growth Strategy that is based on the following core areas:
- Immigration and Skilled Workforce;
- Innovation;
- Clean growth and climate change;
- Trade and investment; and
- Infrastructure
Atlantic Immigration Pilot: How it Works?
It is an employer-driven program that promotes the recruitment of foreign workers. Every applicant immigrating to Canada under this pilot program should have a valid job offer from a designated employer. Besides, they must also have a personalized settlement plan for themselves and their accompanying family members. First, the designated employer identifies a candidate who satisfies all their employment requirements and the eligibility criteria for the program. Then the employer offers him/her a job. There is no need for the employer to get a labor market impact assessment (LMIA) to invite a candidate under this program. After the candidate accepts the job offer, the employer connects him/her to an authorized settlement service provider organization. The organization helps the candidate develop a settlement plan after evaluating their needs. If applicable, employers also support the long-term union of the newcomer and his/her family. This helps the candidate attain his/her goals for the settlement plan upon their arrival in Canada.
Also, the employers who are seeking to fill in the vacant position quickly can get a temporary work permit. This enables the candidate and his/her family members to travel to Canada without any delay. To get this work permit, the candidate requires:
- A valid job offer;
- A letter from the province; and
- A commitment to apply for a permanent residency visa within 90 days of getting a temporary work permit
What are the requirements to become a designated employer?
To be able to hire skilled foreign nationals under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program, you must be a designated employer. To be designated, the employer must:
- Be in good standing among any provincial regulatory bodies.
- Have been operating in the Atlantic region for at least 2 years.
- Work with a settlement service provider organization to help their prospective international workers get settlement services.
To learn more about the application process for becoming a designated employer, businesses can visit the official sites in the Atlantic Provinces:
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Nova Scotia
- Prince Edward Island
Are there any Alternate ways to immigrate to Atlantic Canada?
Over the recent years, the Atlantic provinces of Canada have already been active in immigration, primarily through the Provincial Nomination Programs (PNPs). Several skilled workers, graduates, and business immigrants have been welcomed to the provinces under this program.
Since 2015, every Atlantic province has introduced a PNP stream in association with the Express Entry program. This allows the Express Entry pool’s eligible candidates to immigrate through one of these streams and immigrate to the respective province.
Currently, the Atlantic PNP options include:
- Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP).
- New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP).
- Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP).
- Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP).
