The Atlantic region of Canada comprises four provinces – Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP) provides an immigration pathway to skilled immigrants to live as a permanent resident in these Atlantic provinces of Canada.
AIPP is an employer-driven immigration program designed to help the employers in Atlantic Canada to hire skilled candidates that they have not been able to find locally.
In order to live in Atlantic Canada as a PR, you must be a recent graduate from a recognized educational institution of Atlantic Canada publicly funded, or a skilled worker who is able to meet the minimum requirements of the program.
You need to have a valid job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada to participate in this pilot program.
There are three programs under AIPP, through which you can apply for PR. You may be eligible for more than one program, but you must apply through only one of the programs.
You must show proof of your language proficiency, education, and work experience requirements and must possess enough money to support yourself and the accompanying family members, for all the three immigration programs.
Following are the all minimum requirements of the three immigration programs under the AIPP –
Note: Work experience is not required under this immigration program.
To know all the requirements in detail you can visit the Canadian Official immigration website.
To apply for Canada PR Visa through AIPP, you just have to follow three simple steps:
Step 1 – Designated Employer: After an employer in Atlantic Canada becomes a designated employer of the province, they find a suitable candidate who meets the minimum requirements of AIPP and offers them a job.
Step 2 – Endorsement: In this step, the employer will help you to get in touch with a settlement service provider. They will help the candidate to prepare a settlement plan. With the settlement plan, the employer completes the application for provincial endorsement. Province will review the application and will send an endorsement letter to you.
Step 3 – Application for PR Visa: With the endorsement letter and all the required documents, you have to submit your application for PR Visa to the IRCC. After a successful evaluation of the application, you will be able to move to Canada as a permanent resident with your family members.
To participate in this immigration program, you must be able to get a job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada.
When a designated employer offers you a job, they will provide you with an Offer of Employment to a Foreign National form. You must make sure to:
If you are able to meet the requirements of any one of the programs under the AIPP, then you are eligible to apply for a temporary work permit.
In order to get a TWP, you must:
With a temporary work permit, you will be able to work in Canada while your application for Canada PR Visa is being processed. A TWP:
You have to submit your application for a PR Visa within 90 days of submitting your application for the temporary work permit.
You have to get all these documents ready when you submit your application for PR Visa:
Through another immigration program – Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), the Atlantic provinces of Canada are able to select potential immigrants with required skill sets and work experience to live in the province as a permanent resident.
These PNP’s also allow the Express Entry candidates to apply for provincial nomination. If you have applied for a Canada PR Visa through Express entry program and get a provincial nomination, it will award you with 600 CRS points, sufficient enough to get an ITA.
Following is the list of Atlantic Canada PNP programs: