Everything You Need to Know About the Atlantic Pilot Program
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP) was developed for employers in the Atlantic provinces – Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Prince Edward Island – to hire foreign skilled workers and recent international graduates who want to live and work in the Maritimes.
This program is designed for the sole use of Employers who are designated under the program to be able to recruit and hire workers with the skills, education and work experience to contribute to the local economy.
There are three programs in the pilot that employers can hire you through. Although you may qualify for more than one program, you can only apply through one.
The three programs are:
- Atlantic International Graduate Program
- Atlantic High-Skilled Program
- Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program
All three programs require you to show proof that you meet the language, education and work experience requirements and that you have enough money to support you and your family when you come to Canada.
Atlantic International Graduate Program
If you’ve lived and studied in one of the Atlantic provinces, you may be eligible to apply under the Atlantic International Graduate Program.
Are You Eligible?
To qualify, you must have lived in an Atlantic province for at least 16 months in the two years before getting your degree, diploma or credential, meet the education requirements, take a language test to show you can communicate in English or French and show that you have enough money to support yourself and your family in Canada.
Education Requirements
The education requirement state you must have at least a 2-year degree, diploma, certificate, or trade or apprenticeship credential from a recognized publicly-funded institution in an Atlantic province. And have been a full-time student for the entire duration of your studies. You also need to have graduated from this institution in the 24 months before your permanent resident application is received and had the visa or permit you needed to work, study or train in Canada.
Atlantic High-Skilled Program
This program is aimed at skilled workers with management, professional or technical/skilled job experience. If you have a job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada for a full-time position of at least 30 hours per week, you may qualify for this program.
Program Eligibility Requirements
Work
You must have worked for at least one year within the last three years. It can be full-time, non-continuous, or part-time, as long as it adds up to 1,560 hours. The work must be in one occupation (but can be with different employers), paid, and at skill type/level 0, A, or B of the National Occupational Classification (NOC). Your experience can be gained inside or outside of Canada.
Education
You must have one of the following:
- a Canadian secondary (high school) or post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree
- a foreign degree, diploma or certificate, equal to a Canadian credential. You’ll need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report from a recognized organization to show your credential is valid and equal to a Canadian credential.
Language
You must take one of the language tests approved. The test shows you can communicate in English or French well enough to live and work in Canada.
Proof of Funds
You need to have enough money to support yourself and your family when you get to Canada. If you’re already living and working in Canada with a valid work permit, you don’t need to show proof of funds.
Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program
This program is aimed at candidates for jobs requiring a high school education and/or job-specific training. You will need to have a job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada for a full-time position of at least 30 hours per week to qualify for this program.
Additional Eligibility Requirements
- You must have a job full-time offer that is from an AIP-designated employer in an Atlantic province that is a skill type/level 0, A, B or C and is permanent. The offer must be made using the correct federal government form.
- You must have worked for at least one year within the last three years. It can be full-time, non-continuous, or part-time, as long as it adds up to 1,560 hours.
- You must have a Canadian secondary (high school) or post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree, or a foreign degree, diploma, certificate, or trade or apprenticeship education credential. You will need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to make sure your foreign degree is valid and equal to a Canadian credential.
- You must core at least a level 4 in the Canadian Language Benchmark exam in English or the Niveaux de Compétence Linguistique Canadiens in French.
Other Ways to Immigrate to Atlantic Canada
- Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee Program
- New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program
- Newfoundland & Labrador Provincial Nominee Program
- Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program
Not sure if this is the program for you? Complete our Consultation Questionnaire so we can help you determine the best fit for your situation.
What You Need to Know About the Skilled Worker Program
The Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program is a part of the Express Entry process. This program is an immigration option for people who are selected to come to Canada because of their work experience and skills.
Skilled workers are chosen as permanent residents based on their education, work experience, knowledge of English and/or French, and other factors. These things often help them succeed in Canada.
This program has minimum requirements for skilled work experience, language ability, and education. You must meet all the minimum requirements to be eligible.
