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Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) – [R204(c) – C18] – Agreements or arrangements – International Mobility Program (IMP)

This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.

In these instructions, "officer" refers to an employee of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). These instructions do not apply to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), as applicants are not eligible to apply for this program at the port of entry.

The Atlantic Immigration Class, referred to as the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), was established through regulations on January 1, 2022. The goal of this program is to attract and retain skilled immigrants and international graduates in Atlantic Canada through an employer-driven approach.

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP) agreements expired on December 31, 2021, with the expiration of the pilot bilateral agreements.

Transition provisions: IRCC included transition provisions in the new bilateral agreements, starting January 1, 2022, which provide the following authority:

  1. to accept and process complete work permit applications under the AIPP received up to midnight UTC on March 5, 2022
    • Processing may continue beyond this date so long as the complete application was received by March 5, 2022.
  2. to accept work permit renewal applications under the AIPP for applicants who have submitted their complete application for permanent residence on or before March 5, 2022, and are still waiting for a decision
    • These work permit applications will be assessed against the AIPP work permit requirements.

Categories under the AIPP include

  • Atlantic High-Skilled Program
  • Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program
  • Atlantic International Graduate Program

Facilitating entry for these workers under the International Mobility Program (IMP) supports paragraph 3(1)(e) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) by encouraging the settlement and retention of workers in the Atlantic region.

On this page

Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)

Under the new regulations and federal–provincial agreements, the categories under the former AIPP have been simplified to Skilled Workers and International Graduates.

See the instructions for processing the previous categories under the pilot at AIPP requirements.

General eligibility

To be eligible for a work permit under the AIP, the foreign national must

  • submit their work permit application online
    • An application made at a port of entry under the AIP is not eligible.
  • have a job offer from a designated employer under the AIP
  • have a letter from the Atlantic province where the applicant will be working, issued as per the agreement
  • demonstrate their proficiency in an official language according to program requirements
  • have an acceptable educational credential for the AIP
  • have acceptable work experience or meet recent graduate requirements for the AIP

Recent graduate requirements

To be eligible as a recent graduate, the applicant must have, in addition to the general criteria, all of the following:

  • obtained an eligible educational credential
  • lived in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador or Prince Edward Island for at least 16 months (cumulative) within the 24-month period before their credential was granted
  • had valid temporary resident status throughout their stay in Canada and had authorization for any work, study or training they engaged in while in Canada

Recent graduate applicants do not require work experience in the occupation listed in the job offer.

Documentary evidence

Applicants for a work permit under the AIP must provide the following:

Recent graduates must also provide

  • proof of residence in one of the Atlantic provinces
  • proof of valid temporary resident status throughout their stay
  • proof of an eligible educational credential

Provincial letter from the endorsing Atlantic province

Applicants under the AIP must include a letter, issued by the endorsing Atlantic province, with their work permit application. This letter should include the following information:

  • biographical information for the applicant
  • employer name, address and contact information
  • occupation title and National Occupational Classification (NOC) code
  • an employment start date
  • a request for IRCC to issue an employer-specific work permit
  • a statement that the employer urgently needs the applicant before the application for permanent residence is complete
  • a statement that the province has determined that the
    • job offer is consistent with the requirements of the regulations
    • employment is not part-time or seasonal
    • wages and working conditions of the employment are sufficient to attract and retain Canadian citizens and permanent residents

Fields to review in the Global Case Management System (GCMS)

When assessing the work permit application, officers should review the following fields under the "Employment Details" tab in the GCMS for information provided by the employer:

Field Considerations
Requirements exemptions met

This field must indicate that there is an approved endorsement from an Atlantic province.

Information in this field outlines how the job position or the foreign national meets the LMIA exemption requirements. This should not be cut and pasted from IRCC’s website.
Duties

This field should show that the duties align with the lead statement and main duties, as stated in the NOC code.

These are the activities that the foreign national will be performing.

See the note under Qualifying work experience.
Provincial or federal certification, licensing or registration Documentary evidence should be provided with the application; however, some occupations may require the foreign national to write an exam after they enter Canada (for example, for a licence from a regulated body or a first aid certificate).

Qualifying language results

Applicants under the AIP must demonstrate, in the Canadian Language Benchmarks for English or the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens for French, in each of the 4 language skill areas based on an IRCC-approved language test.

For applications received between January 1, 2022, and November 15, 2022, or applications received on or after November 16, 2022, where the provincial endorsement included was issued under NOC 2016, applicants must demonstrate a minimum language level of

  • 5 for a NOC Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER), 0, A or B level job offer
  • 4 for a NOC TEER C level job offer

For applications received on or after November 16, 2022, and the provincial endorsement letter was issued on or after November 16, 2022, under NOC 2021, applicants must demonstrate a minimum language level of

  • 5 for a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 job offer
  • 4 for a TEER 4 job offer

Note: The test results must be less than 2 years old on the date of the work permit application, unless the candidate has already submitted a complete permanent resident application under the AIP with valid language test results at the time of submission.

