Canada has decided to close the Atlantic Immigration Pilot when it expires on December 31, 2021. The pilot will close and provincial endorsements will no longer be issued. The pilot, launched in 2017, helps employers in Atlantic Canada hire foreign skilled workers who want to immigrate to Atlantic Canada and international graduates who want to stay in Atlantic Canada after they graduate.
The success of the pilot led the government to make it permanent with the launch of the Atlantic Immigration Program. Canada will begin accepting applications from March 6, 2022.
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot has now brought over 10,000 new permanent residents to Atlantic Canada. Participating employers have made over 9,800 job offers in key sectors, including health care, accommodations, food services and manufacturing. Most significantly, over 90% of applicants were still living in the region after 1 year; a much higher retention rate than other programs.
The permanent program retains the 3 features that made the pilot such a success: a focus on employers, enhanced settlement support and a collaborative approach across all Atlantic provinces. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and the Atlantic provinces worked closely together to design the permanent program based on lessons learned and recommendations from the pilot evaluation.
The changes include clarifying roles between partners, increasing employer support through training and strengthening program requirements to ensure newcomers can successfully establish themselves in the region.
Candidates with a valid endorsement can begin submitting applications for permanent residence under the new program on March 6, 2022.
Quick facts
- As part of the Government of Canada’s Atlantic Growth Strategy, the pilot aimed to accelerate the growth of Atlantic Canada’s economy and was designed to test new approaches to attract and retain skilled immigrants in the region. It responded to the region’s acute demographic and economic challenges, including slow growth, chronic labour market shortages, an aging workforce, and difficulty attracting and retaining immigrants.
- With at least 6,000 admission spaces available yearly, the Atlantic Immigration Program will complement the Provincial Nominee Programs in each Atlantic province.
- In 2018–2019, the Atlantic provinces saw their highest population growth since the 1970s, with immigration, including from the pilot, being the main driver of this trend.
- The regulations for the permanent Atlantic Immigration Program come into force on January 1, 2022.
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