Atlantic Immigration Program: How a Designated Employer’s Job Offer Can Lead to Canadian PR

Finding a realistic path to Canadian permanent residence can feel overwhelming, especially if your Express Entry score is not competitive. You may have valuable work experience but still be unsure whether an employer can help you move to Canada permanently.

The Atlantic Immigration Program offers another possibility. It connects qualifying skilled workers and international graduates with designated employers in Atlantic Canada.

However, receiving an ordinary job offer is not enough. The employer must be designated by an Atlantic provincial government and the province must endorse the application before the candidate applies for permanent residence.

This guide from 101 Legal Ways explains the process in clear language so you can understand the requirements, avoid common misunderstandings and prepare more carefully.

What Is the Atlantic Immigration Program?

The Atlantic Immigration Program, commonly called the AIP, is a federal permanent residence pathway for skilled foreign workers and certain international graduates who want to live and work in:

• New Brunswick
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Nova Scotia
• Prince Edward Island

Applicants may be living outside Canada or may already be in Canada with valid temporary resident status.

The program is currently open. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, every candidate must receive a qualifying job offer from an employer designated by one of the four Atlantic provinces.

The AIP is separate from Express Entry. Applicants do not enter the Express Entry pool or compete through the Comprehensive Ranking System. Instead, eligibility depends on meeting the program requirements, obtaining provincial endorsement and submitting a complete permanent residence application to IRCC.

A Realistic Example: Amina’s Atlantic Canada Opportunity

Amina is a fictional marketing coordinator living in Kenya. She has four years of paid work experience and a bachelor’s degree.

She receives an offer from a growing company in Nova Scotia. At first, Amina assumes that any Canadian employer can support an Atlantic Immigration Program application.

Before paying for language testing and document assessments, she asks the company to confirm its provincial designation. The employer provides a copy of its designation confirmation and the required AIP employment form.

Amina then confirms that:

• Her offer is full-time and non-seasonal
• Her work experience is related to the position
• Her education meets the requirement for the job’s TEER category
• Her language results meet the minimum level
• She can obtain the required settlement plan
• The employer will submit her endorsement application to Nova Scotia

After the province issues an endorsement certificate, Amina can submit her permanent residence application through IRCC’s Permanent Residence Portal.

Amina’s job offer does not guarantee approval. IRCC must still assess her eligibility, admissibility and supporting documents.

What Is a Designated Employer?

A designated employer is an employer approved by the government of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia or Prince Edward Island to participate in the Atlantic Immigration Program.

Each province manages its own designation process. Employer designation does not mean that every position offered by that company will automatically qualify.

A candidate should verify the employer through the relevant provincial immigration website. The employer should also provide:

• A copy of its confirmation of designation
• A completed Offer of Employment to a Foreign National form, IMM 0157

The federal government does not charge an employer to become designated. Applicants should be cautious if someone claims they can sell an employer designation or guarantee an AIP endorsement.

What Makes a Job Offer Eligible?

Under the current IRCC job-offer requirements, the offer must be:

• From a designated Atlantic employer
• Full-time, meaning at least 30 hours per week
• Non-seasonal, with consistent paid employment throughout the year
• For work the applicant can perform and is likely to accept
• At the same or a higher skill level than the applicant’s qualifying work experience, subject to IRCC’s TEER rules

The required length of the offer depends on its National Occupational Classification TEER category:

• A TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 offer must last for at least one year after the candidate becomes a permanent resident
• A TEER 4 offer must be permanent, with no fixed end date

The offer cannot come from a company in which the applicant, the applicant’s spouse or the applicant’s common-law partner is a majority owner.

Work Experience Requirements

Most skilled-worker applicants need at least 1,560 hours of qualifying work experience during the five years before applying.

This is approximately 30 hours per week for one year. The hours must have been accumulated over a period of at least one year.

According to IRCC’s AIP work-experience rules, the experience must:

• Come from paid employment
• Match the actions described in the relevant NOC
• Include most of the NOC’s main duties
• Be at the appropriate TEER level for the job offer
• Have been legally obtained if the work was performed in Canada

Volunteer work, unpaid internships and self-employed work do not count toward this requirement.

Strong employer reference letters are important. They should clearly state the employment dates, hours worked per week, salary, job duties and employer contact information.

International Graduate Work-Experience Exemption

Certain international graduates from recognized post-secondary institutions in Atlantic Canada may qualify without the usual work experience.

To receive the exemption, the graduate generally must have:

• Completed a degree, diploma, certificate or trade or apprenticeship credential that required at least two years of study
• Studied full-time throughout the program
• Received the credential less than two years before applying for permanent residence
• Lived in an Atlantic province for at least 16 months during the final two years before graduation
• Held the required authorization to study, work or receive training in Canada

Programs may be ineligible if at least half of the program involved distance learning or English or French as a second language. Certain scholarships requiring the graduate to return home can also make the studies ineligible.

Language Requirements

Applicants must take an IRCC-approved English or French language test.

The minimum requirement depends on the TEER category of the job offer:

• TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3: CLB 5 or the equivalent NCLC level
• TEER 4: CLB 4 or the equivalent NCLC level

The applicant must meet the minimum in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Test results must be less than two years old when the permanent residence application is submitted.