See the language requirements section for evidence of language proficiency.

Qualifying educational credential

Applicants other than those applying as a recent graduate

Applicants other than those applying as recent graduates must demonstrate they have 1 of the following educational credentials.

For applications received between January 1, 2022, and November 15, 2022, or applications received on or after November 16, 2022, where the provincial endorsement included was issued under NOC 2016, applicants must demonstrate a minimum of either

  • a Canadian 1-year post-secondary credential, or the foreign equivalent with an educational credential assessment (ECA), where the job offer is NOC type 0 or NOC skill level A or B, or
  • a Canadian high school certificate, or the foreign equivalent with an ECA, where the job offer is NOC skill level B or C.

For applications received on or after November 16, 2022, and the provincial endorsement letter was issued on or after November 16, 2022, under NOC 2021, applicants must demonstrate a minimum of either

  • a Canadian 1-year post-secondary credential, or the foreign equivalent with an ECA, where the job offer is in TEER category 0, 1, 2 or 3, or
  • a Canadian high school certificate, or the foreign equivalent with an ECA, where the job offer is in TEER 3 or 4.

Note: Foreign credentials must be supported by an ECA report from an agency approved by IRCC if the program of study was completed outside of Canada. The assessment must be less than 5 years old, unless the candidate has already submitted a complete permanent resident application under the AIP with a valid ECA at the time of permanent residence submission.

Important: Equivalency assessments will include an assessment by the designated organization of the authenticity of the applicant’s completed foreign educational credentials. This assessment provided by the designated organization is not conclusive evidence of the authenticity of the foreign educational credentials.

If an officer has concerns about the authenticity of an applicant’s foreign educational credentials, they must follow the procedural fairness guidelines.

Recent graduate from an institute in an endorsing Atlantic province

To meet requirements as a recent graduate under the AIP as of January 1, 2022, applicants must have obtained an eligible educational credential.

To be eligible, the credential must be

  • a degree
  • a diploma
  • a certificate
  • a trade or apprenticeship credential

It must also have been obtained

An educational credential is not eligible if the credential was obtained in a study or training program where

  • the study of English or French as a second language was at least half of the program
  • distance learning was at least half of the program
  • a scholarship or fellowship stipulated that the recipient return to their home country to apply the knowledge and skills gained

Qualifying work experience

Applicants under the AIP must have 1 year of experience within the 5 years preceding the date of work permit application.

For applications received between January 1, 2022, and November 15, 2022, or applications received on or after November 16, 2022, where the provincial endorsement included was issued under NOC 2016, the work experience must

  • be in occupations that are listed in Skill Type 0 Management Occupations or Skill Level A, B or C of the NOC matrix, exclusive of restricted occupations;
  • include the actions described in the lead statement for the occupation in the NOC and
  • include a substantial number of the main duties of the occupation as per the NOC

For applications received on or after November 16, 2022, and the provincial endorsement letter was issued after November 16, 2022, under NOC 2021, the work experience must

  • be in occupations that are listed in TEER 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 of the NOC matrix, exclusive of restricted occupations
  • include the actions described in the lead statement for the occupation in the NOC and
  • include a substantial number of the main duties of the occupation as per the NOC

Foreign nationals who meet the recent graduate requirements do not need to meet the qualifying work experience requirement.

Offer of employment

Under the Atlantic Immigration Class regulations [R87.3(6)(d)], the occupation in the offer of employment may be for a higher skill level than the qualifying work experience. When assessing if the applicant can perform the work sought as per paragraph R200(3)(a), officers should consider all of the following:

  • that the employer is satisfied the applicant can perform the higher-level occupation
  • that the employer has worked with a settlement service provider organization to develop a settlement plan for the employee and their family
  • that the province has assessed the offer and determined that it is genuine as per the agreement
  • that during their work experience at the lower-level occupation, the applicant may have performed some of the duties of the higher-level occupation

Important: The offer of employment cannot be for a lower-level occupation than the qualifying work experience. For example, an applicant who has worked as a fish plant manager cannot be approved if they accept an offer as a seafood worker.

For example, where an application is received between January 1, 2022, and November 15, 2022, or an application is received on or after November 16, 2022, where the provincial endorsement included was issued under NOC 2016:

  • An applicant has worked as a fish and seafood plant worker under NOC 9463, a NOC level C occupation.
  • The offer of employment under the AIP is for a fish processing supervisor under NOC 9213, a NOC level B occupation.
  • The worker may have sufficient years of experience, so they could progress easily to the higher occupation, or they may have acted in that occupation, so they have sufficient experience to satisfy an officer that they can perform the work sought.

