Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program: A step by step guide to Canada PR

By Atlantic Canada is meant the 4 provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.

Launched in 2017, the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP), is a fast-track mode of abroad immigration allowing employers belonging to the Atlantic Canada region to hire foreign nationals for any job vacancies that they have been unable to fulfil locally from Canada.

It is estimated that the Federal Government of Canada, working alongside the provincial governments involved in the AIPP, aims at welcoming more than 7,000 foreign nationals with their families by 2021 to the Atlantic Canada region through AIPP.

Under the AIPP, there are 3 programs that can be used for hiring foreign nationals. These include:

• Atlantic High-skilled Program
• Atlantic Intermediate-skilled Program
• Atlantic International Graduate Program

Do note that even if you qualify for more than one programs mentioned above, you can only apply through one of them.

At the time of hiring under AIPP for emigrating to Canada, the hired candidates can be either living overseas or residing within Canada temporarily.

Basic requirements for the programs include:

	1	2	3	4
Atlantic International Graduate Program [AIGP] [Note. - No work experience required.]	Hold a diploma, degree, or credential from a public-funded institution in any of the 4 Atlantic provinces	Lived in an Atlantic province for a minimum of 16 months in the 2 years prior to getting degree, diploma, or credential	Take a language test that shows your communication skills in French/English.	Show that you can support both your family and yourself when in Canada.
Atlantic High-Skilled Program [AHSP]	Worked in a professional, management, or skilled/technical job for a minimum of 1 year.	Hold a Canadian high school diploma or equivalent education.	Take a language test that shows your communication skills in French/English.	Show that you can support both your family and yourself when in Canada.
Atlantic Intermediate-skilled Program [AISP]	Worked in a job requiring a high school education and/or job-specific training for a minimum of 1 year.	Hold a Canadian high school diploma or equivalent education.	Take a language test that shows your communication skills in French/English.	Show that you can support both your family and yourself when in Canada.

Given above are only the basic requirements.

For the detailed requirements of the individual Canada immigration programs under AIPP, visit the official website of the Government of Canada.

Each of the individual programs has its own requirements that have to be met – by the employer as well as the candidate.

To be qualified for making a job offer under the AIPP, the Canada-based employer must be specifically designated by the provincial government of the particular Atlantic province that the candidate will be working in.

After the job offer, there are many steps that have to be cleared. If both the employer and the candidate are able to meet all the set requirements, the hired candidate will get Canada PR immigration.

Step by step guide: Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program

There are 3 main steps – Designation by an Employer, Endorsement, and Submission of the PR Application – that you must be prepared to go through on your AIPP route to Canada.

[1] Employer Designation:

• An employer in Atlantic Canada planning on filling a full-time job vacancy through the AIPP contacts the Provincial Immigration Office to express interest for the same.
• Now, the employer gets in touch with a participating settlement service provider and conveys the commitment to preparing their workplace for welcoming newcomers.
• The employer applies to the province to become a designated employer.
• The employer gets designated by the Atlantic Province.
• The employer then finds a suitable recruit that meets the selection criteria for the AIPP and offers a job to the recruit.

[2] Endorsement:

• The employer connects their shortlisted recruit with a participating settlement service provider.
• The candidate contacts a settlement service provider as per their preference for a “needs assessment”. It is through this needs assessment that a settlement plan will be drawn up for the candidate and immediate family.
• After the needs assessment, a settlement plan is prepared by the settlement service provider.
• A copy of the settlement plan is sent to the employer by the candidate.
• The employer completes the application for provincial endorsement. It is at this stage that the suitable program – that is, AHSP, AISP, or AIGP – is identified based on the work experience that the candidate holds. This provincial endorsement application, along with the settlement plan and job offer, is forwarded to the province.
• The province reviews and approves the provincial endorsement application. An endorsement letter is sent to the candidate by the province.

IMPORTANT:

In case a position is to be filled up urgently, a candidate might be eligible for a temporary work permit, provided the candidate meets certain conditions, which include – a commitment to apply for Canada PR, a referral letter from the province, a valid job offer.

[3] Immigration Application:

• The candidate completes Canada permanent residency application and sends it to IRCC. The endorsement letter and other required documents must be submitted along with the Canada PR application.
• The application is processed by IRCC. Most AIPP applications are usually processed within 6 months.
• Now, the approved candidate moves to Atlantic Canada with family.
• In partnership with the settlement service provider organization, the employer supports the settlement and integration of the candidate and family in the workplace as well as the community.

For more details, get in touch with us today!

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit, Invest or Migrate Overseas, talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company.

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