Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
So, what is the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program? Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) is an immigration pathway for skilled workers in Canada and abroad as well as some international graduates planning to settle in one of the four Atlantic Provinces.
The four Atlantic Immigration Pilot provinces are New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. These Atlantic Provinces located on the east coast of Canada are famous for their magnificent nature and being the locus of Canada’s fishing industry.
The purpose of the Atlantic Provinces Immigration Pilot program is to fill labour shortages by inviting skilled workers and international graduates of eligible institutions in Atlantic Canada.
If you are interested in applying for Permanent Residency under this pilot, the first step is to find out if you are eligible under one of the three programs that make up the pilot.
The first program is called Atlantic International Graduate Program. You might be able to apply if you graduated from one of the publicly funded institutions, which are listed on the government website. You don’t have to be in Canada, but you must have lived in the province for at least 16 months within the 2 years before you graduated. You don’t need any work experience to qualify under this stream, but your education has to meet certain criteria, which you can review on the pilot website.
Secondly, you have to take an approved English or French test and score at least CLB level 4 in each of the abilities. You can find out about the points and approved tests on the government website. Most importantly, these language criteria are much lower than the language criteria for most immigration programs, so it’s a good opportunity for those whose native language is not English.
Finally, you have to prove you have enough money to support yourself while you’re getting established in Canada. The amounts are much lower than they are for other immigration programs, which makes the Atlantic Pilot a very lucrative option.
Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
Once you have determined your eligibility for Atlantic Immigration Pilot program, you need to get a job offer. Your full-time, non-seasonal job offer has to be from one of the designated Atlantic Immigration Pilot program employers. This means they have to be on the list published on the pilot website of one of the four provinces. Just search for “Atlantic pilot designated employers” and go to the provincial website. Your job has to match skill level 0, A, B or C, which you can double-check by searching it on the National Occupation Classification website.
If your employer are not on the list, they could always apply to become a designated employer through a simple process outlined on the government website.
If you did not study in the Atlantic Provinces, you might still be able to qualify under the Atlantic High-Skilled Program or Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program.
For the high-skilled program, you have to meet the eligibility criteria in regard to your work experience, education, language skills, and be able to financial support yourself and your family. You also need to get a job offer from a designated employer, similarly to the International Graduate Program. The difference is that your job must be level 0, A or B only. You can look at the detailed requirements on the government website. You will also have to have your foreign credentials recognized at one of the approved organizations.
The Intermediate-Skilled Program is quite similar except that your job will need to be in the skill category C or one of the occupations related to nursing. You can review the detailed eligibility requirements online.
Finally, once you find out that you are eligible, it’s time to gather documents. Make sure to review the Atlantic Immigration Pilot program application form guide and contact our team of Registered Canadian Immigration Consultants if you need support with your application.
Regards,
International Experience Club
