The Atlantic Immigration Pilot is a pathway to permanent residence (PR) of Canada for skilled foreign workers and international graduates who want to work and live in one of Canada’s four Atlantic Provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador).
It is an Employer-driven program designed to help employers in Atlantic Canada hire qualified candidates for jobs they have been unable to fill locally. This means that you can’t participate in the pilot if you do not receive a job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada
To participate in the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, you must be:
A recent graduate of a publicly funded institution in Atlantic Canada
OR
A skilled worker who meets the program requirements
You can be living abroad or already be in Canada temporarily
You must receive a job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada to participate in the pilot
PROCESS
Step 1: Find out if you are Eligible
There are three programs in the pilot that employers can hire you through. You may qualify for more than one program, but you can only apply through one of them. The three programs are:
International Graduate Program
High-Skilled Program
Intermediate-Skilled Program
For all three programs, to be eligible, you have to:
Meet language and education requirements
Prove that you have enough money to support you and your family when you come to Canada. If you’re already living and working in Canada with a valid work permit, you don’t need to show proof of funds.
The International Graduate Program does not require any work experience. However, to be eligible for the other two programs, you have to meet work experience requirements as well.
Details of language proficiency, education, work experience, proof of funds, and other requirements for each program are given under Program Requirements.
Step 2: Receive a Job Offer from a Designated Employer in Atlantic Canada
Employers may find a candidate themselves or a candidate may approach them. Generally, the candidate would approach the employer (apply) to get a job. If you receive a job offer from an Employer, it must meet all of these requirements:
The job offer was made using the Offer of Employment to a Foreign National [IMM5650] form.
The employer has been designated as an employer taking part in the Atlantic Immigration Pilot by the Atlantic province (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island) where you’ll be working. They must have a Confirmation of Designation from the province.
The job must be full-time, meaning you’ll work at least 30 paid hours per week.
The job must be non-seasonal. In general, this means you have consistent and regularly scheduled paid employment throughout the year.
The job is skill type/level 0, A, B or C under the National Occupational Classification (NOC).
The employer is offering you a job that will last for at least 1 year.
You must meet employment requirements for the job you are offered. You can find these requirements in the NOC. The job doesn’t need to be in the same NOC as other jobs you’ve had.
Ask for a copy of the Employer’s Confirmation of Designation, or if the Employer is not already a Designated Employer, tell them about the Atlantic Immigration Pilot and ask them to consider becoming designated.
Step 3: Get a settlement plan
After you get a job offer from a designated employer, you need to get a settlement plan. Settlement plan is a must whether you are already in Canada or you are outside Canada.
Step 4: Get your Certificate of Endorsement
After you have your settlement plan, the province must endorse your job offer. Your employer will handle this process. Don’t submit your permanent residence application until you confirm with the employer that your offer has been endorsed.
Step 5: Submit your PR Application
Include with your PR application:
Offer of Employment to a Foreign National, and
Endorsement Certificate
Step 6: Get Temporary Work Permit (WP), if required
The application process for a temporary work permit is paper based. With WP application, include:
Job offer from a designated employer
Referral Letter from the Atlantic province where you’ll be working (you will get this if your employer wants you to start working in the interim period and asks the province for a Referral Letter for you)
You need to show that you meet the requirements for: work experience (for the intermediate-skilled and high-skilled workers), language, and education. The temporary WP lets you begin working while your permanent resident application is being processed. The temporary WP:
is only for the Atlantic Immigration Pilot
is valid for 1 year
only lets you work for the employer who offered you the job
You must send your permanent resident application within 90 days of submitting your temporary WP application.
Step 7: Get Temporary WP for Spouse or Common-law Partner, if required
Apply for Temporary WP for your spouse or common-law partner. Your spouse or common-law partner can apply for an open work permit if:
You have a work permit through the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, and
Your job is listed as Skill Type 0, or Skill Level A, B or C in the National Occupation Classification.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
International Graduate Program
To apply for the Atlantic International Graduate Program, you must have lived in an Atlantic province for at least 16 months in the 2 years before getting your degree, diploma or credential.
Work experience
This program doesn’t require work experience.
Education
You must meet all of these requirements:
You must have at least a 2-year degree, diploma, certificate, or trade or apprenticeship credential from a recognized publicly-funded institution in an Atlantic province.
