On This Page, You Will Find:
- What Is the Atlantic Immigration Program?
- Who Can Apply for the Atlantic Immigration Program?
- Atlantic Immigration Program Job Offer Requirements
- Work Experience Requirements
- International Graduate Exemption
- Health Care Worker Exemption
- Education Requirements
- Language Requirements
- Proof of Funds
- Settlement Plan Requirement
- Provincial Endorsement
- Provincial Rules and Restrictions in 2026
- Documents Needed for Permanent Residence
- How to Apply for Permanent Residence
- Atlantic Immigration Program Fees
- Optional Temporary Work Permit
- After You Apply
- Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Frequently asked questions
The Atlantic Immigration Program is a pathway to Canadian permanent residence for skilled foreign workers and international graduates who want to live and work in Atlantic Canada. It covers Canada’s four Atlantic provinces: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador.
The program helps designated employers hire foreign workers and international graduates for jobs they cannot fill locally. Candidates need a valid job offer from a designated employer, a settlement plan and provincial endorsement before they submit their permanent residence application. Employers do not need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), but they must meet the program’s own conditions.
What Is the Atlantic Immigration Program?
The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is a permanent federal immigration program that attracts skilled workers and international graduates to Atlantic Canada. It gives employers in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island a way to hire foreign nationals when they cannot find workers locally.
Unlike Express Entry, the AIP depends on employer participation. You cannot apply without a valid job offer from a designated Atlantic employer. The program also requires a settlement plan to help newcomers and their families prepare for life in Atlantic Canada. The 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan sets a target of 4,000 AIP admissions a year.
Who Can Apply for the Atlantic Immigration Program?
To apply for permanent residence under the AIP, you must:
- have a valid job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada
- have qualifying work experience, unless you meet all the conditions of the international graduate exemption
- have the right level of education for the job you are offered
- prove your language ability with an approved test
- show you have enough money to support yourself and your family, unless you already live and work in Canada with a valid work permit
- get a settlement plan from a designated service provider organization
- receive provincial endorsement
Candidates can apply from outside Canada or as temporary residents already in Canada.
Atlantic Immigration Program Job Offer Requirements
The job offer is the central requirement. It must come from an employer designated by one of the four Atlantic provinces and must be:
- full-time, meaning at least 30 hours a week
- non-seasonal, meaning consistent and paid throughout the year
- for a job you can do and will do, and are likely to accept
- for at least one year from the date you become a permanent resident, for TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 jobs
- permanent with no set end date, for TEER 4 jobs
- at the same or a higher skill level as your qualifying work experience
The job offer cannot come from a company in which you, your spouse or your common-law partner is a majority owner. Once you have an offer, your employer must give you a copy of its confirmation of designation and an Offer of Employment to a Foreign National form (IMM 0157).
Designated Employers in Atlantic Canada
Only designated employers can hire candidates through the AIP. Each Atlantic province runs its own designation process. Designation does not guarantee that a candidate will receive permanent residence. The candidate must still meet all federal requirements and receive provincial endorsement.
Work Experience Requirements
Most candidates need qualifying work experience. You need at least 1,560 hours of related, paid work experience in the past five years. That is the same as working 30 hours a week for one year, and the hours must be spread over at least one year.
Your qualifying work experience must:
- be paid (volunteer work and unpaid internships do not count)
- have been done with a valid work permit, if it was in Canada
- not be self-employment
- include the actions in the lead statement of your NOC and most of its main duties
- be in the same TEER category as your job offer or higher
| Job offer TEER | Work experience TEER needed |
|---|---|
| TEER 0 | TEER 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 |
| TEER 1 | TEER 1, 2, 3 or 4 |
| TEER 2 | TEER 2, 3 or 4 |
| TEER 3 | TEER 3 or 4 |
| TEER 4 | TEER 4 |
Proof usually includes employer reference letters showing your dates of employment, duties, hours, salary and the employer’s contact details, along with work permits, contracts, pay stubs and Canadian tax slips if you have them.
International Graduate Exemption
Some international graduates do not need qualifying work experience. The exemption is narrow, and a recent Atlantic credential alone is not enough. You must meet all of these conditions:
- You hold a degree, diploma, certificate, or trade or apprenticeship certification that took at least two years of study.
