The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is one of the skilled-worker pathways to Canadian permanent residence that Vietnamese workers are most interested in today. It is a program that brings workers and international graduates to live and work long-term in 4 Atlantic provinces: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. The core requirement of the program is that you need a job offer from a designated employer in the province. In the article below, the My Second World team will provide a full analysis of the conditions, process and the most important notes.
Atlantic Immigration Program là gì?
Theo Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Atlantic Immigration Program is a pathway to permanent residence (PR) for foreign skilled workers and international graduates from a Canadian educational institution who want to work and settle in one of the 4 Atlantic provinces. Unlike many other streams, this program is employer-centred: you must have a real job before applying for permanent residence.
Atlantic Canada consists of 4 coastal provinces in the east: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. This is a region with a smaller population, where the labour market needs additional workers in many industries. As a result, the provinces worked with the federal government to build a dedicated program to attract and retain skilled workers for long-term settlement.
The role of the designated employer
At the heart of the Atlantic Immigration Program is the designated employer — an employer that has been “designated” by the provincial government to take part in the program. You are required to receive a job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada in order to take part. The employer must register and be designated in the province where you will work; if you will work in multiple provinces, the employer must be designated in all of them.
One very important point for employers: this program does not require an LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment). This is a major difference from many other pathways involving a job offer for Canadian immigration , which reduces paperwork and shortens the timeline for both sides. To be designated, an employer must comply with immigration law, labour law, and occupational health and safety, and complete intercultural competency training before applying for designation with the province.
Becoming a designated employer costs nothing, and the employer only needs to register once with the province rather than reapplying for each candidate. This means that when job hunting, you should prioritize companies that already hold “designated” status to shorten your pathway.
Candidate requirements for the Atlantic Immigration Program
To be eligible for the Atlantic Immigration Program, you must meet requirements for work experience, language, education and a number of other criteria at the same time. Below are the details of each group of requirements.
Work experience
Theo the IRCC eligibility page, you need to have accumulated at least 1 year of work experience (a minimum of 1,560 hours, equivalent to 30 hours/week) within the past 5 years in your main occupation. The experience may be full-time or the cumulative equivalent of part-time work. Eligible occupations range from management, professional occupations requiring a degree, technical and skilled trades occupations, to intermediate-level jobs.
Under the National Occupational Classification (NOC), experience is counted at TEER levels 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 (under NOC 2021). One notable advantage is that graduates who have just completed a recognized post-secondary program in Atlantic Canada may be exempt from this experience requirement, opening up an opportunity for the international student group as well.
Language proficiency
The language requirement depends on the skill level of the job offer. For jobs at TEER level 0, 1, 2 or 3, you need to achieve a minimum of CLB 5 in all 4 skills — listening, speaking, reading and writing. For jobs at TEER level 4, the requirement drops to CLB 4 for all 4 skills. You can refer to the article on the English test for Canadian immigration to prepare properly for IELTS or CELPIP.
CLB (Canadian Language Benchmark) is Canada’s standard language proficiency scale. This is often the biggest practical hurdle for Vietnamese workers, so the My Second World team recommends that you start studying early and take practice tests to know your current level accurately before planning your application.
Education
Regarding education, if the job offer is at a higher skill level (management or a professional occupation requiring a degree), you must hold a post-secondary credential of 1 year or more. This credential must be either a Canadian credential or a foreign credential accompanied by an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). The ECA is a mandatory procedure to prove that a Vietnamese credential is equivalent to the Canadian education system, so it should be done as early as possible.
In addition, you need to prove you have sufficient funds to settle together with family members during the initial period after arriving in Canada, unless you are already living and working there legally. Refer to the article on proof of funds for Canadian immigration for specific amounts.
Job offer requirements in the Atlantic Immigration Program
A job offer is an indispensable requirement. According to IRCC, the job offer must meet the following criteria: it is provided by a designated employer, it is a full-time job (at least 30 paid hours of work per week), and it is non-seasonal . The stability of the job is the key factor the program is aimed at.
