Atlantic Immigration Program
Permanent residence through an Atlantic job offer
The AIP is employer-driven: a designated employer in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador offers you a job, the province endorses it, and you apply for permanent residence. No LMIA, and no points score to clear.
- Four provinces
- No LMIA required
- No CRS score
- Three streams
At a glance
What makes the AIP different
Most permanent residence routes rank you against everyone else. The Atlantic Immigration Program does not. If a designated Atlantic employer wants you and you meet the minimum thresholds, there is no cut-off to beat — which is why it suits people whose CRS score will never be competitive.
The employer comes first. You cannot apply to the AIP on your own. The employer must already hold provincial designation, and the job offer has to be supported by an endorsement application. If an agent tells you they can enrol you without an employer, walk away.
Where it fits
AIP, Express Entry or a provincial nominee stream?
| Atlantic Immigration Program | Express Entry | Provincial Nominee | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Job offer | Required, from a designated employer | Not required | Required by many streams |
| Competitive score | No score to beat | CRS cut-off each round | Stream-specific ranking |
| LMIA | Not required | Not required | Varies by stream |
| Where you settle | One of the four Atlantic provinces | Anywhere outside Quebec | The nominating province |
| Settlement plan | Required before endorsement | Not required | Not usually required |
Compare with Express Entry and the CRS → · See every provincial nominee stream →
The three streams
Which stream your job offer falls into
The stream is decided by the skill level of the job you are offered, and by whether you studied in Atlantic Canada. You do not choose it — the job does.
Atlantic High-Skilled Program
For offers in managerial, professional and technical occupations. This is the largest of the three streams.
Job offer
TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3, full-time, non-seasonal, and at least one year in duration.
Work experience
At least 1,560 hours in the last five years, in an occupation at a comparable or higher skill level.
Language
CLB or NCLC 5 in all four abilities, in English or French.
Education
Canadian secondary school or higher, or a foreign credential with an ECA.
Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program
For roles that sit below the professional tiers but are permanent. Often the realistic route in hospitality, food processing, care work and trades support.
Job offer
TEER 4 or 5, full-time, non-seasonal, and permanent rather than fixed-term.
Work experience
At least 1,560 hours in the last five years in a related occupation.
Language
CLB or NCLC 4 in all four abilities.
Education
Canadian high school or an assessed foreign equivalent.
Atlantic International Graduate Program
The only stream with no work experience requirement. Built for people who studied in the region and want to stay.
Job offer
Any TEER category, full-time, non-seasonal, at least one year in duration.
Work experience
None required. This is the stream’s main advantage.
Credential
A minimum two-year credential from a recognised publicly funded institution in one of the four provinces.
Residence while studying
You must have lived in the province for a substantial part of your studies. Distance learning does not qualify.
What you must have
The seven things every AIP file needs
1. A designated employer
The employer must hold designation from the province before it can offer you an AIP job. Designation is granted to the employer, not to you, and it can be revoked.
2. A qualifying job offer
Full-time, non-seasonal, and matching the duration rules for your stream. The offer must be genuine and the wage must meet provincial expectations for the occupation.
3. A settlement plan
Prepared with a designated settlement service provider, covering you and any family joining you. Endorsement will not be issued without it, and this is the step applicants most often overlook.
4. Provincial endorsement
The province reviews the employer, the offer and the settlement plan, then issues an endorsement certificate that you file with your PR application.
5. Language
CLB or NCLC 5 for TEER 0 to 3 roles, or CLB 4 for TEER 4 and 5, in all four abilities, from an approved test taken within the validity window.
6. Education
At minimum a Canadian secondary school credential or an assessed foreign equivalent. Graduate stream applicants rely on their Atlantic credential instead.
7. Settlement funds
Proof that you can support yourself and your family on arrival, unless you are already living and working in Canada on a valid permit.
And no prohibitions
Medical and security admissibility apply as they do to every PR route. Past refusals, misrepresentation findings or unpaid removal orders need to be dealt with before you file.
Thresholds, not targets. Meeting the minimum in every box is enough — there is no bonus for exceeding it. Effort is better spent on evidence quality than on retaking a language test you have already passed.
How it runs
Five stages, employer first
The order matters. Most failed AIP attempts are really sequencing failures — documents gathered in the wrong order, or an endorsement sought before the settlement plan exists.
Stage one
The employer secures designation
Nothing can start until the employer is designated by the province. If your prospective employer is not designated, that is the first conversation to have, and we can guide them through it.
Stage two
A qualifying offer is made
The offer is recorded on the province’s prescribed form, with the occupation, TEER, wage and duration set out precisely. Loose wording here creates problems later.
Stage three
You complete a settlement plan
A designated settlement organisation assesses your needs and those of your family, then issues the plan. Book this early; capacity is limited and it gates the endorsement.
Stage four
The province endorses
The province reviews the whole package and issues an endorsement certificate. Endorsement is provincial; it is not the permanent residence decision.
Stage five
You file for permanent residence
The PR application goes to IRCC with the endorsement attached. Where the job needs filling quickly, a temporary work permit can often bridge the gap while the PR file is processed.
Where you would live
The four Atlantic provinces
Each province designates its own employers, runs its own endorsement queue and also operates a separate provincial nominee programme. If the AIP does not fit, the nominee stream next door often does.
Questions we are asked
Atlantic Immigration Program FAQ
Do I need a job offer for the Atlantic Immigration Program?
Yes. The AIP is employer-driven, so a qualifying offer from an employer that already holds provincial designation is the starting point. There is no way to apply without one.
Does the Atlantic Immigration Program require an LMIA?
No. That is one of its main attractions for employers. Designation and endorsement replace the labour market impact assessment, which removes both cost and delay.
Is there a CRS score or points cut-off?
No. Unlike Express Entry there is no ranking and no cut-off to beat. You either meet the minimum requirements for your stream or you do not, which makes the AIP valuable for candidates whose CRS score is not competitive.
What is a settlement plan and who prepares it?
It is an assessment of what you and your family will need to settle in the province, prepared with a designated settlement service provider organisation. The province will not endorse an application without one, and it is the step applicants most often leave too late.
Which provinces take part?
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Quebec and the rest of Canada are outside the programme.
Can I move to another province after I get PR?
Once you are a permanent resident, mobility rights apply. That said, the endorsement rests on a stated intention to settle in the endorsing province, so intention at the time of applying must be genuine.
How much work experience do I need?
At least 1,560 hours, roughly one year of full-time work, within the previous five years. The International Graduate stream is the exception and requires none.
Do I have to wait for PR before I start the job?
Not necessarily. Where the employer needs the role filled sooner, a temporary work permit can often be arranged so you can begin working while the permanent residence application is processed.
Written and reviewed by a CICC-licensed Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant. Last reviewed August 2026. General information only, not legal advice, and not affiliated with the Government of Canada. Programme requirements change — confirm details against current IRCC and provincial guidance.
AIP assessment
Do you have an employer, or do you need one?
The answer changes the whole strategy. Tell us where you stand and a licensed RCIC will tell you whether the AIP is realistic, which stream fits, and what to fix first.
- Your job offer checked against the stream rules before you rely on it
- Employer designation and endorsement steps mapped out for both sides
- Reviewed by a CICC-licensed Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant
CHK Immigration Services — Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (CICC). Offices in Brampton and London, Ontario. Submitting this form does not create a client–consultant relationship; IRCC makes all final decisions.