Atlantic Immigration Program Eligibility 2026

Frequently asked questions

How do I find a province-designated employer?

Each province publishes its list on its immigration website. New Brunswick's is on gnb.ca, Nova Scotia's is on liveinnovascotia.com, Prince Edward Island's is on princeedwardisland.ca, and Newfoundland and Labrador's is on gov.nl.ca/immigration. The lists are updated periodically, and not every job at a designated employer qualifies. You can also ask any Atlantic employer you are interested in whether they are AIP-designated. Most HR departments know.

Does AIP go through Express Entry or is it a separate process?

AIP is a separate federal program, not a stream within Express Entry. You apply directly to IRCC once you have a job offer, settlement plan, and province endorsement. There is no Express Entry pool, CRS score, or cutoff. AIP is requirements-based, so if you meet the criteria and have a designated employer offer, you are in. It is a parallel federal PR pathway that does not benefit from Express Entry ITAs or category-based draws.

How long does AIP actually take?

Two stages. Provincial endorsement runs to the timeline shown on this page for your destination province, and you then have 180 days to submit the federal PR application. Federal processing is the longer half by far, and it moves. IRCC's published time for AIP shifted by more than a year within a single quarter. Read the current figure off our live processing-times page rather than trusting any fixed end-to-end estimate.

What happens if I move out of Atlantic Canada after landing?

Once you are a permanent resident, you can move anywhere in Canada under the Charter's mobility rights. There is no legal penalty for leaving Atlantic Canada after landing. However, the program is designed around retention. Moving out within the first year or two undermines the purpose and may affect your ability to sponsor future employees or family members through AIP in the future. The settlement plan also commits you to engaging with services in Atlantic Canada during your first year.

How does this calculator work?

AIP has no streams: the three Atlantic Immigration Pilot programs closed when the program became permanent in January 2022. Requirements now follow the NOC TEER category of your job offer: CLB 5 for a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 offer and CLB 4 for TEER 4; a one-year post-secondary credential for TEER 0 or 1 and a high school diploma for TEER 2, 3 or 4; and 1,560 hours of related work experience over the past 5 years. Graduating from a 2-year Atlantic credential within the last 2 years waives the work-experience requirement only. Every other requirement still applies. Enter your destination province, education level, months of qualifying experience, the TEER category of your job offer, and your CLB or NCLC level, and the calculator checks each requirement plus the two universal gates, namely a designated employer offer and a completed settlement plan.