Atlantic Immigration Program

Atlantic Immgration Program is a path for skilled foreign nationals and international graduates from Canadian institutes to avail permanent residence status in one of the 4 Atlantic promises in Canada. It was created to cater to the needs of local employers and companies by welcoming new employees into the region of Atlantic Canada. Foreign nationals are hired through this program for working in local companies or under local independent employers.

To avail the program, the candidate must be approved by the provincial government of the Atlantic province where they will be working to receive a job offer for the same. The applicant needs evaluated academic credentials, work experience, proof of English or French proficiency and sufficient funds to be eligible for the Atlantic Immigration Program.

AIP helps in identifying global talents and recruiting them by the local companies in Canada, offering global exposure to international candidates. Labor force is sustained and economic growth is witnessed through this program. Foreign nationals eligible for a permanent resident status can avail a temporary resident status to stay for 1 year. Within 90 days of temporary resident application submission, the aspirant can apply for a permanent resident status through AIP.

Atlantic Immigration Program: Eligibility Criteria

Candidates need to fulfill the following eligibility criteria before they can apply for the Atlantic Immigration Program.

The candidate must meet the necessary academic criteria required for the specific job role.
The candidate must demonstrate work experience unless they are international students graduating from an accredited post-secondary institute in Atlantic Canada.
The candidate should submit results of language proficiency test scores in order to establish their reading, writing and listening skills.
Sufficient settlement funds are required which the candidate must show in order to apply for the Alberta Immigration program.

Work experience: Both full time and part time work experience of at least 12 months are considered. Self employed work hours are not considered. Work hours in Canada and other countries are accepted as long as it's under a registered employer or organization. Work hours which are relevant while doing a federal work study program are also included, as long as they comply with the conditions of study permit of the candidate.

Educational requirements: The candidate should have a post secondary educational credential or higher for NOC 0 or A level. The degree should be equivalent to that of a Canadian post secondary academic degree. If the job is of NOC B or C skill level, a Canadian high school diploma is required or its equivalent, from outside Canada. In case a student has attained a degree outside Canada, Educational Credential Assessment is required to validate the same.

Language requirements: For NOC 0, A and B job offers, candidates require a Canadian language benchmark or a Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens of level 5. For NOC C level jobs, a proficiency of language displaying CLB or NCLC level of 4 is required. The valid test scores must be taken from an authorized test center.

Settlement funds: In case a candidate is already living in Canada with a valid work permit, they do not need to show settlement funds. For all other types of candidates, a settlement plan for the participant as well as their family for supporting themselves in Canada is required. The amount required depends on the size of the family moving in with them.

Atlantic Immigration Program: Required Documents

A participant for the Atlantic Immigration program needs to get hold of specific documents before applying for the same. The list of documents and their specifications are noted below.

Academic reports: If a student has studied outside of Canada, they need to get their degrees evaluated through an educational credential assessment report. It compares the degree of the student to that of a Canadian one.
Language proficiency test: English proficiency or French language proficiency must be established through tests like TOEFL/IELTS/PTE/MELAB etc. This is applicable even if the student has studied in Canada.
Proof of funds: Proof of sufficient funds must be shown before settling in Canada containing bank statements. In case someone is already living in Canada with a valid permit, they can skip this step.
Additional documents: The checklist should be checked thoroughly to confirm the additional documents required.

Candidates also need settlement plans before moving to Canada after securing a job. A settlement plan will help a candidate adjust to their new home in Atlantic Canada along with their family. If a candidate is already in Canada, they should get in touch with a service provider in the region through their designated employer. If someone is outside Canada, they can be assisted through service providers through their employers.

After securing a settlement plan, the next step is to get a certificate of endorsement. The employer will take care of this. If the province endorses the job offer, the candidate will receive a Certificate of Endorsement in the mail. The endorsement should be included with the permanent residence application.

Atlantic Immigration Program: PR Application

Aspirants need to apply for permanent residence if they want to take part in the Atlantic Immigration Program in Canada. The steps are as follows:

The candidate must first check out conditions, eligibility criteria, fees and process to apply online through the official website.
The document checklist should be used to cover the application package.
The offer of employment letter to a foreign national must be filled out and submitted along with application on the official website.
After completing the forms, the fees for applying to the program must be paid. More information regarding fees can be found on the official website.
The application, after it has been filled completely, must be submitted to the address in the instruction guide.

