The pilot is for employers in Atlantic Canada (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, and Prince Edward Island) who wants to hire foreign skilled workers & international graduates for jobs they have not been able to fill locally. The program also has the goals of supporting population growth, developing a skilled workforce, and increasing employment rates in the region. Employers can hire through one of three programs in the Atlantic Immigration Pilot:

• Atlantic High-skilled Program
• Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program
• Atlantic International Graduate Program

The Process

Once a designated employer finds a candidate meeting their employment needs and the program criteria, that employer will need to first offer them a job. Employers are not required to apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to validate the job offer.

After acceptance of the job offer from the candidate’s end, the employer needs to connect the candidate with a designated settlement service provider organization for a needs assessment and to develop a settlement plan. Employers are also required to support the long-term integration of the new immigrant and his/her family (if applicable) so they can reach the goals of their settlement plan once they arrive in Canada.

Employer Designation

Employers need to get designated by the province who want to extend the job offer through this pilot program. Being “designated” means employers can offer jobs under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot. Each province has its own designation application process. There is no cost to become a designated employer. More information about designation process can be fount at provinces’ websites:

New Brunswick | Newfoundland and Labrador | Nova Scotia | Prince Edward Island

Employers need to apply only once to be designated by a province. They do not need to apply for each candidate. Employer can apply for designation even before they find a candidate. Employer must be designated in the province where the candidate will be working. If the candidate will be working in several provinces, they must be designated in all those provinces. Employers receives a “Confirmation of Designation” from the province once designated.

How GSP Immigration Can Help ?

If you have a job offer from an employer in Atlantic Canada (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, and Prince Edward Island), we may help you throughout the application process (e.g., applying for employer designation, work permit, extension, and permanent residency).