Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP): Requirements, Eligibility, Process & Documents for Indians
Canada's designated-employer PR pathway for skilled workers and eligible Atlantic graduates settling in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, or Newfoundland and Labrador.
~6 months (federal)
CAD 1,590 (federal) + CAD 85 biometrics
Permanent
Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is a permanent residence pathway for skilled foreign workers and international graduates who want to settle in one of Canada's four Atlantic provinces: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, or Newfoundland and Labrador. Unlike Express Entry or PNP streams, the AIP is entirely employer-driven — candidates cannot self-apply. You must first receive a job offer from a designated employer in an Atlantic province before you can submit a PR application to IRCC. Current AIP eligibility is based on a valid job offer, qualifying work experience or a recent Atlantic graduate exemption, education, language test results, settlement funds, and a settlement plan from a designated service provider.
The AIP became a permanent program in 2022 after operating as a pilot from 2017. It is managed through a partnership between IRCC and the four Atlantic provincial governments. Each province has its own designated employer registry and endorsement process. Employers must apply to their provincial government to become designated before they can recruit through the AIP. Once the designated employer makes a job offer and the province endorses the application, the candidate applies directly to IRCC for permanent residence. Federal processing typically takes approximately 6 months for complete applications.
Eligibility
Who can apply for Atlantic Immigration Program?
- Foreign workers with a valid job offer from a designated employer in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, or Newfoundland and Labrador
- Applicants with at least 1,560 hours of related paid work experience in the past 5 years, unless they qualify for the recent Atlantic international graduate exemption
- International graduates who recently completed an eligible post-secondary credential in Atlantic Canada and still have a valid job offer from a designated Atlantic employer
- Applicants who meet the minimum language requirements: CLB 5 for TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 job offers, and CLB 4 for TEER 4 job offers
- Applicants with sufficient settlement funds to support themselves and their family in Canada (unless currently working legally in Canada)
- Applicants who complete a needs assessment and get a settlement plan from a designated settlement service provider
- Applicants who genuinely intend to live and work in the endorsing Atlantic province after becoming permanent residents
- Spouses, common-law partners, and dependent children can be included on the same AIP application
AIP requires a valid job offer from a designated employer in an Atlantic province. Employers must apply to their provincial government for designation — you cannot use an offer from a non-designated employer. Visit canada.ca/atlantic-immigration for the current designated employer list.
Requirements
What are the requirements and key details of Atlantic Immigration Program?
- Participating Provinces: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Designated Employer Job Offer: Mandatory. The employer must be designated by the relevant Atlantic provincial government before making an AIP job offer
- Job Offer Duration: At least 1 year after permanent residence for TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 job offers; permanent employment with no set end date for TEER 4 job offers
- Language — TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3: Minimum CLB 5 in all four abilities (reading, writing, listening, speaking)
- Language — TEER 4: Minimum CLB 4 in all four abilities
- Work Experience: At least 1,560 hours of related paid work experience over the past 5 years, in the same TEER category as the job offer or higher
- International Graduate Exemption: Recent graduates of eligible Atlantic post-secondary institutions may be exempt from the work experience requirement if they meet IRCC's graduate conditions
- Education: TEER 0 or 1 job offers require a Canadian one-year post-secondary credential or equivalent; TEER 2, 3, or 4 requires Canadian high school or equivalent
- Settlement Plan: Must complete a needs assessment and get a settlement plan from a designated settlement service provider
- Provincial Endorsement: Province reviews the job offer and settlement plan and issues an endorsement letter before the candidate can apply to IRCC
- Federal Government Fee: CAD 1,590 per adult (CAD 990 processing + CAD 600 RPRF); CAD 270 per dependent child
- Biometrics Fee: CAD 85 (individual); CAD 170 (family of 2+)
- Federal Processing Time: Approximately 6 months for complete applications after IRCC begins processing
Documents
What are the documents required for Atlantic Immigration Program?
