How to Apply for the Atlantic Immigration Program: Step-by-Step

The Atlantic Immigration Program application is not a single form you fill out and submit. It's a three-phase process involving the candidate, a provincial government office, and IRCC — each with its own requirements and timeline. Getting one stage wrong can mean losing your place in the provincial queue for the year.

Here's how the process actually works.

Phase 1: Secure a Job Offer from a Designated Employer

Everything in the AIP starts with the employer. You cannot apply without a job offer from an employer the province has already designated. This is not negotiable.

Find a designated employer. Each province maintains its own list. PEI publishes a regularly updated online list with over 360 employers. Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador publish PDFs. New Brunswick's list is also available in PDF format, though inclusion doesn't guarantee the employer is currently hiring.

Verify current designation status. Employer designation can lapse or be revoked. Always confirm directly with the provincial immigration office (not just the employer) that the designation is active before investing time in an application.

The job offer requirements. Once you find a willing designated employer, the offer must:

• Be full-time (at least 30 paid hours per week)
• Be non-seasonal (year-round, with no defined end date for TEER 4 roles; at least one year for TEER 0–3)
• Match the regional prevailing wage for the specific NOC code (verified via the federal Job Bank)
• Be made on the required AIP federal form — either IMM 5650 or the newer IMM 0157

A standard employment contract alone is not sufficient for the endorsement stage. The employer must complete the specific government form.

Approach non-designated employers. Many suitable employers haven't gone through the designation process simply because they don't know it exists. If you have an employer willing to hire you but they're not designated, they can apply to the province for designation — it's a one-time process and costs nothing in provincial fees. You can share the provincial guidelines with them and explain the settlement plan commitment they'll need to make.

Phase 2: Complete the Settlement Plan

Before the endorsement application is submitted, you and any family members over 18 must complete a Needs and Assets Assessment and Referral Services (NAARS) intake with an approved Settlement Service Provider Organization (SPO). This step is unique to the AIP — no other Canadian PR pathway requires it.

Finding an SPO. IRCC maintains a list of approved SPOs for each province. Examples: ISANS in Nova Scotia, the YMCA in New Brunswick, Association for New Canadians in Newfoundland. If you're outside Canada, pre-arrival SPOs such as S.U.C.C.E.S.S. or the YMCA's pre-arrival program can conduct the assessment virtually.

What the SPO meeting covers. The intake is essentially a structured conversation about your integration needs: housing options, language training, access to healthcare, schooling for children, and local services. It is not a test or an interview that you can fail. The SPO produces a written settlement plan based on your responses.

What to bring. At minimum: your passport, language test results, your educational credentials, and information about your job offer. Some SPOs ask for your ECA report if you have one.

Employer co-signature. Once the plan is drafted, your employer must co-sign it, acknowledging they've reviewed it and will support the goals outlined. The province will not accept an endorsement application without this.

The service is free to the applicant.

Phase 3: Provincial Endorsement Application

This is the employer's stage. The employer submits the endorsement application through the provincial portal:

• Nova Scotia: LaMPSS (migrated to this system in May 2025)
• New Brunswick: INB Portal
• PEI: eServices PEI
• Newfoundland and Labrador: Immigration Accelerator

The province reviews:

1. The employer's designation status and compliance record
2. The job offer against TEER, wage, and hours requirements
3. The applicant's work experience, language, and education
4. The mandatory recruitment activities (unless you're already working for the employer)
5. The completed settlement plan

Provincial endorsement processing typically takes 4–8 weeks. If approved, you receive a Certificate of Endorsement. If there are issues, the province may issue a procedural fairness letter giving you a chance to respond before a refusal.

Endorsements are subject to provincial allocation caps. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have both historically hit their quotas before year-end, meaning a complete application submitted in October might not be reviewed until the next annual cycle. Submit as early in the calendar year as possible if timing is a concern.

Optional: Apply for a C18 Work Permit

If you're outside Canada or on a permit that's about to expire, you can apply for a temporary work permit while your PR is in process. The AIP provides access to an LMIA-exempt work permit under the C18 exemption code.

To apply for this work permit, you need three documents in addition to the standard work permit application:

1. Provincial Referral Letter — issued alongside your Certificate of Endorsement
2. IMM 0156 Undertaking — your signed commitment to apply for PR within 90 days of the work permit submission
3. Offer of Employment Number — generated by your employer through the IRCC Employer Portal after paying the $230 employer compliance fee

Important clarification: AIP endorsees are not eligible for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP). The C18 is a closed, employer-specific permit valid for two years. If you change employers during processing, you must notify the province and may need a new endorsement.

The work permit application fee is $155.

Phase 4: Federal PR Application

Once you have the Certificate of Endorsement in hand, you submit your PR application through the IRCC Online Permanent Residence Portal under the Atlantic Immigration Program stream.

Documents required:

• Certificate of Endorsement (must be valid at submission)
• IMM 0008 (Generic Application Form) and Schedule A
• IMM 5501 (Economic Classes form for AIP)
• IMM 0157 (Offer of Employment, completed by employer)
• Language test results (less than 2 years old at time of submission)
• ECA report for foreign credentials (less than 5 years old)
• Police certificates from every country where you've lived for 6+ months since age 18
• Medical exam results from an IRCC-approved panel physician
• Proof of settlement funds (if not already working in Canada)

Processing time. IRCC's service standard is 6–12 months, but real-world processing has ranged widely. As of early 2026, some applications have taken up to 33 months. Applicants already in Canada, particularly those who've lived in smaller communities for two years, may benefit from the federal accelerated initiative announced in April 2026.

Biometrics. Required as part of the process. Fees: $85 per individual, $170 maximum for families. Expect a period of silence after biometrics — background and security checks run through multiple agencies and are invisible to the applicant.

For province-specific details on the endorsement process, designated employer lists, and what to prepare for the SPO settlement interview, the Canada Atlantic Immigration Program Guide covers each province's current priorities and process.