Atlantic Immigration Program: the employer-driven route to the Atlantic provinces.

How AIP works

The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is a federal economic immigration program run by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) together with the four Atlantic provinces. It is employer-driven. The candidate needs a job offer from an employer that the province has designated. The province then endorses the job offer before the candidate applies to IRCC for permanent residence.

Two kinds of candidates can apply: skilled workers with qualifying work experience, and recent graduates of a recognized post-secondary institution in an Atlantic province. Candidates can apply from outside Canada or from inside Canada as temporary residents. IRCC's 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan sets a target of 4,000 AIP admissions in each of 2026, 2027 and 2028.

Provincial rules and restrictions in 2026

IRCC lists the AIP as open, but each province controls designation, endorsement and selection, and those rules change. Meeting the eligibility requirements does not guarantee an endorsement, because provincial allocations are limited.

The job offer

The offer must come from a designated employer and meet all of these conditions:

• Full-time: at least 30 hours a week.
• Non-seasonal: consistent, paid work throughout the year.
• Ownership: the offer cannot come from a company in which the candidate or their spouse or common-law partner is a majority owner.
• Fit with the job: the candidate must be able to do the job, must meet the employment requirements in the job's National Occupational Classification (NOC) description, and must be likely to accept it.
• Form: the employer completes the Offer of Employment to a Foreign National (IMM 0157). The candidate signs it and keeps a copy for the permanent residence application, along with the employer's confirmation of designation.

Work experience, or the Atlantic graduate exemption

Skilled workers

• At least 1,560 hours of related work in the past 5 years, spread over at least one year (about 30 hours a week for a year).
• The work must be paid. Volunteer work, unpaid internships and self-employment do not count.
• Work done in Canada must have been done with a valid work permit.
• The duties must match the NOC description, including the lead statement and most of the main duties.

The job offer must be at the same or a higher skill level (TEER) than the qualifying work experience:

Health care exception: experience in NOC 31201 (licensed practical nurses) or NOC 31301 (registered nurses) can be used for a job offer in NOC 33102 (TEER 3) or NOC 44101 (TEER 4).

Employer reference letters for each counted job should show the dates, main duties, NOC code if known, total annual salary and benefits, weekly hours, and the employer's name, signature, address, phone and email. Add the most recent Canadian work permit, T4 slips or notices of assessment, contracts and pay stubs where available.

International graduates of Atlantic institutions

A graduate does not need the work experience above if all of these apply:

1. Qualifying credentialA degree, diploma, certificate, or trade or apprenticeship certification from a program of at least 2 years at a recognized post-secondary institution in one of the four Atlantic provinces.
2. Recent graduationThe credential was received less than 2 years before the permanent residence application.
3. Full-time studyThe graduate studied full-time for the whole program.
4. Residence in the regionThe graduate lived in one of the Atlantic provinces for at least 16 months during the 2 years before graduating.
5. Legal statusThe graduate held the visa or permit required to work, study or train in Canada.

Language and education

Language results must come from an approved test and be less than 2 years old on the date of the permanent residence application. The minimum applies in all four abilities (reading, writing, listening and speaking).

• Approved tests: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training or PTE Core for English; TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French.
• Minimum scores in each ability (CLB 5 for TEER 0–3 / CLB 4 for TEER 4): CELPIP-General 5 / 4. IELTS General Training: reading 4.0 / 3.5, writing 5.0 / 4.0, listening 5.0 / 4.5, speaking 5.0 / 4.0. PTE Core: reading 42 / 33, writing 51 / 41, listening 39 / 28, speaking 51 / 42. TEF Canada (taken after December 10, 2023): reading 352 / 306, writing 330 / 268, listening 352 / 306, speaking 387 / 328; older TEF tests use different tables, so check IRCC's conversion table for your test date. TCF Canada: reading 375 / 342, writing 6 / 4, listening 369 / 331, speaking 6 / 4.
• Foreign education: an educational credential assessment (ECA) for immigration purposes from a designated organization, less than 5 years old on the application date. Architects, doctors and pharmacists must use the specific designated body for their profession.
• Some TEER 2 to 4 jobs need more than a high school diploma under their NOC description.

Proof of funds and the settlement plan

Proof of funds

Candidates who are not already working in Canada with a valid work permit must show they have enough money to support their family on arrival. IRCC's minimum amounts (table updated July 29, 2025) are:

Family size includes the candidate, their spouse or common-law partner, their dependent children, and their spouse's or partner's dependent children, even if those people are Canadian citizens or permanent residents or are not coming to Canada.

