The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is a permanent residence route created to help employers in the four Atlantic provinces—New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island—hire skilled foreign workers for jobs they can’t fill locally.

This program is employer-driven. Designated employers in Atlantic Canada can hire foreign workers without the need for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

Applicants

The AIP is open to skilled workers (NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, 3) and international students who have graduated from recognized Atlantic Canadian post-secondary schools.

Applicants must first receive a job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada to participate in the program. The job offers must be full-time and permanent (or at least one year long for international graduates).

You can work in Canada while waiting for your application to approve if you have

• a job offer from a designated employer that meets the requirements of the program, and
• a referral letter from the Atlantic province where you’ll be working.

Employers

Employers must first become designated by the provincial government of the Atlantic province where the candidate will be working before they can make a job offer. There is no cost to become a designated employer.

Application process

Each province has its own application process:

• New Brunswick
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Nova Scotia
• Prince Edward Island

Benefits of the AIP

The AIP offers great benefits: no LMIA required, faster processing compared to many other economic programs, excellent community support and settlement services, and a clear path to permanent residence for recent Atlantic Canadian graduates.

Visit Canada.ca for more information on the Atlantic Immigration Program.

A criminal record will delay, and can even prevent you from getting your immigration status. To erase your criminal record, call toll-free 1-888-808-3628 or learn more at Pardon Partners. It’s easier than you think.

Get legal help

For strategic guidance on expanding your business to Canada—whether through the C11, ICT, LMIA, or investment-driven pathways — contact our preferred immigration lawyer, Sobirovs Law Firm at 1-416-895-3926 or wecare@sobirovs.com. The Sobirovs team helps entrepreneurs navigate Canada’s business immigration system with clarity and a structured plan for long-term success.

								
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