For example, where an application is received on or after November 16, 2022, and the provincial endorsement letter was issued after November 16, 2022, under NOC 2021:

  • An applicant has worked as a fish and seafood plant worker under NOC 94142, a TEER 4 occupation.
  • The offer of employment under the AIP is for a fish processing supervisor under NOC 92012, a TEER 2 occupation.
  • The worker may have sufficient years of experience, so they could progress easily to the higher occupation, or they may have acted in that occupation, so they have sufficient experience to satisfy an officer that they can perform the work sought.

Note: The only exception to approving a lower-level occupation than in the work experience is where the experience was acquired while working as either

  • a registered nurse (NOC 31301 [on or after November 16, 2022] or NOC 3012 [on or before November 15, 2022]), or
  • a licensed practical nurse (NOC 32101 [after November 16, 2022] or NOC 3233 [on or before November 15, 2022]), and they are being offered employment as a nurse’s aide, orderly or patient services associate (NOC 33102 [on or after November 16, 2022] or NOC 3413 [on or before November 15, 2022]) or as a home support worker (NOC 44101 [on or after November 16, 2022] or NOC 4412 [on or before November 15, 2022])

Atlantic Immigration Pilot Programs (AIPP) requirements

AIPP official language proficiency

Foreign nationals applying for a work permit under the pilot, and who received an endorsement certificate on or before December 31, 2021, must provide a copy of a language test approved by IRCC that shows the applicant meets either the minimum language level of 4 in either the Canadian Language Benchmarks in English or the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens in French for each of the 4 language skill areas.

Note: The test results must be less than 2 years old on the date of the work permit application.

See the language requirements section for evidence of language proficiency.

AIPP education requirement

Atlantic International Graduate Program

The applicant must demonstrate that they meet all of the following minimum education and residence requirements:

  • that, as a full-time student, they have obtained a degree, diploma, certificate, or trade or apprenticeship credential following the completion of a post-secondary education program of at least 2 years from a recognized publicly funded institution in 1 of the 4 Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia or Newfoundland and Labrador)
  • that they resided in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador or Prince Edward Island for at least 16 months (cumulative) within the 24-month period before their credential was granted
  • that they maintained valid temporary resident status throughout their stay in Canada and had authorization for any work, study or training they engaged in while in Canada

Eligible educational credentials

Only certain educational credentials are eligible for the Atlantic International Graduate Program. An educational credential is not eligible if the credentials were obtained in a study or training program where

  • the study of English or French as a second language was at least half of the program
  • distance learning was at least half of the program
  • a scholarship or fellowship stipulated that the recipient return to their home country to apply the knowledge and skills gained

Note: The education credential must have been obtained within 24 months of the date on the application for the C18 work permit.

Atlantic High-Skilled Program and Intermediate-Skilled Program

Applicants must demonstrate they have one of the following:

  • a Canadian secondary (high school) or post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree
  • a completed foreign credential and an ECA report from an agency approved by IRCC
    • The ECA report must show that the foreign education is equal to a completed Canadian secondary (high school) diploma or post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree. The ECA report must be less than 5 years old at the time of application.

Note: The ECA report is conclusive evidence that an applicant’s completed foreign educational credentials are equivalent to at least a completed Canadian secondary school educational credential.

Equivalency assessments include an assessment of the authenticity of the applicant’s completed foreign educational credentials. This is not conclusive evidence of the authenticity of the foreign educational credentials.

If an officer has concerns about the authenticity of an applicant’s foreign educational credentials, they must communicate these concerns to the applicant and afford them an opportunity to respond to those concerns and provide additional information or documentation.

AIPP work experience requirement

Atlantic International Graduate Program

Applicants do not require any work experience.

Atlantic High-Skilled Program and Intermediate-Skilled Program

Applicants must demonstrate that they have obtained work experience

  • for at least 1 year (1,560 hours total/30 hours per week), continuous or non-continuous, full-time or an equal amount in part-time, within the last 3 years
  • that was for paid work (volunteer work and unpaid internships do not count)
  • in an occupation with the following NOC codes:
    • For high-skilled program – at skill type 0 or skill levels A or B of the NOC matrix
    • For intermediate-skilled program – at skill level C of the NOC matrix
  • where they have carried out the activities listed in the lead statement of the NOC and a substantial number of the main duties
  • that was obtained overseas or in Canada
    • To count, Canadian experience must have been obtained while the foreign national was authorized to work in Canada as a temporary resident.

Note: Work experience acquired while working as a registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse (NOC 3012) or a licensed practical nurse (NOC 3233) can count if the applicant has a job offer as a nurse’s aide, orderly or patient services associate (NOC 3413) or as a home support worker (NOC 4412).

