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Atlantic Immigration Program: the job-offer route to permanent residence

Learn how a designated-employer job offer, settlement plan and provincial endorsement can lead skilled workers and Atlantic graduates toward permanent residence.

Last reviewed against IRCC sources: 2 September 2026

Atlantic Immigration Program at a glance

The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is an open employer-driven pathway for skilled foreign workers and certain recent graduates who intend to work and settle in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, or Newfoundland and Labrador. Candidates can be abroad or already in Canada as temporary residents.

Essential first stepValid offer from a provincially designated Atlantic employer

Permanent residenceFederal application after provincial endorsement

While waitingOptional two-year employer-specific work permit may be available

AIP is not a job-matching service. The employer must already be designated and the offer must satisfy the program rules. Neither designation, a job offer nor provincial endorsement guarantees permanent residence.

Who can qualify?

Every candidate must meet the offer, education, language, settlement-plan and—unless exempt—work-experience requirements. The job’s NOC and TEER affect several thresholds.

Requirement	Skilled worker	Eligible Atlantic graduate
Job offer	Full-time, non-seasonal offer from a designated employer in one of the four Atlantic provinces, meeting program duration and TEER rules
Work experience	Generally at least 1,560 hours of qualifying work during the previous 5 years	May be exempt when the specific Atlantic-study and residence conditions are met
Education	Canadian credential or valid ECA at the level required for the offered job	Qualifying credential from a recognized publicly funded Atlantic institution
Language	Approved test; minimum depends on the job’s TEER—verify the current IRCC table
Settlement funds	Required unless already living and working in Canada with a valid work permit

All candidates also need a settlement plan prepared by an approved service-provider organization and must be admissible to Canada.

The job offer and designated employer

A provincial government—not IRCC and not the candidate—designates AIP employers. Each Atlantic province publishes its own employer information. Designation is not proof that every advertisement, recruiter or person using the employer’s name is legitimate.

The offer must be full-time and non-seasonal. Its required duration depends on the job’s TEER. The candidate must be qualified to perform the work and may also need provincial licensing or certification. The employer completes the official offer form, connects the candidate with settlement services and submits the endorsement application to the province.

No LMIA is required for the AIP permanent-residence route. That does not remove the need for a genuine, qualifying offer, provincial endorsement or a separate work permit before starting work.

Protect yourself from job-offer fraud

Confirm the employer on the relevant province’s official designated-employer information.
Verify that communication uses authentic company details and that the role actually exists.
Never pay an employer for a job offer or provincial endorsement.
Remember that a recruiter cannot guarantee a visa, work permit, endorsement or permanent residence.
Use a written offer and compare it with the official AIP form and current wage and NOC requirements.

The Atlantic graduate exemption

A recent graduate may be exempt from the work-experience requirement when they completed a qualifying program at a recognized publicly funded institution in Atlantic Canada and meet IRCC’s study, full-time status, location, temporary-status and residence requirements. A credential alone is not enough.

Graduates should verify the exact program length, credential, institution, study authorization and time spent living in the Atlantic region. Distance learning, language-study programs, scholarships requiring a return home or extended study outside the region can affect eligibility.

How the AIP process works

Confirm your own eligibility

Check work experience or the graduate exemption, education, language, funds and the NOC/TEER of the intended job.

Receive a qualifying job offer

The offer must come from a designated employer and satisfy AIP requirements. The employer completes the offer form.

Complete a settlement needs assessment

An approved settlement organization works with you to create a personalized settlement plan. Share it with the employer.

Employer requests provincial endorsement

The designated employer sends the offer, settlement plan and supporting information to the province. If approved, you receive an endorsement certificate.

Apply for permanent residence

Submit the federal application through the PR Portal with the endorsement certificate, forms, documents and current fees.

Consider the optional work permit

If the province provides a referral letter and you meet the rules, you may apply for a two-year AIP employer-specific work permit while PR is processed.

Optional work permit while PR is processed

The AIP work permit is optional, temporary and employer-specific. It is available only for AIP employment, is generally valid for two years, and does not guarantee permanent residence. The application normally needs the qualifying offer and a provincial referral letter. Candidates must still meet the education, language and work-experience requirements unless the Atlantic graduate exemption applies.

A spouse or common-law partner may be able to apply for an open work permit under the current family-member rules. Do not begin working until the required authorization has been issued.

Documents to prepare

Passport and civil-status documents for the applicant and accompanying family.
Approved language results that meet the threshold and remain valid.
Canadian education evidence or a valid immigration-purpose ECA.
Detailed employment records proving dates, hours, pay and NOC duties, unless exempt.
The official AIP offer-of-employment form.
Settlement plan, provincial endorsement certificate and, if relevant, work-permit referral letter.
Proof of settlement funds when required.
Police certificates, biometrics and medical examinations according to IRCC instructions.

Common mistakes to avoid

Accepting a job from an employer that is not designated for AIP.
Assuming all Atlantic graduates are exempt from work experience.
Matching a NOC using title alone instead of actual duties.
Applying for PR before the province issues an endorsement certificate.
Confusing the optional work permit with permanent residence approval.
Paying a recruiter or employer for a job offer or endorsement.
Using old Atlantic Immigration Pilot rules instead of the current permanent program.
Failing to maintain legal status while in Canada.

Atlantic program questions

Can I apply without a job offer?

No. A valid job offer from a designated employer in an Atlantic province is fundamental to AIP.

Can I live in Ontario after applying through AIP?

AIP is for people who intend to live and work in one of the four Atlantic provinces. An intention to settle elsewhere is inconsistent with the program.

Does the employer need an LMIA?

The AIP process does not require an LMIA, but it does require designation, a qualifying offer and provincial endorsement. Work authorization is still required before employment begins.

Can a recent Atlantic graduate apply immediately?

Possibly, if all the specific graduate-exemption conditions are met and the graduate has a qualifying designated-employer offer. Education does not replace the offer, language, settlement plan or endorsement.

Can my family come with me?

Eligible family members can be included in the permanent-residence application. A spouse or partner may also qualify for an open work permit while the principal applicant holds the optional AIP work permit, subject to current rules.

Official sources

Atlantic Immigration Program overview ↗Purpose, provinces and employer designation
AIP application route ↗Current status and process
Who can apply ↗Work, education, language, funds and settlement plan
AIP job-offer requirements ↗Designated employers and qualifying offers
Apply for permanent residence ↗Portal, forms and documents
Optional AIP work permit ↗Two-year employer-specific permit

Compare your Canada pathways

Use the detailed quiz to compare AIP with Express Entry, provincial, work and community routes.

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Related Canada guides

Canada PNP Guide: Provincial Nominee Programs
Compare AIP with other provincial nomination programs across Canada.
Rural & Francophone Immigration Pilots 2026
See other regional and francophone community-driven pathways outside major cities.
Canada Immigration Updates & Program Status
Check current program status and official IRCC notices before you apply.

Editorial notice: BeforeImmigration provides general educational information, not legal advice or an eligibility decision. Program rules and employer lists change. Verify every requirement on Canada.ca and the relevant province’s official website.