Canada Atlantic Immigration Program 2025/2026

To qualify for the Atlantic Immigration Program, applicants must have an official job offer. Usually, in order to obtain a Canadian job offer valid for immigration purposes, the applicant must obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). This is not required for the Atlantic Immigration Program. Instead, the job offer must be from a designated employer.

The Atlantic Immigration Program started as a pilot program in 2017 and was made permanent at the beginning of 2022. The AIP is responsible for welcoming over 6,000 newcomers to Atlantic provinces each year.

Atlantic Immigration Program Requirements

The Atlantic Immigration Program facilitates immigration through connecting two parties:

1. Foreign nationals interested in becoming residents of Atlantic Canada
2. Employers designated by the government to hire foreign nationals

The Atlantic Immigration Program has different requirements for both of these parties.

Foreign National Requirements

Foreign nationals interested in immigrating to either New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island, may do so through the Atlantic Immigration program only if they meet certain requirements. First, the foreign national must have an official job offer from a designated employer. Please refer to each province’s designated employers in the following tables:

Designated Employers – Newfoundland and Labrador

Designated Employers – Nova Scotia

Designated Employers – Prince Edward Island

Designated Employers –  New Brunswick

Second, the foreign national must meet the eligibility requirements. These requirements vary depending on whether the candidate has completed qualifying post-secondary education in Atlantic Canada.

Work Experience Requirements

Candidates must have at least one year of paid, full-time work experience in the past five years. You may count hours worked abroad, or inside Canada on valid status. The work experience must be in National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level 0, A, B, or C.

International Graduate Requirements

Candidates that qualify as eligible international graduates do not need to meet the work experience requirements. In order to meet the requirements of an international graduate, candidates must:

• Hold a minimum two-year degree, diploma, certificate, or trade or apprenticeship certificate; from a recognized post-secondary institution in one of the Atlantic provinces;
• Have been a full-time student for the entirety of their studies;
• Have lived in one of the Atlantic provinces for at least 16 months during the last two years before graduating;
• Have held the required study permit, and if required, work permit, during their studies in Canada

Recognized Post Secondary Institutions

Educational Requirements

Educational requirements will vary depending on the occupational skill type of the job offer. Please see the chart below for educational requirements by skill type:

If your education was completed outside of Canada, you must provide an Educational Credential Assessment.

Language Requirements

The minimum required Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level also depends on the skill type of the job offer. Please see the chart below for language requirements by skill type:

Proof of Funds

Candidates must also be able to demonstrate sufficient funds to support themselves and their families when settling in Canada.

Designated Employer Requirements

Employers interested in participating in the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program must apply to become designated employers. As a designated employer, a business will have the ability to hire foreign nationals without obtaining a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Designated employers are required to assist employees hired through the pilot with settlement in their province of residence.

Employer Designation

In order to hire foreign nationals through the Atlantic Immigration Program, first an employer must apply to be officially designated. In order to become designated, the employer may apply directly to the province where the business for which they want to hire foreign nationals is located. The employer will have to demonstrate that they are in good standing with any provincial regulatory bodies. They will also have to submit a description of their labour needs, including their reason for hiring international workers.

Finally, designated employers must demonstrate that they can provide settlement support to the workers they hire through the Atlantic Immigration Program. In order to obtain applications to become a designated employer, businesses can consult the immigration webpages of the Atlantic provinces: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.