Through this program, eligible foreign workers with a job offer from an employer in Atlantic Canada can submit an application for Canadian permanent residence.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC) aims to process 80 percent of applications within six months.
Nova Scotia
New Brunswick
Prince Edward Island
Newfoundland
(Together, Atlantic Canada)
Job offer
Work Experience
Education
Language ability CLB 4 or higher
Proof of funds
Not aligned with Express Entry.
No points system.
First-come, first-served.
Applicants may obtain a work permit before permanent residence.
The AHSP is an employer-driven program, and therefore all applicants are required to obtain a valid job offer.
Applicants to the AHSP must demonstrate that they have a job offer that is:
Employers in the Atlantic region can review designation requirements on our AIPP Employer Designation page.
Applicants to the AHSP must demonstrate that they have obtained work experience for at least one year (1,560 hours total/30 hours per week), non-continuous, full-time or an equal amount in part-time, within the last three years. This work experience must be:
Additional notes on work experience:
Applicants to AHSP must demonstrate they have one of the following:
For applicants with an education completed outside Canada, an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) is required in order to prove that the level of education is commensurate with Canadian standards. The ECA must be less than five years old the time the application is submitted.
Applicants to the AHSP must prove language ability of at least fluent basic level in either English or French in order to apply to the program. This is equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4. To find out how this corresponds with the standardized language tests recognized by IRCC for this program, use the Canada Immigration Language Converter.
The following language tests are approved for the AHSP:
Potential applicants may note that the language threshold for this program is lower than for many other Canadian economic immigration programs, including the programs managed under the Express Entry system. Moreover, because there is no points system for the AHSP, once a potential applicant has proven the required language ability, there is no additional incentive — with respect to applying to the AHSP, at least — in re-taking a language test.
Language test results must be less than two years old at the time the application is submitted.
The required settlement funds must be equal to or greater than the sums listed below for each family size.
Number of family members (including those supported by the applicant, even if they are not included on the application) | Funds required |
---|---|
1 | $3,167 |
2 | $3,943 |
3 | $4,847 |
4 | $5,885 |
5 | $6,675 |
6 | $7,528 |
7 or more | $8,381 |
Applicants must show that they have enough money to support themselves and their family member, if applicable, after landing in Canada unless they are working in Canada under a valid work permit.
These funds cannot be borrowed from another person.
Applicants must be endorsed by an Atlantic province in order for the application to be complete and accepted by IRCC.
An endorsement letter is issued by the province to persons who have been endorsed. Applicants should submit a copy of this letter with their application for permanent residence submitted to IRCC.
All endorsements are valid for six months after the date of issuance, and extensions are not permitted under these programs. The application for permanent residence must be submitted before the expiry date of the endorsement letter.