Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)

What is the AIP (Atlantic Immigration Program)?

The Atlantic Immigration Program of Canada, better known as the AIP, is a fast-track Canada skilled immigration program specially tailored for employers to hire qualified workers such as yourself.

The program intends to make the economic immigration process easier. Under the AIP, employers are not required to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), making the immigration process much simpler. Once you, the candidate, confirm their employment offer, the employer will connect you with an approved organization that will assist you and your family in relocating to Canada. At this stage, you will be set up with an individualized relocation plan. When you arrive, the employer will also assist you and your family.

Depending on your qualifications, the AIP Canada skilled immigration program allows you to immigrate to four of the most amazing provinces in all of Canada.

One of the four provinces you might be able to immigrate to is the beautiful province of New Brunswick. An adventurous province it is, where people kayak above the highest tides in the world, in the Bay of Fundy, go hiking and skiing in Mount Carleton Provincial Park, and go up to the historic Swallowtail light station standing high and tall among the rocks, this is surely one place anyone would want to move to. 

On the other hand, the three other provinces that you have the possibility to migrate to are Nova Scotia, which is known for its amazing lobster, fish, blueberries, and apples; Newfoundland & Labrador, home to the scenic Gros Morne National Park; and Prince Edward Island is known for its white-sand beaches. Imagine being able to immigrate to places like these, which is all possible with the help of Great North Visa to guide you through the rigid process of migrating. 

Three Types of Immigration Programs

The Atlantic Immigration Program Canada (AIP Canada) offers three different types of Visa Programs:

Atlantic International Graduate Program

AIP Canada’s Atlantic International Graduate Program is a one-of-a-kind immigration option for people who graduated internationally that are eligible in educational institutions in Atlantic Canada. This program permits graduates to submit an application for permanent residency without acquiring prior work experience. 

Atlantic High-Skilled Program

Unlike the Atlantic International Graduate Program, you are required to work for 1 year at the least, which is 30 hours per week or a total of 1,560 hours in a span of 3 years. As long as it adds up to 1,560 hours, you could work full time, not continuously or even part-time. 

Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program

Like the Atlantic High Skilled Program, you are required to have accumulated a total of 1,560 hours in work hours. With that being said, there are two different ways you can use the work experience you’ve accumulated to qualify for the Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program. 

The first option is by having work experience at the National Occupational Classification (NOC) and receiving a skilled level C classification. NOC skill level C, are jobs like long-haul truck drivers, industrial butchers, as well as food and beverage servers, and basically, jobs that require you to have at least a secondary school education. 

The second option is having work experience in jobs such as a registered nurse, registered psychiatric nurse, etc., or have received job offers such as nurse’s aide or home support worker. 

There is a possibility that you might be eligible for more than one of these visa immigration programs, but you can apply for only one. If still unsure which of these programs is the right program for you, message us here at Great North Visa for us to guide you through this process. 

Atlantic Immigration Program Requirements

Depending on the program you’ve applied to, there will be a slight difference in the requirements. Let us walk you through the different requirements that you may need for your successful visa application. 

Educational Requirements:

1. For you to apply for AIP’s Graduate Program, you are required to have at least completed a minimum two-year course. This would also imply that you have acquired at least one of the following: a certificate, trade, diploma, apprenticeship credential from a known institution funded by the public in Atlantic Canada.
2. Another requirement is for you to have been a full-time student in Canada for at least 2 years.
3. You also have to be a graduate 2 years prior to your application date. 
4. You are also required to have lived in one of the Atlantic Provinces for a minimum of 16 months within the 2 years prior to your graduation. 
5. Lastly, you have had a work, study, or training visa in Canada. 

Language Requirements:

This entails that you’ve successfully scored a level 4 or higher in the Canadian Language Benchmark Exam. This test is valid as long as it is under 2 years old. 

Proof of Funds: 

Having enough money to be able to support yourself and/or your family is essential when you get to Canada. The amount of money needed is dependent on the size of your family. This also includes a family member you may be supporting, even if he/she may not be migrating with you, but if you have a work permit and are already living and working in Canada, a show of proof is no longer needed. 

Getting a Job Offer:

When getting a job offer, it must meet certain requirements like:

1. The job offer was established using the Offer of Employment to a Foreign National
2. This said employer is part of the AIP and is residing within the Atlantic Provinces.
3. This must be a full-time job, which means that you will work a minimum of 30 hours per week. 
4. The job is classified by the National Occupational Classification (NOC) as type 0, A, B, or C. 
5. The contract will last at least 1 year.

AIP Eligibility 

If you are still confused with the several requirements you need to be eligible for a program, feel free to message us at Great North Visa for questions you might be contemplating on. 

Once you’ve completed these Atlantic Immigration Program requirements, then this would mean you have obtained AIP eligibility and are one step closer to immigrating to Canada. 

How to Apply

Once all of your documents and requirements have been completed, and you are sure about the program that you’ve chosen based on your previous work experience, then it is time to start filing your application. You can start doing this by:

• Make a checklist of all the forms and documents that you need to submit.
• Make sure that your employer, as well as you, fill up the respective forms for the program you choose to apply to. Here is a list of the forms that you may need to fill up:

1. Generic Application Form For Canada
2. Additional Dependants/Declaration 
3. Economic Class – Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)
4. Additional Family Information
5. Supplementary Information- Your travels
6. Separation Declaration for Minors Travelling to Canada
7. Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union
8. Use of a representative

After filling up the respective forms, pay your fees.
Then lastly, submit your application to AIP Canada and hope your application gets approved.

Applying to live in Canada is an exciting journey but one that requires a thorough understanding of the immigration process, bureaucratic procedures, costs, and legalities. This might make us question if this is all worth the time, money, and effort. Some of you could be wanting to move to Canada for a change of pace, as it could be a place of better opportunities. Some might say that migrating will give their families a better future, and some just want to move to Canada because they’ve always dreamed of living there.

We recognize the fact that not everyone has the time, patience, or ability to prepare everything they need, so we’re happy to provide a wide range of services that could cater to your needs. Contact an immigration professional from our team today to discover your AIP eligibility and further options for Canadian immigration.

Great North Visa offers immigration consultancy services to clients around the world. With a successful track record and a strong team of certified RCIC agents, we are here to accompany you towards achieving your goals. Contact us today for a free consultation about our services and your options.