Atlantic Immigration Program: Securing a Job Offer

Job offers can be secured in any of the four provinces in the Atlantic region of Canada. The following conditions must be met to secure a job offer.

The job should be full time and non-seasonal. The candidate will have to work for 30 paid hours per week and they should secure consistent employment and work effectively in a maintained schedule throughout the entire period.
For NOC 0, A and B type of jobs, the employer must offer a job of at least 1 year of duration, which will be 1 year from the time a candidate becomes a permanent resident.
In case of NOC C level of jobs, permanent employment should be offered. There is no set end date for this kind of employment.
The participant’s degree should correspond to the type of job they will be securing. The job should be on the same skill level as the degree the candidate has, or it can be even higher.
For certain health care sectors, candidates need not conform to the point mentioned above. Participants can secure jobs below their qualifications.

Atlantic Immigration Program: Temporary Work Permit

After meeting the necessary requirements, a candidate is eligible to apply for a temporary work permit. This lets the applicant stay in the country while the permanent residence form will be issued.

The temporary work permit is valid for one year.
It lets the candidate work for the employer they have applied to.
A candidate is required to submit a permanent residence application 90 days within the issue of the temporary work permit.
To apply for a temporary work permit, a candidate must have a job offer from a designated employer and a referral letter from the Atlantic province they will be working for.

What are the documents required for a temporary work permit? The following documents are required to apply for a temporary work permit.

A job offer number from a designated employer.
A referral letter from the Atlantic province they will be working in.
Signed forms, which are required for applying to the program.
Test results from language tests.
Academic credentials.
Work experience proof.

Atlantic Immigration Program: Application Decision

After submitting the application, the committee goes through the following steps to ensure that the process is being conducted smoothly.

The province will check if the participant has filled the application form correctly and provided all the necessary documents.
Then they will contact the applicant for fingerprints and photos in the expected format.
An interview might be conducted if required and more documents can be asked for.
The applicant should provide personal details about their family including mariage, divorce and separation, custody of children (if any), death of an applicant and contact information updates.
The participant must pay the biometric fee during application. The candidate has 30 days from the date on the letter to provide biometrics.
After collecting the biometrics, the application review process starts. The candidate and their family members should undergo a medical examination before they arrive in Canada.
After that, the information is verified. If any of the information is found incorrect, the Government of Canada retains the right to prevent the candidate from entering the country and they can even be barred from the application for upto 5 years.
Lastly, a formal decision is made on the application. The eligibility criteria and the information entered is checked and a decision is communicated to the applicant as soon as possible.
If the application is rejected in any case, the applicant will receive a letter. To be reconsidered, the candidate will need to fill out a fresh application and meet the eligibility requirements.

Atlantic Immigration Program: Approved Application

Upon receiving the application, the province will send the participant a confirmation of permanent residence (COPR) a permanent residence visa. The COPR will have all the necessary information about the candidate. If a candidate is already in Canada, the organization will contact them and let them know about the next steps.

The candidate will need to make an appointment at one of the offices in Canada and go to a Canadian port of entry. Here, the applicant will need to provide proof of funds to support themselves and their family, COPR and permanent residence visa. An interview is also required. If a participant is from outside Canada, they need to follow the steps stated below.

A valid passport and immgration documents.
The confirmation of permanent residence (COPR).
A permanent residence visa (if issued) or an electronic travel organization (which is required from a visa-exempt country).
Proof of fund to support oneself and their family.

After the candidate arrives in Canada, their identity is checked thoroughly. An officer from the Canada Services Border Agency (CSBA) makes sure that the candidate has carried all the documents and is eligible to enter the country. Passport, travel documents are checked and a few questions are asked.

In case of false information, the candidate will not be allowed inside the country. If they are admissible, they will be allowed to enter as a permanent resident. They will need a settlement plan to stay in the country further and provide information for the same.