Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP): PR with a Job Offer in Atlantic Canada

The Atlantic Immigration Program started as a pilot in 2017 and became permanent in 2022. It is employer-driven: the employer finds you, gets designated by the province, and supports your settlement. The goal is to fill jobs in Atlantic Canada and keep newcomers in the region.

The AIP is separate from each province's Provincial Nominee Program. You do not need an Express Entry profile. The AIP is also one of the programs whose pending applications IRCC is fast-tracking under the 2026 In-Canada Workers Initiative for workers in smaller communities.

Job offer

• From an employer designated by the province under the AIP.
• Full-time and non-seasonal.
• For TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 jobs: at least 1 year long from when you become a permanent resident.
• For TEER 4 jobs: permanent, with no set end date.

Work experience (unless you qualify as an international graduate)

• At least 1 year (1,560 hours) of paid work in the last 5 years in a TEER 0-4 job, in Canada or abroad. Part-time and non-continuous work can count. Self-employment and volunteer work do not.

International graduates can skip the work experience rule if they completed a 2-year or longer credential at a recognized post-secondary school in an Atlantic province, studied full-time, lived in the region for at least 16 of the last 24 months before graduating, and meet the other conditions.

Language

Education: a Canadian high school diploma or higher, or a foreign credential with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).

Settlement funds: required unless you already live and work in Canada on a valid work permit.

Check the full rules on IRCC's AIP page before applying; details can change.

After you accept the job offer, you need an endorsement from the province. To get it:

1. You meet with a settlement service provider organization, which prepares an individualized settlement plan for you and your family.
2. Your employer submits the endorsement application to the province, including the job offer and settlement plan.
3. The province checks that the job and employer meet AIP rules and issues an endorsement certificate.

The endorsement is valid for a limited time, so apply to IRCC promptly once you have it.

IRCC has set about 6,500 AIP spots for 2026, shared among the four provinces. Each province decides how to use its share, and some prioritize certain sectors such as healthcare or construction. When a province's share runs low, it may slow endorsements. Check the province hubs: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

In some cases, yes. If your employer needs you to start urgently, the province may issue a support letter so you can apply for an employer-specific work permit while your PR application is processed. Ask the province and your employer whether this option is available for your job.

Employers must apply to the province to become designated, commit to supporting the newcomer's settlement, and meet the province's conditions. See Atlantic designation for employers.

As a worker, never pay an employer or recruiter for an AIP job offer or endorsement. See scam protection.

As of September 2026 (fees rose on April 30, 2026), IRCC charges these fees for economic immigration programs, which include this one, in Canadian dollars:

Biometrics cost $85 per person, or $170 for a family applying together. Check the IRCC fee list before paying, because fees change. There are also costs for language tests, an ECA, medical exams, and police certificates.

Check the IRCC processing times tool or our processing times page for current times.

Your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children under 22 can be included in your application and become permanent residents with you. The settlement plan covers the whole family. Your spouse may be able to get an open work permit while you work in Canada, depending on your job's TEER level; see spousal open work permits.

If the AIP does not fit you, look at:

• Express Entry, if you have skilled experience and good language scores.
• The PNP of each Atlantic province, which run their own streams alongside the AIP.
• The Rural Community Immigration Pilot, which includes Pictou County in Nova Scotia, and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot, which includes the Acadian Peninsula in New Brunswick.

If you have a past refusal, a criminal record, or a medical condition, talk to a lawyer or licensed consultant (RCIC) before you apply. See inadmissibility.