You must have been a full-time student for the entire duration of your studies.
You graduated from this institution in the 24 months before Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) receives your PR application.
You lived in one of the Atlantic Provinces for at least 16 months in the 2 years before getting your degree, diploma or educational credential.
You had the visa or permit you needed to work, study or train in Canada.
Your study or training program can’t be either:
English or French second-language courses for more than half of the program
Distance learning undertaken for more than half the length of the program
You can’t apply if you had a scholarship or fellowship requiring you to return to your home country after you graduate.
Education outside Canada: Only your education in Canada is considered. However, if you have education credentials from outside Canada you want to include, you must have your education outside Canada assessed.
Language
Even though you were educated in Canada, you must take one of the language tests approved by IRCC. The test results you submit with your application must not be more than 2 years old when you apply. You must have a language level of CLB 4 or higher.
High-Skilled Program
Work experience
In the last 3 years, you must have worked at least 1,560 hours. This is how many hours you would have worked in 1 year if you were working 30 hours per week.
This work must have been at National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill type/level 0, A, or B.
To calculate your hours:
Count hours worked in part-time and full-time jobs.
The hours must be in 1 occupation, but they can be with different employers.
You must have been paid for these hours. Volunteering or unpaid internships don’t count.
Don’t count hours when you were self-employed.
These working hours can be inside or outside Canada.
The hours must have been accumulated over a period of at least 12 months.
Education
You must have one of the following:
A Canadian secondary (high school) or post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree
A foreign degree, diploma or certificate, equal to a Canadian credential. You’ll need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report from a recognized organization to show your credential is valid and equal to a Canadian credential. If you already have an ECA report, it must be less than 5 years old when IRCC receives your PR application.
Language
You must take one of the language tests approved by IRCC. The test results you submit with your application must not be more than 2 years old when you apply. You must have a language level of CLB 4 or higher.
Intermediate-Skilled Program
Work experience
In the last 3 years, you must have worked at least 1,560 hours. This is how many hours you would have worked in 1 year if you worked 30 hours per week.
The hours must be in one occupation, but they can be with different employers.
You must have been paid for these hours. Volunteering or unpaid internships don’t count.
Don’t count hours when you were self-employed.
These working hours can be inside or outside Canada.
The hours must have been accumulated over a period of at least 12 months.
You can use your work experience to qualify for the intermediate-skilled worker program in 2 different ways.
Option 1
You have work experience at National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level C.
NOC skill level C is a type of job that usually requires a secondary (high school) education and/or job-specific training, such as: industrial butchers, long-haul truck drivers, food and beverage servers
Option 2
You have work experience: as a registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse (NOC 3012, skill level A), or as a licensed practical nurse (NOC 3233, skill level B) and
you have one of the following job offers: a nurse’s aide, orderly or patient services associate (NOC 3413, skill level C), or a home support worker (NOC 4412, skill level C)
Education
You must have one of the following:
A Canadian secondary (high school) or post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree
A foreign degree, diploma or certificate, equal to a Canadian credential. You’ll need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report from a recognized organization to show your credential is valid and equal to a Canadian credential. If you already have an ECA report, it must be less than 5 years old when IRCC receives your PR application.
Language
You must take one of the language tests approved by IRCC. The test results you submit with your application must not be more than 2 years old when you apply. You must have a language level of CLB 4 or higher.
Common requirement for all three Programs
Proof of funds
You need to have enough money to support yourself and your family when you get to Canada. The amount you need depends on the size of your family. The size of your family includes anyone you support who isn’t immigrating with you. IRCC updates these amounts every year.
You can’t borrow this money from another person. You must be able to use this money to pay the costs of living for your family (even if they are not coming with you).
You will need to show proof to the Canadian visa office in your home country that you have enough money when you apply to immigrate.
Number of Family Members
Funds Required
(Including those you support that aren’t immigrating with you)
(In Canadian Dollars)
1
$3,240
2
$4,034
3
$4,959
4
$6,021
5
$6,829
6
$7,702
7 or more
$8,575
If you’re already living and working in Canada with a valid work permit, you don’t need to show proof.
NEED HELP?
Get in Touch for more information or for assistance in applying under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program.