Work Experience Requirements
To immigrate to Canada under the Skilled Worker program, your work experience must be either Skill Type 0, Skill Level A or Skill Level B on the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC).
Your work experience must be paid, full-time (30 hours per week) or the equivalent hours part-time. You must have had that work experience during the last 10 years.
These limits do not apply if you have a permanent job offer.
Proof of Funds
You must show that you have enough money for you and your family to settle in Canada unless you are currently able to legally work in Canada or have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada.
How much money you’ll need to support your family depends on the size of your family. To calculate the size of your family you must include
- yourself
- your spouse or partner
- your dependent children
- your spouse’s dependent children
If you believe you are interested in the Federal Skilled Worker program, contact us today!
Get to Know the Alberta Opportunity Stream
The Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS) is a pathway to permanent residence in Canada for migrants working in Alberta and international graduates who have completed their studies at an approved Alberta post-secondary institution.
If you’re interested in the AOS, there are a number of eligibility requirements you must meet in the following categories’
- Residency status and work permit
- Occupation
- Language
- Education
- Work experience
Each category has specific requirements that applicants must be met at the time your application is postmarked and at the time the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) assesses your application. Here are some of the details you should know before applying.
Residency Status and Work Permit Requirements
You must have a valid work permit for an eligible occupation to apply for AOS. Valid work permits are based on one of the following:
- a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
- an LMIA exemption for workers based on one of the following exemptions as determined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC):
- international trade agreements
- workers transferred within a company
- International Experience Canada
- Mobilité Francophone
- Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holder
Post-Graduation Work Permit holders must also meet additional education and occupation requirements:
- Your current occupation must be related to your field of study in Alberta.
- If you are admitted and enrolled in your Alberta credential program before April 1, 2019, your credential must be issued by an Alberta Advanced Education approved Alberta public and private post-secondary institution and must be one of the following Alberta Advanced Education approved credentials:
- certificate or post-graduate certificate (minimum one year in length)
- diploma program (minimum 2 years in length)
- undergraduate bachelor’s degree
- graduate-level degree
- graduate-level certificate
- graduate-level diploma
Ineligible applicants
The following people cannot apply for the Alberta Opportunity Stream:
- Refugee claimants or individuals involved in a federal appeal or removal process.
- Temporary residents living or working in a province or territory of Canada other than Alberta.
- Migrants living or working in Canada who do not have valid temporary resident status.
Occupation requirements
To be considered for AOS, you must:
- work in an eligible occupation in Alberta
- work in an occupation that matches your previous work experience
If you are unsure whether your occupation is on this list contact our team of experienced RCICs for an initial consultation at info@activeprofessionals.com.
Language requirements
It is important that you are able to demonstrate you meet the following language test score in English or French:
- Canadian Benchmark (CLB) test score required a minimum of 4 for each English language skill, or
- Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) test score required a minimum of 4 for each French language skill
If you apply to the AINP under NOC code 3413 (Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates), the AINP requires a minimum language test score of:
- CLB of 7 for each English language skill, or
- NCLC of 7 for each French language skill
You must provide your official test results with your AINP application for one of the following language tests:
- Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) General Test
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) General Training Test
- Test d’évaluation de français (TEF)
- Test de connaissance du français (TCF)
Official test results will need to be less than two years old when you submit your application. The AINP will not accept confirmation of registration to take a language test in place of a test result.
Check the federal guideline on CLB/NCLC equivalency for each of the tests.
Education requirements
Eligible applicants
At the time your application is postmarked you must have completed a minimum of high school education in your country of origin.
Post-Graduation Work Permit holders
Post-Graduation Work Permit holders must meet additional education and occupation requirements:
- Your current occupation must be related to your field of study in Alberta.