- The credential is from a recognized post-secondary institution in one of the four Atlantic provinces.
- You received the credential less than two years before you applied for permanent residence.
- You were a full-time student for the entire time you were studying.
- You lived in one of the four Atlantic provinces for at least 16 months during the last two years before you graduated.
- You had the visa or permit you needed to work, study or train while you were in Canada.
Studies That Do Not Qualify
Your studies are not eligible for the exemption if any of these apply:
- English or French as a second language made up at least half of the program.
- Distance learning made up at least half of the program.
- You received a scholarship or fellowship that requires you to return to your home country to apply the knowledge and skills you gained.
Graduates who meet the exemption must still meet every other AIP requirement, including a valid job offer, education, language, settlement plan and endorsement. Useful proof of your Atlantic residence includes study permits, leases, utility and phone bills, and bank statements showing transactions in an Atlantic province.
Graduates who do not meet the exemption can still qualify by meeting the standard 1,560-hour work experience requirement, for example through work on a post-graduation work permit.
Health Care Worker Exemption
The AIP has a specific rule for some nursing professionals. Work experience as a licensed practical nurse (NOC 31201) or registered nurse (NOC 31301) can be used for a job offer in:
- NOC 33102 (TEER 3): Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
- NOC 44101 (TEER 4): Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations
This gives some nurses more flexibility to move into in-demand support roles in Atlantic Canada.
Education Requirements
You must have the right level of education for the job you are offered:
- For NOC TEER 0 or 1 job offers, you need a Canadian one-year post-secondary credential or a foreign equivalent.
- For NOC TEER 2, 3 or 4 job offers, you need a Canadian high school diploma or a foreign equivalent.
If you studied outside Canada, you need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to show that your education is equivalent to the required Canadian credential.
Language Requirements
You must prove your English or French ability with an approved language test. Your results must be less than two years old when you apply. The minimum score depends on your job offer:
- Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 5 for a job offer in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3
- CLB/NCLC 4 for a job offer in TEER 4
Proof of Funds
You must show that you have enough money to support yourself and your family after you arrive. You do not need proof of funds if you are already working in Canada with a valid work permit.
The amount depends on your family size. Count yourself, your spouse or common-law partner, your dependent children and your partner’s dependent children, even if they are not coming with you.
| Number of family members | Funds you need (CAD) |
|---|---|
| 1 | $3,815 |
| 2 | $4,750 |
| 3 | $5,840 |
| 4 | $7,090 |
| 5 | $8,042 |
| 6 | $9,070 |
| 7 | $10,098 |
| Each additional family member | $1,028 |
Your funds must be available when you apply and when IRCC issues your permanent resident visa. You cannot use borrowed money or equity in real estate. Proof is official letters from your banks or financial institutions.
Settlement, Endorsement & How to Apply
Settlement Plan Requirement
After you receive a job offer from a designated employer, you must get a settlement plan from a designated settlement service provider organization. The plan connects you and your family with information and referrals on housing, employment support, language training, schools, health care and community services. You can use a pre-arrival service provider outside Canada or an organization in Canada.
Provincial Endorsement
After you have your settlement plan, your employer applies to the province to endorse your job offer. If the province approves, you receive a confirmation of provincial endorsement, which you must include with your permanent residence application. If you need a work permit, the province may also issue a work permit support letter.
Provincial Rules and Restrictions in 2026
Each province manages its own designation and endorsement process, and several have tightened their rules because of limited endorsement allocations. For example:
- New Brunswick paused new employer designation applications for the rest of 2026. As of October 14, 2026, it accepts endorsement applications for all occupations except a short list of excluded NOCs, but TEER 5 jobs are ineligible, and offers to candidates living outside Canada are limited to provincial recruitment initiatives in health care, education and construction.
- Nova Scotia does not charge a provincial fee for the AIP, and it selects AIP candidates according to its published 2026 priorities.
- Newfoundland and Labrador invites AIP candidates from the same Expression of Interest pool as its provincial nominee program. Invited candidates currently have 30 days to apply.
Check the relevant province’s AIP page before accepting a job offer, because restrictions can change at short notice.
