Atlantic AIP Employer Designation & Endorsement Guide 2026

1. Employer Designation: Eligibility, Province, Training and Application

Before an Atlantic employer can make a qualifying job offer under the Atlantic Immigration Program, the organization must be designated by the provincial government of the Atlantic province where the candidate will work. The designation belongs to the employer and province; it is not issued separately for every candidate. An employer can generally apply before finding a candidate. Federal requirements include good standing, compliance with immigration and employment laws, at least two years of continuous active operation under the same management in an Atlantic province or satisfaction of the applicable alternative provincial approval rules, a commitment to work with a settlement service provider organization, and completion of the required onboarding and intercultural competency training.

2. Mandatory Employer Training and Settlement-Service Responsibilities

AIP employers must complete two training components before applying for designation. The first is IRCC onboarding training, which covers the Canadian immigration system, the AIP process, employer and candidate responsibilities, permanent residence, work permits and settlement. The second is intercultural competency training, which covers welcoming and culturally inclusive workplaces, newcomer experiences and cultural awareness. The training is free. Employers must also work with a settlement service provider organization so candidates and accompanying family members can access settlement support. The employer's role is to facilitate access and support settlement; it does not replace the work of the funded settlement provider.

3. Candidate Job Offer and Employer Endorsement Workflow

After designation, the employer can recruit and select an eligible AIP candidate. The candidate must meet the program's work-experience or Atlantic-graduate exemption, education, language, funds and settlement-plan requirements. The employer then provides the qualifying Offer of Employment to a Foreign National form (IMM 0157) and starts the provincial endorsement process. The province must endorse the specific job offer before the candidate can submit the permanent-residence application. The employer must show that it was unable to fill the job with a local worker and that the job offer satisfies AIP requirements. An LMIA is not required.

4. Endorsement Documentation: What the Employer and Candidate Must Prepare

A successful endorsement package requires much more than an employment contract. The employer must provide the documents required by the province, including the qualifying job-offer information and supporting evidence. The candidate needs a settlement plan and must satisfy federal AIP eligibility for education, language, work experience or graduate exemption and settlement funds. The final federal PR file also requires the provincial Confirmation of Endorsement, identity and civil-status documents, police certificates and other IRCC documents. Employers should ensure the job offer, NOC, wage, hours and duties are consistent across the employer submission, IMM 0157 and candidate's federal application.

5. Provincial Endorsement Timing, Validity and Why a Fixed Processing Promise Is Unsafe

AIP endorsement is administered by the Atlantic province involved, not by IRCC. The federal program rules explain the required endorsement package and confirm that the province issues a Certificate of Endorsement when it approves the job offer. However, the current federal AIP guidance does not establish a universal 30-to-60-day endorsement service standard across New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. Provincial processing times can change with inventory, verification, employer documentation, settlement-plan completeness and local program priorities. The candidate and employer should therefore follow the applicable provincial instructions and treat any posted processing estimate as an estimate rather than a guaranteed deadline.

6. Optional AIP C18 Work Permit: Employer Portal, Referral Letter and 90-Day PR Commitment

Eligible candidates can apply for a temporary work permit while their AIP permanent-residence application is being processed. The permit is LMIA-exempt under administrative code C18, valid for up to two years and employer-specific. To apply, the candidate needs a qualifying designated-employer job offer and a referral letter from the Atlantic province where they will work. The employer must complete the federal Employer Portal offer-of-employment process and obtain an offer-of-employment number. The candidate then submits the federal work-permit application with the required AIP documentation, including the signed IMM 0156 undertaking. The principal applicant commits to submitting the AIP permanent-residence application within 90 days of the date the work-permit application is submitted.

7. Employer Compliance After Designation and Candidate Arrival

Designation creates ongoing responsibilities. A designated employer must continue complying with immigration law, provincial employment standards and occupational health and safety requirements and must support candidates in accessing settlement services. Employers should retain accurate records and promptly address material changes affecting the candidate or job. AIP is an employer-driven immigration pathway, but it is not a mechanism to transfer foreign workers to unrelated employers or staffing pools. The employer should also understand that endorsement and nomination are not the end of compliance: IRCC can continue reviewing the application, and provincial authorities may become involved if the employment relationship or business circumstances change.

Frequently Asked Questions (6 Verified Answers)