The duration of the job offer is also set according to the skill level. For occupations at TEER level 0, 1, 2 or 3, the job usually must have a duration of at least 1 year from the date you become a permanent resident. For occupations at TEER level 4, the job usually needs to be a permanent (indefinite) contract. The job offer must be at a skill level equal to or higher than the work experience you are using to qualify.
| Factor | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Source of job offer | A designated employer in one of the 4 Atlantic provinces |
| Working hours | Full-time, at least 30 hours/week |
| Nature | Non-seasonal |
| LMIA | Not required |
| Skill level | Equal to or higher than the experience being used |
Endorsement và settlement plan
After obtaining a valid job offer, you need two more important pieces. The first is endorsement (a provincial confirmation letter). Before submitting your application to IRCC, you must receive an endorsement from one of the 4 Atlantic provinces. Each province has its own endorsement process and procedure, so you need to work closely with the employer and the relevant provincial authority.
The second is settlement plan (a settlement plan). You must receive a personalized settlement plan from a settlement service provider organization. This organization will talk with you and your family to understand your needs, then build a plan to help you integrate into your new life: finding housing, schools, healthcare services and employment for accompanying family members. This is a step that clearly reflects the program’s “long-term retention” spirit.
Once you have the job offer, endorsement and settlement plan, you may then officially submit your application for permanent residence to IRCC. Refer to the article on what a Canadian immigration application needs to prepare a complete set of documents and avoid missing items that could slow down your progress.
Comparing the Atlantic Immigration Program with the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Many people easily confuse the Atlantic Immigration Program with the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) because both are tied to a specific province. However, these are two different mechanisms. The PNP is a program in which each province designs its own streams, which may or may not require a job offer, and many streams are linked to the Express Entry system. Meanwhile, the AIP is a federal program run in coordination with the 4 Atlantic provinces, and it always makes a designated employer a mandatory condition.
In terms of operation, the AIP is considered to have a lighter procedure for businesses since it does not require an LMIA, while also adding a mandatory settlement plan element — something most PNP streams do not have. In return, the AIP’s participating region is limited to the 4 Atlantic provinces, while the PNP covers most of Canada’s provinces and territories.
| Tiêu chí | Atlantic Immigration Program | PNP |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | 4 Atlantic provinces | Most provinces and territories |
| Job offer | Mandatory, from a designated employer | Depends on the stream, may not be required |
| LMIA | Not required | Depends on the stream |
| Settlement plan | Mandatory | Usually not mandatory |
| Link to Express Entry | Not direct | Yes (enhanced streams) |
If you are from certain Atlantic provinces, you may consider both directions. For example, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia both have their own provincial nominee systems running alongside the AIP, so choosing the optimal path should be based on your specific profile (occupation, language score, potential employer).
Step-by-step process for joining the Atlantic Immigration Program
To help you visualize the pathway clearly, the My Second World team summarizes the program’s main steps as follows:
- Self-assess your eligibility: check your work experience, CLB score, education, and which TEER group your occupation falls under.
- Find a designated employer: prioritize businesses that already hold designated status in your target province.
- Receive a valid job offer: full-time, non-seasonal, at the right skill level.
- Hoàn thành settlement plan: work with a settlement service organization to get a personalized plan.
- Apply for provincial endorsement: submit according to each province’s own process.
- Submit your permanent residence application to IRCC: together with complete documents, a medical exam and a police certificate.
Throughout the process, choosing the right employer and the right province is decisive. Some provinces have an active labour market in healthcare, seafood processing, accommodation services and construction — well suited to many Vietnamese workers. You should research carefully about skilled worker immigration to Canada to identify the occupation and province with the highest chance of success for your profile.
Advice for you
The Atlantic Immigration Program is a practical and clear option for skilled workers who want to settle in Canada through a specific job, especially since it does not require an LMIA and offers structured settlement support. However, the success of your application depends heavily on finding the right designated employer, meeting the exact language level required, and preparing accurate documents. You should start with two things as early as possible: taking a practice test to know your current CLB score, and completing an ECA credential assessment.
The program’s conditions and process may be adjusted from year to year and vary among the 4 provinces, so you should always check against official information from IRCC before making a decision. My Second World’s team of immigration consultants is ready to accompany you in assessing your profile, building an occupation strategy and connecting you to the most suitable pathway. Please contact us for detailed advice tailored to your personal situation.
