The Atlantic immigration program was created in order to help immigrants find job opportunities in Canada’s Atlantic region. The Canada Atlantic Immigration program helps in fulfilling the needs of local employers and communities by providing them with suitable workers.  It also helps potential immigrants to find jobs in Canada’s Atlantic provinces.

Local employers can identify and hire from a global talent pool.  The program also helps in population growth and the development of a skilled labour force for Canada.

Since its launch,  the program has been a major boost for employers and employees both.  The  Atlantic immigration program has helped in providing employment opportunities in the Atlantic region keeping the need for local employers in mind.  It has successfully helped in the economic growth of the Atlantic region. The AIP has brought in around 10,000 new PRs to Atlantic Canada.

Eligibility for Atlantic Immigration Program 2023

The Atlantic Immigration Scheme is an employer-driven program that enables the recruitment of foreign nationals. In order to be eligible for the program, all primary candidates must have a work offer from a  company as well as a personal settlement plan for themselves and their family members before coming to Canada.

The designated company must first make an employment offer to a qualified individual who fits both their own job requirements and the program’s requirements. Acquiring a labour Market Impact Assessment is optional for employers (LMIA).

An approved settlement service provider organization will conduct a needs assessment and establish a settlement plan for the applicant when the candidate accepts the employment offer.

Employers will also help newcomers and their families, if any, integrate into Canadian society for the long term so that they may achieve the objectives of their settlement plans once they arrive.

Companies under a time crunch might use a temporary work visa to bring in an employee and his or her family as fast as feasible. Candidate requirements for this work visa include

1. A  legitimate employment offer, 
2. A  letter from the province
3. A  promise to apply for permanent residency within 90 days after submitting an application for a temporary work visa

Eligibility 

For the AIP, you must meet the following criteria:

Only foreign students who graduated from a recognized post-secondary school in Atlantic Canada are exempt from this requirement, provided they have at least one year of relevant work experience.

• Meet the academic standards
• Satisfy the language requirements
• Show that you have sufficient settlement funds
• Existing Canadian residents and workers do not have to provide verification of settlement payments.

If you fulfil all of the requirements listed above, you may begin looking for work with an Atlantic Canada-certified employer.

Work experience 

You must have worked a minimum of 1,560 hours in the past five years to be eligible for this program.

• Determine how many full and part-time hours you put in. Do not include unpaid time in your total. 
• Volunteer and unpaid time should not be included in this calculation. 
• If you are self-employed, don’t consider your workdays as hours. 
• You may count the number of hours you’ve worked in Canada or anywhere else in the world.
• To be able to work legally in Canada as a temporary resident, you need a work permit. 
• Over a period of at least a year, keep track of how many hours you’ve worked. 
• As long as the job hours are in accordance with the terms of your study permit, you may credit the experience you obtained while you were in school. 
• No more than three years of job experience above NOC skill level C is acceptable.

The acts listed in your NOC’s description, as well as the majority of the NOC’s primary responsibilities, must be included in your work history.

International Graduates 

If you have graduated in Canada as an international student, you do not have to satisfy the work experience criteria. Graduates of a recognized high-secondary school in Canada’s eastern provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador who completed a minimum of two year study at a recognized post-secondary institution in those provinces don’t have to show their work experience. 

Requirements for a college education

There is a one-year post-secondary educational certification required for an offer at the NOC 0 or A skill level or the equivalent outside of Canada. You must have a Canadian high school diploma or the equivalent outside of Canada if your employment offer is at the NOC B or C skill level.

Canadian employers want proof that your education is similar to what is required for your position if you studied outside of Canada. You will need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). When you submit your application to IRCC, your ECA report must be no older than five years.

Requirements for the use of the English language

• You need a CLB or NCLC level of 5 to apply for NOC 0, A, and B positions.
• A CLB or NCLC level 4 is required for NOC C employment offers.
• IRCC requires that you submit test results from an approved language testing agency.
• When you apply, the test results must be no older than two years.

Application Process 

Step 1: The employer first connects the applicant to a settlement service provider. The provider in question will now carry out a requirements assessment in order to decide on a settlement strategy for the applicant and his or her family to adhere to.

Step 2: Both the company and the applicant gets a copy of the settlement agreement you’ve chosen.

Step 3: The third step involves the employer completing the endorsement application and selecting a program that is suitable for the individual based on their previous work experience. The province has received the employment offer and settlement plan.

Step 4: The IRCC receives a completed application for permanent residence from the applicant. The relevant paperwork and a letter of support are included with the package.

Step 5: Once the application has been received, the individual or individuals involved may now begin the process of relocating to the province of Atlantic Canada.

AIP applications take six months to process. Once the endorsement certificate is received, the candidate must apply for permanent residency within six months. Temporary work permits allow talented immigrants to come and work in the area while the application is being processed.

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