If you are admitted and enrolled in your Alberta credential program before April 1, 2019, your credential must be issued by an Alberta Advanced Education approved Alberta public and private post-secondary institution and must be one of the following Alberta Advanced Education approved credentials:
- certificate or post-graduate certificate (minimum one year in length)
- diploma program (minimum 2 years in length)
- undergraduate bachelor’s degree
- graduate-level degree
- graduate-level certificate
- graduate-level diploma
If you are admitted and enrolled in your Alberta credential program on or after April 1, 2019, your credential must be on the Alberta Opportunity Stream List of Alberta Advanced Education Approved Post-Secondary Credentials.
Work experience requirements
Your “current occupation” is the occupation you are working in at the time your application is postmarked to the AINP.
Your current occupation must also match your work experience at the time your application is postmarked and at the time the AINP assesses your application.
Qualifying work experience
At the time your application is postmarked you must have either:
- a minimum of 12 months full-time work experience in your current occupation in Alberta within the last 18 months; or
- a minimum of 24 months of full-time work experience in your current occupation in Canada and/or abroad within the last 30 months
- This work experience can be a combination of experience gained in Alberta, in Canada (outside Alberta) and/or abroad.
- Post-Graduation Work Permit holders require a minimum of 6 months of full-time work experience in your current occupation in Alberta within the last 18 months.
This occupation must be related to your field of study in Alberta of your Alberta Advanced Education approved credential at an Advanced Education approved Alberta public and private post-secondary institution.
If you are admitted and enrolled in your Alberta credential program on or after April 1, 2019, and you completed an Advanced Education-approved one-year post-graduate certificate, your occupation must also be related to your previous undergraduate or graduate field of study outside Canada.
Work experience in the qualifying period:
- must have been full-time, for a minimum of 30 hours a week
- must be for the same occupation as your current occupation
- must have been authorized by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and with valid temporary resident status if completed in Alberta or Canada
- cannot have been gained while studying in Canada and doing co-op work placements or internships as part of a study program*
*There is an exception to this rule if you are a Post-Graduation Work Permit holder. Work experience completed during paid co-op work terms that were part of a program of study at an Alberta post-secondary institution can be used to meet the work experience criteria with the following conditions:
- the paid co-op work term was full-time (minimum 30 hours per week)
- the work experience is directly related to your current occupation
- the work experience was all gained in Alberta
You must have the required licensing, registration or certification to work in your current occupation in Alberta at the time your application is postmarked and at the time the AINP assesses your application for nomination
If you are working in a compulsory trade in Alberta you must have a valid Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Trade (AIT) recognized trade certificate.
Eligible job offers
At the time your application is postmarked and at the time the AINP assesses your application for nomination, you must have a bona fide full-time job offer or employment contract from an Alberta employer to work in your current occupation in Alberta.
Your Alberta employer must be incorporated or registered by or under an act of the legislature of a province, territory, or the Parliament of Canada and operating as a business that has an established production capability, plant or place of business in Alberta.
Your job offer or employment contract must be signed by you and your Alberta employer and must offer:
- continuous paid work
- full-time work, defined as a minimum of 30 hours/week
- employment for 12 months or more
- work in your current occupation
- wages and benefits that meet provincial minimum wage and:
- meet or exceed the requirements set out in your LMIA, or
- if you are LMIA exempt, meet or exceed minimum the starting wage for your occupation across all industries in Alberta as set out on the Alis website
- work for an eligible AINP occupation for which you have a work permit that meets AINP work permit requirements
You must meet the terms agreed to in your job offer or employment contract at the time of application and assessment.
Ineligible applicants
The following individuals are not eligible, even if they have a job offer to work 30 hours a week or more in a 12-month period:
- part-time or casual employees, regardless of their working hours
- independent contractors, business owners or temporary agency workers, including individuals listed as Directors, Shareholders or Agents of the Alberta employer on the Corporate Registry System (CORES)
- employees who work in Alberta in a place of employment that is not zoned for commercial or industrial operations, such as a home-based business
- employees who do not work on premises in Alberta, such as those who work in a “virtual” location or serve the employer by telecommuting from a location outside Alberta