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot is a pathway to permanent residence (PR) of Canada for skilled foreign workers and international graduates who want to work and live in one of Canada’s four Atlantic Provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador).
It is an Employer-driven program designed to help employers in Atlantic Canada hire qualified candidates for jobs they have been unable to fill locally. This means that you can’t participate in the pilot if you do not receive a job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada
To participate in the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, you must be:
A recent graduate of a publicly funded institution in Atlantic Canada
OR
A skilled worker who meets the program requirements
PROCESS
Step 1: Find out if you are Eligible
There are three programs in the pilot that employers can hire you through. You may qualify for more than one program, but you can only apply through one of them. The three programs are:
For all three programs, to be eligible, you have to:
The International Graduate Program does not require any work experience. However, to be eligible for the other two programs, you have to meet work experience requirements as well.
Details of language proficiency, education, work experience, proof of funds, and other requirements for each program are given under Program Requirements.
Step 2: Receive a Job Offer from a Designated Employer in Atlantic Canada
Employers may find a candidate themselves or a candidate may approach them. Generally, the candidate would approach the employer (apply) to get a job. If you receive a job offer from an Employer, it must meet all of these requirements:
You must meet employment requirements for the job you are offered. You can find these requirements in the NOC. The job doesn’t need to be in the same NOC as other jobs you’ve had.
Ask for a copy of the Employer’s Confirmation of Designation, or if the Employer is not already a Designated Employer, tell them about the Atlantic Immigration Pilot and ask them to consider becoming designated.
Step 3: Get a settlement plan
After you get a job offer from a designated employer, you need to get a settlement plan. Settlement plan is a must whether you are already in Canada or you are outside Canada.
Step 4: Get your Certificate of Endorsement
After you have your settlement plan, the province must endorse your job offer. Your employer will handle this process. Don’t submit your permanent residence application until you confirm with the employer that your offer has been endorsed.
Step 5: Submit your PR Application
Include with your PR application:
Step 6: Get Temporary Work Permit (WP), if required
The application process for a temporary work permit is paper based. With WP application, include:
You need to show that you meet the requirements for: work experience (for the intermediate-skilled and high-skilled workers), language, and education. The temporary WP lets you begin working while your permanent resident application is being processed. The temporary WP:
You must send your permanent resident application within 90 days of submitting your temporary WP application.
Step 7: Get Temporary WP for Spouse or Common-law Partner, if required
Apply for Temporary WP for your spouse or common-law partner. Your spouse or common-law partner can apply for an open work permit if:
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
International Graduate Program
To apply for the Atlantic International Graduate Program, you must have lived in an Atlantic province for at least 16 months in the 2 years before getting your degree, diploma or credential.
Work experience
This program doesn’t require work experience.
Education
You must meet all of these requirements:
Your study or training program can’t be either:
You can’t apply if you had a scholarship or fellowship requiring you to return to your home country after you graduate.
Education outside Canada: Only your education in Canada is considered. However, if you have education credentials from outside Canada you want to include, you must have your education outside Canada assessed.
Language
Even though you were educated in Canada, you must take one of the language tests approved by IRCC. The test results you submit with your application must not be more than 2 years old when you apply. You must have a language level of CLB 4 or higher.
High-Skilled Program
Work experience
To calculate your hours:
Education
You must have one of the following:
Language
You must take one of the language tests approved by IRCC. The test results you submit with your application must not be more than 2 years old when you apply. You must have a language level of CLB 4 or higher.
Intermediate-Skilled Program
Work experience
Option 1
Option 2
Education
You must have one of the following:
Language
You must take one of the language tests approved by IRCC. The test results you submit with your application must not be more than 2 years old when you apply. You must have a language level of CLB 4 or higher.
Common requirement for all three Programs
Proof of funds
You need to have enough money to support yourself and your family when you get to Canada. The amount you need depends on the size of your family. The size of your family includes anyone you support who isn’t immigrating with you. IRCC updates these amounts every year.
You can’t borrow this money from another person. You must be able to use this money to pay the costs of living for your family (even if they are not coming with you).
You will need to show proof to the Canadian visa office in your home country that you have enough money when you apply to immigrate.
If you’re already living and working in Canada with a valid work permit, you don’t need to show proof.
NEED HELP?
Get in Touch for more information or for assistance in applying under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program.