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Canada

Atlantic Immigration Programme (AIP)

A permanent-residence pathway driven by employers in Atlantic Canada. Get a job offer from a designated employer in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, or Newfoundland & Labrador, settle there, and obtain PR — typically faster and at lower CRS than general Express Entry.

Employer-led

Job offer from a designated employer is the entry point

4 provinces

NS, NB, PEI, NL — must intend to settle in one of these

~6 months

Standard PR processing once endorsed

Family included

Spouse work permit + free public school for children

How AIP differs from Express Entry

	Express Entry (FSW)	AIP
Selection	CRS rank in IRCC pool	Employer + provincial endorsement
Job offer required	No	Yes — designated employer
Language minimum	CLB 7	CLB 5 (TEER 0/1/2/3) or CLB 4 (TEER 4)
Education minimum	Bachelor's typical	Secondary + post-secondary OK
Work experience	1 year skilled	1 year (or graduate exemption)
Settlement plan	Optional	Mandatory — provincially endorsed
Mobility after PR	Anywhere in Canada	Anywhere in Canada (no legal restriction; intent only)

The four Atlantic provinces

Nova Scotia

Capital: Halifax · Population ~1.0M

In-demand sectors: Healthcare, IT, fish processing, ocean tech, tourism

New Brunswick

Capital: Fredericton · Population ~830K

In-demand sectors: Forestry, manufacturing, healthcare, contact centres

Prince Edward Island

Capital: Charlottetown · Population ~175K

In-demand sectors: Bioscience, aerospace, agri-food, tourism

Newfoundland and Labrador

Capital: St. John's · Population ~530K

In-demand sectors: Oil & gas, fisheries, mining, healthcare

Eligibility checklist

Job offer

Full-time, non-seasonal offer from a designated employer in one of NS / NB / PEI / NL. The employer must hold AIP designation status (each province publishes a list).

Skill level (TEER)

Job must be TEER 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4. TEER 5 (entry-level / labour) is not eligible. Healthcare workers in TEER 4 follow specific streams.

Education

Canadian secondary diploma OR equivalent foreign credential with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) issued in the last 5 years. Higher TEER levels need higher education.

Work experience

At least 1,560 hours of paid skilled work in the last 5 years — equivalent to ~30 hrs/week × 52 weeks. Recent international graduates from Atlantic Canadian institutions are exempt.

Language

IELTS General, CELPIP-General, TEF Canada, or TCF Canada — CLB 5 for TEER 0–3; CLB 4 for TEER 4 jobs.

Settlement plan

Approved by a designated settlement service provider organisation before the provincial endorsement is issued. Includes housing, schooling, language, and orientation services.

Funds

Settlement funds proportional to family size (similar to FSW — CAD 14,690+ for single applicant). Waived if already working in Canada with a valid permit.

The AIP application process

Find a designated employer

Search the public list maintained by each Atlantic province. Many employers post on the AIP-specific job boards run by the provinces; mainstream Canadian job sites (Indeed, Workopolis, LinkedIn) also flag AIP roles.

Receive a qualifying job offer

Form IMM 5650 (Offer of Employment to a Foreign National). Must be full-time, non-seasonal, and at the appropriate TEER level.

Get a settlement plan

Connect with a designated settlement service provider organisation in your province. They issue a confirmation needed for provincial endorsement.

Apply for provincial endorsement

Submit endorsement application to the province with job offer + settlement plan + supporting documents. Endorsement decisions typically issued in 4-12 weeks.

Apply for permanent residence

With endorsement in hand, apply for PR through IRCC (online, paper backup). Includes medicals, biometrics, police clearances. ~6 months processing.

(Optional) Work permit while waiting

AIP applicants with a valid endorsement and job offer can apply for a 2-year employer-specific work permit (no LMIA required) to start work before PR is finalised.

Notes for South African applicants

SA healthcare workers are heavily targeted by Atlantic provinces. Nurses, technicians, continuing-care assistants, and physicians are in critical shortage. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick run dedicated healthcare streams.

SA skilled tradespeople (electricians, plumbers, mechanics, welders) qualify under TEER 2 and benefit from a lower CRS-equivalent threshold than Express Entry.

Cost of living is notably lower than Toronto / Vancouver — Halifax and Moncton housing is roughly 50–60% cheaper. Rural areas in NL and PEI even more so.

Climate is the trade-off — long winters with snow Dec–Apr in most of the region. SA-born applicants should plan a winter visit before committing.

Mobility — once you hold PR, there is no legal restriction on moving elsewhere in Canada. The settlement intent is honour-system; however, IRCC may flag patterns of fraud, so leaving immediately raises questions.

Compare AIP to other CA pathways

The country comparison scores your profile against Express Entry FSW, PNP options, and AIP — and against Australia and New Zealand.

General information only. AIP details change — verify with the relevant provincial immigration office and IRCC. For advice specific to your situation, consult a CICC-licensed consultant or Canadian immigration lawyer.