Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program(AIPP) was launched in 2017 for hiring foreign skilled workers who want to immigrate to Atlantic Canada and international graduates who want to stay in Atlantic Canada after they graduate. On March 1, 2019, an extension was announced with changes to give international graduates more time to apply to fulfil the high shortage of labour in the Atlantic provinces of Canada. The four provinces that are in partnership with the government of Canada in AIPP are:

1. Nova Scotia
2. Prince Edward Island
3. Newfoundland and Labrador
4. New Brunswick

There are 3 programs in the pilot that Canadian employers can hire through in Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program:

1. Atlantic High – Skilled program: Applicants with National occupation codes O, A, and B fall under this category.  The applicant should have worked in a management/professional or technical /skilled job for at least a year.
2. Atlantic Intermediate – Skilled program: Applicants with National Occupation Code O, A, B, and C fall under this category. The applicant should have a high school education and/or job-specific training for at least a year.
3. Atlantic International Graduate Program: Applicants possessing a degree, diploma or other credentials from a public-funded institution of Atlantic provinces fall under this category. Work experience is not mandatory for international graduates hired through this program.

How does this Program work for Employers in Atlantic Canada?

Step 1: Becoming a Designated Employer

To become a designated employer:

• The organization must be in good standing with employment standards and occupational health and safety legislation.
• Should be operating in the Atlantic region for the last 2 years
• Has to work with the settlement service provider organization to help your candidates get settlement services
• Register as a designated employer to the province to take part in this program. As soon as the province gets an application, it registers that employer as a designated employer in their system.

Now the employer is all set to find desired candidates and can offer them a job.

 Step 2: Endorsement

This requires an applicant’s input to move further. As soon as the candidate gets a job offer letter from Atlantic employer, he/she needs to contact the settlement provider organization to get his/her settlement plan. A designated employer might suggest some settlement service provider but it is not necessary to go with that particular provider.

The applicant will have to submit the settlement plan to the employer from whom the job offer is received. The employer will submit the candidate’s settlement plan along with the job offer and endorsement letter to the provincial government. After detailed verification and review, the province approves that application and sends an endorsement letter to the applicant.

  Step 3: Immigration Application

Once an endorsement letter is received, the candidate needs to submit his/her permanent residency application to IRCC (Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada). Once IRCC receives an application, it will process it within 6 months. If the job vacancy needs to be filled out urgently, then IRCC allows a temporary visa to an applicant for immediate immigration. After approval, IRCC grants permanent residency through the AIPP program to the candidate.

To apply under AIPP, a candidate will need:

• A valid job offer from a designated employer  registered in the province
• Approved Language test
• Minimum High school diploma and it should be equivalent to Canadian education level
• Continuous 1-year work experience from the date of application.
• Province endorsement letter
• Settlement Plan
• Minimum Funds – CAD $ 3167 – Applicants have to show that they have enough funds to support their family

Benefits of Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program:

• The job offer doesn’t need LMIA approval
• Fast track immigration program as the processing time of this program is 6 months.
• Provision of temporary visa in case of urgency
• An employer is committed to providing work security and support environment to immigrants
• All occupations are accepted in this program ( NOC code 0, A, B, AND C)

Assistance by Winny Immigration:

• Winny Immigration scrutinizes an individual’s profile and prepares a resume along with a cover letter, as per the Canadian standards. It ensures that the best profile with quality details are reflected and gets highlighted in the documents. Thus, enhancing the chances of getting selected for the AIPP program.
• With transparency throughout the process, Winny Immigration assists the candidates in their complete journey of getting permanent residency in Canada.