Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has launched a new permanent residence pilot program for skilled foreign nationals and international student graduates in the Atlantic provinces (which include Labrador, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island), called the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP). IRCC will accept 2,000 applications for the program in 2017.

The program includes the following three streams:

• Atlantic High-skilled Program (AHSP)
• Atlantic Intermediate-skilled Program (AISP)
• Atlantic International Graduate Program (AIGP)

Temporary Work Permit and Application Process
While their permanent residence application is being processed, applicants who receive a job offer from an employer and a Referral Letter issued by one of the Atlantic Provinces are eligible to apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment-exempt work permit valid for one year or until the expiry of the travel document, whichever is earlier. Further information on the application process is available on the IRCC website.

IRCC aims to process 80% of complete applications in six months or less.

Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for any of the three streams, the applicant must meet the following requirements:

• Provincial endorsement from one of the Atlantic Provinces;
• Education;
• Language;
• Work experience;
• A secured job offer from a designated employer;
• Sufficient settlement funds; and
• Intent to reside in the endorsing province.

What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals
The new permanent residence pilot program should benefit eligible foreign nationals who otherwise would not be eligible to apply under other federal and/or provincial programs.

Interested applicants should contact their immigration professional for information on the application process.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to canada@fragomen.com.

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