The funds must be available when you apply and when the permanent resident visa is issued, and you must be able to access them legally on arrival. Home equity and money borrowed from another person do not count. Provide letters on letterhead from each bank or financial institution showing your name, outstanding debts such as credit cards and loans, and for each account the number, opening date, current balance and average balance over the past six months.

Settlement plan

After receiving the job offer and before applying for permanent residence, the candidate contacts a settlement service provider organization. The organization asks the candidate and family about their needs and prepares a personalized settlement plan. The candidate sends a copy to the employer, who includes it in the endorsement application to the province. A copy must also go into the permanent residence application.

The optional work permit

A candidate who needs to start working before permanent residence may apply for an AIP employer-specific work permit. IRCC's page describes it as follows:

• It is valid for 2 years, applies only to AIP and allows work only for the employer that made the offer.
• The employer must give the candidate an offer of employment number from the IRCC Employer Portal before the candidate applies. The employer should enter a 2-year duration on the offer.
• The candidate needs a referral letter from the Atlantic province where they will work, a signed Undertaking (IMM 0156), and proof that they meet the AIP language, education and work experience requirements (graduates are exempt from work experience).
• The application is made online. Applicants outside Canada use checklist IMM 0162; applicants inside Canada use checklist IMM 0163. When extending an AIP permit from inside Canada, the supporting documents do not need to be uploaded again.
• The candidate's spouse or common-law partner may apply for an open work permit.

Step by step: from employer to permanent residence

1. Confirm the employer and the jobConfirm the employer is designated by the province where the job is located, and that the offer is full-time, non-seasonal and long enough for its TEER.
2. Match the NOCMatch the offer and the work history to the five-digit NOC 2021 code, TEER, duties and any licensing rules.
3. Get the settlement planComplete the needs assessment with a settlement service provider organization and send the plan to the employer.
4. Provincial endorsementThe employer applies to the province to endorse the job offer.
5. Apply for permanent residenceApply online through the IRCC Permanent Residence Portal with the forms, the settlement plan, the endorsement confirmation and all supporting documents. An incomplete application is returned.
6. Optional work permitIf the candidate needs to work sooner, apply for the AIP work permit with the provincial referral letter.
7. Keep the file accurateReport changes to IRCC and complete biometrics, medical exams and police certificates when asked.

Application forms and documents

• How: online through the IRCC PR Portal; incomplete applications are rejected and must be corrected and resubmitted.
• Completed in the portal (applicant and family members 18 or older): IMM 0008, Schedule A (IMM 5669), IMM 5406 and IMM 5562.
• Uploaded as PDFs: the document checklist IMM 0155, IMM 5501 (Economic Classes: Atlantic Immigration Program) and the employer's IMM 0157.
• If applicable: IMM 5409 for a common-law partner (proof of at least one year of cohabitation); IMM 5604 for a minor not immigrating with both parents or guardians; IMM 5476 for a representative (paid representatives must be authorized, and a representative cannot sign for you or use your login).
• Supporting documents: valid passports; birth and civil status documents; one photo of each family member, including those not coming, taken within the last 12 months; police certificates for each country where you lived six or more consecutive months since age 18 (they can wait until IRCC asks but that may delay processing); certified translations; certified true copies; the confirmation of provincial endorsement, settlement plan, and proof of education, language, funds and work experience.
• Applying from inside Canada: proof of valid temporary resident status. Recent Atlantic graduates: the study permit and entry stamp page, plus proof of living in an Atlantic province for at least 16 of the 24 months before the credential was received (for example leases, utility bills or bank statements).

Government fees

Third-party costs, such as language tests, ECAs, medical exams and police certificates, are extra.

Readiness checklist

AIP has minimum requirements rather than a points grid. A file is ready for endorsement and the permanent residence application when every line below is confirmed:

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• IRCC: Atlantic Immigration Program
• IRCC: AIP, who can apply
• IRCC: AIP, get a job offer
• IRCC: AIP, work experience and the graduate exemption
• IRCC: AIP, language test
• IRCC: AIP, education assessment
• IRCC: AIP, proof of funds
• IRCC: AIP, settlement plan
• IRCC: AIP, apply for permanent residence
• IRCC: AIP, temporary work permit
• IRCC: AIP, hire an immigrant (employers)
• IRCC: Fee list
• IRCC: 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan

This page is general information about Canadian immigration law and policy as of the date above. It is not legal advice for your situation. Programs, forms and fees change often; check the official sources before you apply.