Documents Needed for Permanent Residence
You apply online through IRCC’s Permanent Residence Portal with the required forms and supporting documents. Common documents include a completed document checklist, the Economic Classes – Atlantic Immigration Program form, the offer of employment form, proof of education, language test results, proof of funds (if required), proof of work experience (unless exempt), your settlement plan, the confirmation of provincial endorsement, passports, civil status documents and police certificates. Documents that are not in English or French need certified translations.
How to Apply for Permanent Residence
Once you have your job offer, settlement plan and provincial endorsement, you can submit your permanent residence application online. Before you apply, complete all required forms, answer every question truthfully, upload all supporting documents, sign where required and pay the fees. If your application is incomplete, IRCC may return it.
Atlantic Immigration Program Fees
You must pay government fees online. For a principal applicant, the current IRCC fee is $1,590, made up of a $990 processing fee and a $600 right of permanent residence fee. A spouse or partner pays the same, and each dependent child pays $270. Fees change from time to time, so check the IRCC fee list before you pay. Budget separately for biometrics, medical exams, police certificates, language tests and ECAs.
Optional Temporary Work Permit
Some AIP candidates can apply for a temporary work permit so they can start working while their permanent residence application is processed. The permit is specific to the AIP, is tied to the designated employer that offered the job and does not guarantee permanent residence. You generally need the job offer, a work permit support letter from the province and proof that you meet the program’s language, education and work experience requirements (unless exempt as an international graduate). Your spouse or common-law partner may be eligible for an open work permit.
After You Apply
IRCC first checks that your application is complete. If it is, you receive an acknowledgement of receipt, and an officer assesses your eligibility and admissibility. You may need to give biometrics, complete a medical exam, provide police certificates and keep IRCC updated on any changes. If you are approved, you must pay any outstanding right of permanent residence fee before final approval.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- accepting a job offer from an employer that is not designated
- assuming any Atlantic credential qualifies for the graduate exemption, without checking the two-year program, full-time study, 16-month residence and timing rules
- counting a program that was mostly language training or distance learning toward the graduate exemption
- applying without provincial endorsement or leaving out the settlement plan
- submitting expired language test results
- failing to prove the required work experience, or counting self-employment
- using borrowed money as proof of funds
- assuming a work permit guarantees permanent residence
- failing to maintain legal status in Canada while waiting
For other employer-driven and regional routes, see our guides to Canada’s immigration pilot programs and the Rural Community Immigration Pilot.
Atlantic Immigration Program News
Atlantic Canada Immigration FAQ
What is the Atlantic Immigration Program?
The AIP is a permanent residence pathway for skilled foreign workers and international graduates who want to live and work in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia or Prince Edward Island. Candidates need a job offer from a designated employer, a settlement plan and provincial endorsement, and must meet federal requirements before applying.
Do I need a job offer for the Atlantic Immigration Program?
Yes. You need a valid, full-time, non-seasonal job offer from a designated employer in one of the four Atlantic provinces. You cannot apply without an eligible job offer and provincial endorsement.
Do international graduates need work experience?
Not if they meet every condition of the graduate exemption. The credential must be from a recognized Atlantic post-secondary institution, take at least two years of full-time study and be received less than two years before the permanent residence application. You must also have lived in an Atlantic province for at least 16 of the 24 months before graduating. Programs that were at least half language training or distance learning do not qualify.
Can nurses use their experience for other health care jobs?
Yes. Under the AIP's health care rule, work experience as a licensed practical nurse (NOC 31201) or registered nurse (NOC 31301) can support a job offer as a nurse aide, orderly or patient service associate (NOC 33102) or as a home support worker or caregiver (NOC 44101).
Do I need proof of funds?
You need proof of funds unless you are already working in Canada with a valid work permit. The amount depends on family size, starting at $3,815 for one person. The funds must be available when you apply and when your visa is issued, and borrowed money and real estate equity do not count.
Can I work while my application is processed?
Some candidates can apply for an AIP-specific, employer-specific temporary work permit with a support letter from the province. Your spouse or partner may be eligible for an open work permit. The work permit does not guarantee permanent residence.