Atlantic Immigration Pilot program

Atlantic Immigration Pilot program was introduced by Canada with an aim to attract more skilled immigrants to Atlantic Canada. The program includes three employer-driven immigration programs–the Atlantic Intermediate-skilled Program, the Atlantic High-skilled Program, and the Atlantic International Graduate Program.

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP)

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP) nominates skilled workers for Canada’s Atlantic Region. The program allows applicants to apply for Canadian Permanent Residence in the Atlantic Regions. Applicants must be working or have job offers from employers in these regions. This program has been popular since 2017.The Atlantic region of Canada comprises four provinces–New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The region is facing a severe labour shortage with an ageing population. So these provinces give the highest priority to increasing the number of skilled workers through immigration. The Atlantic Immigration Pilot program aims to fulfill the needs of the Canadian labour market and ensure long-term economic growth in Atlantic Canada. The AIPP helps fill the skilled workers’ quota in the Atlantic Provinces. The success of the program has seen an increase in the quota from 2000 to 2500.

A critical feature of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot program is that employers have a significant role to play in ensuring the successful settlement and integration of newcomers. The applicant needs to have a job offer and an individualized settlement plan for themselves and their families.

Programs under Atlantic Immigration Pilot

Atlantic Immigration Pilot comprises three programs:

• Atlantic Intermediate-skilled Program (AISP)
• Atlantic High-skilled Program (AHSP)
• Atlantic International Graduate Program (AIGP)

While the first two programs (AISP and AHSP) are meant exclusively for skilled workers, the remaining one(AIGP) is meant for international student graduates.

When a designated employer finds a potential candidate who meets the eligibility requirements of both the employment and one of the pilot programs, he/she can issue a job offer to the candidate. The employers need not to get a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) for jobs they offer under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot program. After the candidate accepts this job offer, the employer shall connect him/her to a designated settlement service provider organization. The organization shall perform a needs assessment on the candidate and their family and, based on this assessment, develop a personalized settlement plan for them in the province.

EMPLOYER DESIGNATION PROCESS FOR ATLANTIC IMMIGRATION PILOT

Only designated employers can provide a job offer to potential employees under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot program, and the employers have to apply to their respective provinces to become designated. If they are operating in more than one province, they have to apply for designation to each of the provinces in which they are operating. Though the eligibility criteria for employers vary in each province, some of the standard requirements include:

• Plan to hire full-time, non-seasonal international candidates
• Must be well established and comply with the provincial and federal standards and laws
• Ready to meet the settlement needs of the international candidate(s) and their accompanying family members

TEMPORARY WORK PERMITS

If the employers have to fill a job vacancy without any delay, they can obtain a temporary work permit with which the skilled immigrant and their family can come to Canada right away. To be eligible for the temporary work permit, the skilled worker must:

• Have a valid job offer issued by a designated employer
• Have a referral letter from the province
• Apply for permanent residence(PR) within 90 days of applying for the temporary work permit

PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY

Applications of only those candidates with a job offer from a designated employer will be accepted under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot. Each program under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot calls for different levels of requirements related to education, work experience and a job offer. But the rest of the requirements are the same for all the three programs under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot.

For the Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program (AISP), the candidate must have a full-time, indeterminate job offer. The job must be classified under NOC O, A, B or C. One year of work experience in an occupation related to the job offer is also necessary. The candidate must have minimum education qualification equal to the high school level. Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) must be done for education earned from outside Canada. Further, the candidate must have language proficiency equal to CLB 4 in English, or NCLC 4 in French.

For High-skilled Worker Stream, the applicant must have received a job offer for a position classified under NOC 0, A or B., The duration of the job offer must be a minimum of 12 months. The applicant must have at least one year of full-time or equivalent part-time skilled work experience. Minimum educational qualification is equivalent to a Canadian high school diploma. Applicants must possess language proficiency equal to (CLB) level 4 in English or French. They must also produce proof of settlement funds.

In the case of International Graduate Stream, the applicant must have a job offer with a duration of at least one year, in a position classified under Skill level 0, A, B, or C. This stream does not require work experience. But the candidate must have completed an educational credential with a minimum duration of at least two years in an institution located in an Atlantic province. The candidate must have lived in the same province for at least 16 months in the final two years of the study program. They must have applied under the stream within two years after completing the education credential. Language proficiency must be equal to CLB Level 4 in English or French. The candidate must also demonstrate sufficient settlement funds.

PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAMS

All the provinces participating in the Atlantic Immigration Pilot program have their Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs). Each of these PNPs operates multiple immigration programs having their own eligibility criteria. These provinces also have immigration streams aligned to the federal Express Entry through which, Express Entry candidates can apply directly to the province.

PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAMS OPERATED BY ATLANTIC PROVINCES

• New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP)
• Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP)
• Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP)
• Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP)

 HOW DO YOU GET A JOB OFFER?

You can apply for job opportunities with the Atlantic Canadian employers designated by the AIPP. As well, the four provinces publish a list of designated employers in their region.

The job offer from the designated employer is the first step in the process of immigration. The next step is to collaborate with your employer for the creation of a settlement package. This personalized settlement service is available to you once you arrive in Canada. This package ensures seamless integration into society, helping you find housing, schooling, and other conveniences.

Once the province approves this package, you will receive a nomination to apply for Canadian permanent residence. Then, you can start to work in Canada on a work permit while the immigration process is in progress.

Feel free to contact ImmiLaw Immigration to know more about your options for Canadian immigration. you may drop us a line at info@immilawimmigration.com. Alternatively, you may give us a call at 613-507-5757. Our office will schedule a consultation for you with one of our immigration lawyers.