Atlantic Immigration Program Lawyers in Vancouver, BC

The Atlantic Immigration Program permits employers in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador to recruit foreign skilled workers or to invite international graduates to settle in Atlantic Canada after graduation. Both categories—skilled workers and international graduates—are eligible to apply for permanent residence, along with their families.

How Does the Atlantic Immigration Program Work?

An employer in Atlantic Canada must seek an employer designation. A separate designation for each location within each province can be secured. Once the employer has been designated as eligible—demonstrating a commitment to helping resettle the worker and family—it may recruit skilled foreign workers. Eligible employers must have relationships with community organizations that will support immigrant resettlement. Each employee or international graduate applicant must have an individualized resettlement plan.

Atlantic Immigration Program Candidate Requirements

Once an employer receives its designation, it may extend an offer to a skilled foreign worker. All prospective foreign applicants must:

• Have work experience, unless you are an international student who graduated from a recognized post-secondary institution in Atlantic Canada
• Meet the educational criteria
• Meet the language criteria
• Show you have enough settlement funds, unless you are already living and working in Canada under a valid work permit

Work experience: To qualify, you must have worked at least 1560 hours in the last 5 years at a position with a National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level of 0, A, B, or C. Qualifying work must include the main duties of your NOC. To calculate your hours, consider these factors:

• Both part-time and full-time employment counts towards the requisite hours
• Only paid work qualifies, no volunteer or unpaid internship hours
• Self-employment does not qualify
• Qualifying work performed in Canada or abroad counts, however, your Canadian work must have been pursuant to a valid work permit
• Work must have occurred over a period of at least 12 months
• Work performed while a student may count if it complied with the terms of your study permit

International Graduates: Ordinarily international students who graduated in Canada do not need to meet the work requirements, if they:

• Earned a degree, diploma, certificate, or trade or apprenticeship certification that took at least 2 years of study, and is from a recognized post-secondary institution in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, or Newfoundland or Labrador
• Were a full-time student during their entire studies
• Had the visa or permit needed to work, study, or get training while they lived in Canada
• Lived in one of the Atlantic provinces for at least 16 months during the last 2 years before they graduated

Educational Requirements: Educational requirements depend on the NOC level of the job offer:

• NOC 0 or A skill level: you must have a one-year post-secondary educational credential or higher, or the equivalent outside of Canada
• NOC B or C skill level: you must have a Canadian high school diploma or the equivalent outside of Canada

Study outside of Canada must be evaluated with an Educational Credential Assessment to establish equivalency. That assessment cannot be more than 5 years old.

Language Requirements: English or French proficiency also is keyed to the skills level required for the specific job offer.

• NOC 0, A and B job offers: Level 5—earned on Canadian Language Benchmark or Niveaux de competence linguistique canadiens
• NOC C job offers: Level 4

Language competency must be tested by a designated language testing organization within 2 years of your Atlantic Immigration application.

Settlement Funds: For those Atlantic Immigration applicants already legally living and working in Canada, there is no requirement to demonstrate financial resources. However, for those applicants who are not currently in Canada, you must demonstrate financial resources. The specific amounts depend on the number of dependents who will be living with you upon arrival. If you are arriving without family, you will need to show $3303. This minimum amount rises with the number of dependents. For example, resettlement of a family of 4 will require $6138 in financial reserves. Each additional family member will require another $890 in settlement funds.

Other Ways to Immigrate to Atlantic Canada

Each province also operates its own provincial nominee program (PNP). (Put in link to PNP webpage) Within each PNP, there is at least one federal Express Entry stream, which prioritizes and speeds approval of an application, so that work permits can be issued within 6 months.

PNP programs are intended to attract skilled workers and graduates who have studied in Canada, as well as immigrants who have viable plans to start or acquire a business.

Atlantic Canada PNP programs include;

• Nova Scotia Nominee Program
• New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program
• Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program
• Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee

Begin Your Atlantic Immigration Application Now With Trusted Immigration Counsel

If you are seeking permanent resident status through the Atlantic Immigration program, you can trust the knowledge and experience of Canadian Currents Immigration to guide you through the process. Completing the application process and gathering all of the supporting documentation can be daunting. With the aid of an experienced immigration lawyer at Canadian Currents Immigration, you can apply for Atlantic Immigration status once we determine your eligibility.

Our immigration lawyers at Canadian Currents Immigration will review your status to determine your eligibility for permanent residence and to help you through the various steps needed to secure your permanent and temporary status.

Start with a confidential 30-minute consultation with a Canadian Currents Immigration immigration lawyer in Vancouver.

Call us now to book a time: 778-331-1164.