Atlantic Canada is composed by the provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The Atlantic Immigration Pilot is a part of the Atlantic Growth Strategy, an initiative to reverse the current demography trends and grow substantially the economy of this region.
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot is an employer-driven program. Atlantic employers (such as businesses, not-for-profits, governments) may apply to become a designated employer and offer jobs to skilled foreign workers or recent international graduates.
For each job offer, employers must show they haven’t been able to fill that job with local talent. However, they don’t need a Labour Market Impact Assessment. The job offer must be endorsed by the provincial government. After the endorsement, the candidate can apply for permanent residency. After approval, the candidate can live and work in Canada.
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot is available in three programs:
- Atlantic High-Skilled program
- Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled program
- Atlantic International Graduate Program
Each program has its own educational and work experience requirements. The jobs must mainly be in the management, professional or technical/skilled areas. The minimum duration of the job offer also varies per category.
Candidates may also be eligible to apply for a temporary work permit before applying for permanent residency. This permit lets the candidate begin work while their permanent resident application is being processed. The candidate must apply for their permanent residency within 90 days of sending the temporary work permit application.
