Everything You Need to Know about Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP)

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot is an accelerated immigration program that allows companies in Canada’s four Atlantic provinces — Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island — to hire overseas residents for jobs they haven’t been able to fill locally.

Introduced in 2017, the federal government and its provincial government target to welcome more than 7,000 individuals and their families to the Atlantic Canada through the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program.

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP) has different and unique eligibility requirements that make it more attractive to recent graduates and skilled workers. For instance: Workers in National Occupational Classification (NOC) level C, with limited language ability, may be able to immigrate through this program. Skilled professionals falling under NOC O, A and B can also apply for this program.

The pilot program allows selected local employers to find, recruit and retain talent worldwide. It ensures population growth, increasing skilled workforce and reducing the skilled worker shortage in the region.

They target mostly on the below category:

• skilled workforce and immigration;
• innovation;
• clean growth and climate change;
• trade and investment; and
• Infrastructure.

Due to its achievement, the government has decided to make this pilot program permanent.

It will continue to be a top provincial economic Canada immigration program, adding the provincial nominee programs in each Atlantic province.

Employers have choice of 3 programs to hire employees from. Applicant needs to qualify for minimum 1 of the program to apply and get selected.

However for all three programs, applicant needs to prove minimum language competency, education and experience requirements to be invited.

The three programs are as follows:

Atlantic International Graduate Program

Minimum requirement to meet are:

• have a degree, diploma or other credential from a publicly funded institution in an Atlantic province
• have lived in an Atlantic province for at least 16 months in the 2 years before getting your degree, diploma or credential
• minimum language proficiency of either English or French
• minimum proof of fund to prove you can support yourself and your family when you come to Canada

Benefit of this program is Work experience is not required for international graduates hired through the Atlantic Immigration Pilot.

In addition under this program, the employer also has few requirements to meet.

Atlantic High-Skilled Program

Minimum requirement to meet are:

• have worked in a management, professional or technical/skilled job for at least a year
• have at least a Canadian high school diploma or equivalent education
• minimum language proficiency of either English or French
• minimum proof of fund to prove you can support yourself and your family when you come to Canada

In addition under this program, the employer also has few requirements to meet.

Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program

Minimum requirement to meet are:

• have worked in a job that requires a high school education and/or job-specific training for at least a year
• have at least a Canadian high school diploma or equivalent education
• minimum language proficiency of either English or French
• minimum proof of fund to prove you can support yourself and your family when you come to Canada

In addition under this program, the employer also has few requirements to meet.

Upon meeting the minimum requirements, applicant needs to get a valid job offer from any of the designated employers. With which their application will be submitted leading to invitation and on approval immigration will be granted.

This blog is written by Ms. Sakshi Bhagtani, Immigration Consultant at Flyingcolour Immigration Services, Dubai. If you have any questions regarding Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program then please contact us at +971 4 4542366 or email us at info@flyingcolour.com.

Please Note: This article was published on 21st February 2021. The information provided in the article is based on the policies and rules applicable at the time of writing it. Talk to one of our consultants about any recent update or change.