For the periods of work experience claimed in the application, applicants under the Atlantic High-Skilled Program and the Intermediate-Skilled Program must demonstrate they performed both of the following:

  • the actions identified in the lead statement of the NOC description
  • a substantial number of the main duties, including all the essential duties, listed in the NOC description
    • This means the applicant performed some or all of the main duties, including all the duties that distinguish one particular occupation from any other.

Applicants do not have to be employed at the time they apply.

Work experience does not need to be continuous to qualify, and can be accumulated within the previous 3 years. When calculating the period of 12 months of required employment, it cannot include periods of unemployment, prolonged sick leave or parental leave. However, a reasonable period of vacation time will be counted towards meeting the work experience requirement (such as a 2-week period of paid vacation leave within a given 52-week period in which the applicant was engaged in qualifying work).

Any periods of self-employment will not be included when calculating the period of qualifying work experience.

Work experience acquired during a period of study is allowed, as long as the work hours did not exceed their authorization under the regulations or any applicable policies.

Note: In the case of work performed in Canada, the foreign national must have been both authorized to work and a temporary resident at the time.

AIPP provincial referral letter

Applicants under the AIPP must include a referral letter, issued by an Atlantic province, with their work permit application. This letter should include the following information:

  • the date of issue of the letter
  • the applicant’s name and date of birth
  • the applicant’s citizenship
  • a designated employer’s name, address and contact information
  • an employment start date
  • the specific AIPP subprogram the applicant is applying under
  • a statement that the designated employer has submitted an endorsement application that includes a needs assessment and settlement plan for the applicant and each member of the family, signed by both the designated employer and the applicant
  • a request for IRCC to issue a 2-year employer-specific work permit, with the validity dates as indicated in the offer of employment
  • a statement that the employer urgently needs the applicant as an employee before the application for permanent residence is complete
  • a statement that the province has determined that
    • the job offer is consistent with the requirements of the Ministerial Instructions classes
    • the employment is not part-time or seasonal
    • the wages and working conditions of the employment are sufficient to attract and retain Canadian citizens and permanent residents
  • the NOC classification
  • an occupation title
  • the unique identifying number of the letter

Work permit issuance in the GCMS

On the “Application” screen, enter the following:

Field Considerations
Case type 52
Special program Code *AIPP only
  • AHSP (Atlantic High-Skilled Program)
  • AISP (Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program)
  • AIGP (Atlantic International Graduate Program)
Province of destination The province of destination entered by the applicant should match the address of employment in the LMIA-exempt offer of employment. This information is under the Employment Details – LMIA-exempt tab.
City of destination The city of destination entered by the applicant should match the address of employment in the LMIA-exempt offer of employment. This information is under the Employment Details – LMIA-exempt tab.
Exemption code

C18

This code is auto-populated from the LMIA-exempt offer of employment.

This code should only be changed in specific circumstances. For further instructions see Changes between the offer of employment and the work permit application.
NOC The NOC code is auto-populated from the LMIA-exempt offer of employment. 
Intended occupation

Job title

This is auto-populated from the LMIA-exempt offer of employment. 
LMIA or LMIA-exempt number

“A” number from the work permit application.

This number is auto-populated from the work permit application, and it is what is used to “match” it in the portal. If the work permit application was submitted on paper, the officer must manually enter the number.
Employer Business operating name
Duration

Outside of Canada

Validity as per the offer of employment, for a maximum of 2 years, starting from the date of entry to Canada or until the expiry of the travel document, whichever is earlier.

Inside Canada

Validity as per the offer of employment, for a maximum of 2 years, starting from the date of decision on the application or until the expiry of the passport, whichever is earlier.
User remarks (applications made outside Canada)

POE: Please issue for a maximum of 2 years * from the date of entry to Canada or until the expiry of the travel document, whichever comes first.

*this period should match the duration of the offer of employment.

Note: If the passport expires before a 2-year maximum work permit can be issued, the worker may apply for the balance by submitting an application for a work permit extension.

Work permit extension

Permanent resident application submitted compliant with commitment

If the application for permanent residence takes more than 1 year to be processed, applicants may apply to extend their work permit under the AIP.

Applicants holding a work permit issued under the AIPP or AIP do not have to provide the following supporting documents:

  • a referral letter, unless there is a change of employer
  • educational credentials
  • language test results
  • proof of qualifying work experience, if applicable

Note: Applicants under either the AIP or AIPP are not eligible for a bridging open work permit. 

De-designation of the employer by the province

Work permits cannot be made invalid, revoked or cancelled if an employer is de-designated by a province. However, if an employer is found to be non-compliant with employer conditions, through an inspection, the work permit may be revoked.

Officers may refuse work permit extension applications to work for an employer who has been de-designated by the province. Foreign nationals may apply to change their work permit to work for another employer, provided that the employer is designated and that the province has issued a referral letter to support the new work permit.

Open work permits for family members

Officers may issue an open work permit to family members of an AIP or AIPP applicant if that applicant has a job offer in any TEER category (for example, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 position).

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