Atlantic Immigration Program
Employer-driven permanent residence across Canada’s four Atlantic provinces.
Explore the Atlantic program →Choose by place and language
One strategy must satisfy several decision-makers.
A qualifying job offer is only the starting point. Depending on the program, the employer must be designated, a community or province must endorse or recommend the candidate, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada must approve the permanent-residence application.
We help applicants and employers identify the right program, confirm the sequence, address admissibility and document the employment, settlement and permanent-residence case.
Rural Community Immigration Pilot
Community-recommended permanent residence in 14 participating rural regions.
Explore the rural pilot →Francophone Community Immigration Pilot
A French-language pathway operating through six participating communities outside Quebec.
Explore the Francophone pilot →Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Immigration Program
A permanent federal program for skilled foreign workers and eligible international graduates who have a qualifying offer from a designated employer in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador.
Core requirements
- A qualifying job offer from a designated Atlantic employer.
- Qualifying work experience, unless an eligible Atlantic graduate exemption applies.
- Required education and an approved language test.
- Settlement funds, unless the applicant is already living and working in Canada with a valid work permit.
- Admissibility and complete supporting documents for the applicant and family.
How the process works
- The employer obtains or confirms provincial designation.
- The employer makes the qualifying job offer.
- The candidate completes a settlement-needs assessment and settlement plan.
- The province endorses the job offer.
- The candidate files the permanent-residence application. Eligible candidates may also seek a temporary work permit while PR is processed.
Fourteen participating regions
Rural Community Immigration Pilot
The RCIP is a permanent-residence pathway for skilled workers who can fill local labour needs. A job offer must come from a designated employer in a participating community, and the community must recommend the applicant.
Participating communities
- Pictou County
- North Bay and Area
- Sudbury
- Timmins
- Sault Ste. Marie
- Thunder Bay
- Steinbach
- Altona/Rhineland
- Brandon
- Moose Jaw
- Claresholm
- West Kootenay
- North Okanagan Shuswap
- Peace Liard
What must be established
- A genuine qualifying offer from an employer designated by the community.
- Community recommendation under local occupation, wage and selection rules.
- Qualifying work experience or an applicable international-graduate exemption.
- Education, language ability and settlement funds at the required levels.
- An intention to reside in the recommending community.
An optional employer-specific work permit may be available after recommendation while the permanent-residence application is processed.
French-speaking immigration outside Quebec
Francophone Community Immigration Pilot
The FCIP helps selected communities recruit and retain French-speaking skilled workers. It combines a designated-employer job offer, community recommendation and a federal permanent-residence application.
Participating communities
- Acadian Peninsula
- Sudbury
- Timmins
- Superior East Region
- St. Pierre Jolys
- Kelowna
What must be established
- A qualifying job offer from a designated employer in a participating community.
- The required level of French shown through an approved language test.
- Community recommendation under the local priority-sector and occupation rules.
- Qualifying work experience or an applicable graduate exemption.
- Education, settlement funds, admissibility and an intention to reside in the community.
At a glance
How the three pathways differ
| Pathway | Geographic scope | Main gateway | Distinctive feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Immigration Program | Four Atlantic provinces | Designated employer and provincial endorsement | Permanent federal program with an Atlantic settlement plan |
| Rural Community Immigration Pilot | 14 participating communities | Designated employer and community recommendation | Local labour-market priorities and community selection |
| Francophone Community Immigration Pilot | Six participating communities outside Quebec | Designated employer and community recommendation | French-language requirement and Francophone community development |
No new applications
Closed or paused programs
These programs are kept here for historical and transition-file context. They are not presented as current application options, and there are no links inviting visitors to view application details.
Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot — Child Care
New intake is paused until further notice while IRCC processes applications already received. The pilot did not reopen in March 2026.
Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot — Home Support
New intake is paused until further notice while IRCC processes applications already received. The pilot did not reopen in March 2026.
Agri-Food Pilot
This time-limited federal pilot is closed to new applications. Existing files may continue through processing.
Start-Up Visa Program
New applications are not being accepted after the June 30, 2026 pause. IRCC continues to process eligible applications accepted before the pause and applicable transition cases.
Saskatchewan Entrepreneur and Farm pathways
Saskatchewan permanently closed these pathways to new applicants in March 2025. Legacy applications continue under the applicable transition rules.
A job offer is not enough by itself
Build the employer, community and federal case together.
We can assess eligibility, review the job offer and employer designation, prepare the recommendation or endorsement stage and represent the permanent-residence application.