The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is another immigration pathway to Canada PR for skilled workers who want to settle in any of the provinces that make up the Atlantic Canada, such as:
The Atlantic Immigration Program is an employer-driven program and to become eligible for it, you will require a job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada.
The Atlantic Immigration Program provides various benefits to immigrants who want to settle in Atlantic provinces compared to other immigration pathways.
Below are some of the benefits:
Each Atlantic province processes a certain number of applications annually based on the labour market's demand. Candidates may reside inside or outside Canada to meet the requirements.
To obtain a job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada, candidates must be either:
Skilled Workers who have worked for a year and have worked around 30 hours per week are considered eligible.
However, the work experience must be in the National Occupation Classification (NOC) 2021 TEER category— 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4.
International student graduates who have a credential from a recognized post-secondary institution in 1 of the 4 Atlantic provinces, which took at least two years of studies.
In addition, they must be full-time students at the time of study and must have lived in one of the provinces for at least 16 months during the last two years before graduating.
Finally, they had legal status and could work, study, or get training while working in Canada.
The educational requirements vary depending on the NOC code. However, all degrees outside Canada require an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).
The ECA report must be less than five years old from the date IRCC receives the application.
Candidates must demonstrate their language proficiency based on the NOC TEER of their job offer. The language test result must be less than two years old from the date of application.
Applicants need to demonstrate their proof of funds. They must prove that they have enough funds to support themselves and their family in Canada. The amount of money depends on the size of the family.
However, if someone is already living and working in Canada with a valid work permit, they don’t need to show proof of funds.
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) allows provinces to invite candidates who want to immigrate to Canada or settle in the province.
There are over 80 provincial immigration streams, and unlike AIP, many streams do not require a candidate to have a job offer or Canadian work or study experience to receive a nomination.
The Provincial Nominee Program is actually a two-way process for Canada PR. First, candidates receive an invitation to apply for permanent residency in Canada. Second, they will apply to the federal government for Canada PR.
PNPs generally have a longer application processing time compared to AIPs in terms of permanent residency status.
However, the processing time is not guaranteed and may fluctuate based on the application demand and the individual’s profile.
After meeting all the eligibility criteria given above, you can work with a settlement agency and get a settlement plan. This can be done whether you are outside or inside Canada.
Your designated employer might be able to help you find a settlement agency.
Next, you will need a certificate of endorsement, which your employers need to apply for.
After your employer confirms that the province has endorsed your offer, you can submit your permanent residence application.
At last, you can apply for Canada PR and fulfill certain formalities, including the application form, biometrics, etc.
According to the Atlantic Economic Council’s Atlantic Immigration Tracker, immigration increased from a record 5,800 in 2013 to 32,000 in 2023.
The number of new immigrants who choose to settle in Atlantic Canada has been rising for the last two years.
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