- Valid passport and travel documents for all applicants and accompanying family members
- Job offer letter from a designated employer in an Atlantic province on company letterhead, specifying the position, NOC TEER level, wage, hours, and start date
- Provincial endorsement letter issued by the relevant Atlantic provincial government confirming the job offer and settlement plan have been reviewed and approved
- Settlement plan developed by the employer in consultation with a designated settlement service provider
- Language test results from an IRCC-approved test (IELTS General Training, CELPIP, TEF Canada, TCF Canada, or PTE Core) demonstrating the required CLB level
- Educational credentials and an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from a designated ECA organization for post-secondary credentials earned outside Canada (AHSP applicants with foreign education)
- Proof of Atlantic graduation — official transcripts and credential from the Atlantic institution (AIGP applicants only)
- Work experience documentation: employment letters on company letterhead, pay stubs, and tax records covering at least 1 year of qualifying experience (AHSP applicants only)
- Proof of settlement funds if not currently working legally in Canada
- Medical examination results from an IRCC-approved panel physician
- Police clearance certificates from every country where you lived for 6+ months since age 18
- Biometrics (fingerprints and photograph) at a designated collection centre
- Proof of relationship for spouse, common-law partner, or dependent children (marriage certificate, birth certificates, adoption papers)
Application Process
How to Apply for Atlantic Immigration Program: Step-by-Step Process
Confirm Your AIP Eligibility
Confirm that you can meet the AIP requirements for a designated employer job offer, related work experience or the international graduate exemption, education, language test results, settlement funds, and intention to live in the endorsing Atlantic province.
Find a Designated Employer
Search the provincial designated employer registries for Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, or Newfoundland and Labrador. Approach designated employers in your NOC group. The employer must hold valid designation at the time they make you a job offer — you cannot use an offer from a non-designated employer.
Complete a Pre-Arrival Needs Assessment
After you have a job offer, complete a needs assessment with a designated settlement service provider. The provider identifies the settlement services you and your family may need after arriving in the Atlantic province.
Employer Submits the Settlement Plan to the Province
Your designated employer develops a settlement plan based on the needs assessment results and submits it to the provincial government along with the job offer details. The province reviews the job offer and settlement plan to ensure they meet the AIP program criteria.
Receive Provincial Endorsement
If the province approves the job offer and settlement plan, it issues a provincial endorsement letter to you. This endorsement is required before you can apply to IRCC. Keep the endorsement letter — you will submit it as part of your federal PR application.
Submit Your Federal PR Application to IRCC
Using the provincial endorsement letter and all required supporting documents, submit your permanent residence application to IRCC online. Pay the federal processing fee of CAD 1,590 per adult and biometrics fee of CAD 85. Ensure all documents are complete — incomplete applications are returned without processing.
Complete Medical Exam and Biometrics
After submitting your PR application, IRCC will send a request for your medical examination from an approved panel physician. You will also be asked to provide biometrics (fingerprints and photograph) at a designated Service Canada or IRCC office if you have not already done so in the last 10 years.
Receive PR Approval and Land in Canada
Once IRCC approves your application, you receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and a PR visa (if outside Canada). Land at a Canadian port of entry to activate your permanent resident status. Settle in the endorsing Atlantic province and connect with the settlement service provider to begin your settlement plan.
Atlantic Immigration Program is one of Canada's most straightforward employer-driven pathways to permanent residence, designed specifically to address labour shortages in Atlantic Canada. Because it bypasses the points-based Express Entry pool, it is accessible to skilled workers who may not have a competitive CRS score. The current AIP route is built around a designated employer job offer, provincial endorsement, and settlement support before the federal PR application.
The key constraint is finding a designated employer in one of the four Atlantic provinces. Review each province's designated employer registry and apply directly to employers hiring in your NOC group. For full eligibility criteria and the current list of designated employers, visit canada.ca/atlantic-immigration.
For detailed insights on eligibility, document checklist, visa validity, and common refusal reasons, explore PR Visa FAQs guide to know the answers of all your questions.
Last updated July 1, 2026
Official IRCC sources used for this Atlantic Immigration Program
Updated for current IRCC Atlantic Immigration Program guidance
Source-backed by Canada.ca and IRCC fee pages
Immigration rules and processing times change often. Use these official pages as the final authority before paying fees or submitting documents.
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Reviews visa guidance against IRCC and Canada.ca sources before publication.
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