Accepted tests currently include CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training, PTE Core, TEF Canada and TCF Canada. Applicants should review the current IRCC language testing page before booking a test.

Education Requirements

The minimum education requirement also depends on the job offer:

• TEER 0 or 1: At least a Canadian one-year post-secondary credential or a foreign equivalent
• TEER 2, 3 or 4: At least a Canadian high school diploma or a foreign equivalent

An applicant using education completed outside Canada generally needs an immigration-purpose Educational Credential Assessment. The assessment must come from a designated organization and must be less than five years old when the person applies.

Some regulated professions require a specialized assessment. For example, doctors, pharmacists and architects may need an assessment from the professional organization specified by IRCC.

An Educational Credential Assessment does not provide a professional licence. Immigration eligibility and permission to practise a regulated profession are separate matters. IRCC explains these distinctions on its AIP education assessment page.

Settlement Funds

Applicants generally need to show that they have enough available money to support themselves and their family after arriving in Canada.

The required amount depends on family size and can change. Family size includes the applicant, a spouse or common-law partner and dependent children, even when some family members are not accompanying the applicant.

An applicant does not need to show settlement funds if already working in Canada with a valid work permit.

Funds cannot be borrowed and the applicant cannot use the value of real estate as settlement funds. IRCC provides the current amounts and acceptable evidence on its AIP proof-of-funds page.

The Settlement Plan and Provincial Endorsement

After receiving a qualifying job offer, the applicant is connected with a designated settlement service provider.

The service provider assesses the applicant’s needs and prepares a personalized settlement plan. This may cover housing, employment support, language services, transportation and community resources.

The applicant gives the settlement plan to the employer. The employer then submits an endorsement application to the province.

If the province approves the endorsement, the applicant receives a provincial endorsement certificate. This certificate is an important part of the permanent residence application.

Employer designation and provincial endorsement are different:

• Designation allows an employer to participate in the AIP
• Endorsement approves a particular candidate and job offer for the provincial part of the process

The AIP Process Step by Step

The normal process includes the following stages:

1. Obtain a qualifying offer from a designated Atlantic employer.
2. Confirm that the work experience, education and language requirements are met.
3. Complete a needs assessment and receive a settlement plan.
4. Give the settlement plan to the employer.
5. Wait for the employer to submit the provincial endorsement application.
6. Receive the provincial endorsement certificate if the province approves the application.
7. Prepare the required forms and supporting documents.
8. Submit the permanent residence application online through the PR Portal.
9. Complete any biometrics, medical examination or police certificate requirements requested by IRCC.
10. Wait for IRCC to make the final decision.

IRCC provides an official step-by-step AIP application overview.

Can You Work While the PR Application Is Processed?

Some endorsed applicants may qualify for an optional temporary work permit.

The AIP work permit is generally:

• Valid for two years
• Limited to the employer that provided the qualifying job offer
• Available only when the applicant meets the applicable requirements

The applicant must have a qualifying job offer and a referral letter from the province. The applicant must also show that the language, education and work experience requirements are met, unless the international graduate exemption applies.

The work permit is not permanent residence and does not guarantee that IRCC will approve the PR application. The current requirements are explained on the IRCC temporary work permit page.

A 101 Legal Ways Educational Scenario

Consider Daniel, a fictional restaurant supervisor who receives an offer from an Atlantic Canadian business.

After reading 101 Legal Ways guides, Daniel realizes that finding an employer in Atlantic Canada is only the beginning. He checks whether the employer is designated, reviews the NOC duties and asks for a properly completed employment form.

He also learns that the province must endorse his individual job offer before he can submit the AIP permanent residence application. Instead of paying someone who promises a guaranteed endorsement, Daniel verifies the process through IRCC and the provincial government website.

This fictional public education example does not represent a real client or a guaranteed immigration result. It shows how reliable information can help applicants ask better questions and avoid costly assumptions.

Four Actionable Takeaways

1. Verify the employer’s designation. Check the official provincial immigration website instead of relying only on a recruiter or verbal promise.
2. Match your documents to the correct NOC. Your reference letters should describe your actual duties, dates, hours and salary.
3. Track document expiry dates. Language results must be less than two years old and an ECA must generally be less than five years old when you apply.
4. Do not confuse a job offer with PR approval. You still need a settlement plan, provincial endorsement and approval from IRCC.

Final Thoughts

The Atlantic Immigration Program can provide a valuable permanent residence option for skilled workers and eligible international graduates who genuinely want to build their lives in Atlantic Canada.

Its employer-supported process can appear simple at first, but the details matter. The employer must be designated, the job offer must qualify and the province must endorse the application. The candidate must also meet the applicable work experience, education, language and settlement requirements.

101 Legal Ways supports public understanding by turning complex Canadian immigration information into practical guidance. Before acting, applicants should always compare general educational information with the latest instructions published by IRCC and the relevant Atlantic province.

Legal Disclaimer

This article provides general public education and legal information only. It is not legal advice, immigration advice or a guarantee of eligibility, endorsement, employment or permanent residence. Immigration programs, document requirements, fees, settlement fund amounts and processing procedures may change. Always review the latest official information from IRCC and the relevant provincial government. If you need advice about your personal circumstances, consult a lawyer or an authorized Canadian immigration representative.