New Brunswick closes consumption for Atlantic Immigration Program…

For the rest of 2025, international nationals can not search everlasting residency (PR) by way of New Brunswick’s Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP).

New Brunswick has ceased to simply accept endorsement purposes for the AIP after reaching this yr’s allocation of 1,250 areas.

This system hit its cap on April four, 2025.

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Designated employers in search of to submit an endorsement utility after this date is not going to be permitted.

Moreover, no new employers shall be designated beneath New Brunswick’s AIP for the rest of 2025.

Endorsement purposes submitted on or earlier than April four will proceed to be processed.

Those who submitted endorsement purposes on or earlier than April four is not going to be affected by the AIP’s closure, and their purposes will proceed to be processed.

Different Atlantic provinces processing endorsements

Overseas nationals can nonetheless apply for everlasting residency by way of the AIP in the event that they obtain a qualifying job provide from a delegated employer in one in every of Canada’s three different Atlantic provinces:

These provinces have but to succeed in their full AIP allocations for this yr, and are nonetheless accepting endorsement purposes from designated employers.

Whereas the above-mentioned provinces have but to shut their AIPs, some have set sure circumstances which restrict the eligibility of staff and employers.

Nova Scotia is accepting endorsement purposes from international nationals with job presents with any NOC code besides NOC 62020 (meals service supervisors).

Moreover, early within the yr PEI introduced that it’ll solely be accepting endorsement purposes for staff within the three sectors: healthcare, building, and manufacturing.

As of this writing, Newfoundland and Labrador has but to announce any limitations for its AIP.

Elements resulting in early closure

In comparison with final yr’s September closure, this yr’s cap was hit greater than 5 months earlier.

The early closure of the AIP comes on the heels of New Brunswick’s February 18 announcement stating it’s going to not be endorsing purposes for sure occupations beneath the AIP.

The competitiveness of the AIP has been exacerbated by the 50% discount of provincial immigration allocations allotted to provinces by the federal authorities in 2025—a trickle-down impact of the general lower in everlasting resident admissions targets within the 2025-27 Immigration Ranges Plan.

The federal authorities is liable for deciding the yearly allocation distribution of every Atlantic province’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and AIP.

With their provincial allocations halved, provinces have much less spots accessible for international nationals in search of PR by way of the AIP. Consequently, they’ve needed to implement restrictions on qualifying occupations and sectors to extra intently mirror their native labour market wants and calls for.

How does the AIP work?

The AIP gives an immigration pathway to expert international staff and worldwide graduates who intend to work and settle in one in every of Canada’s 4 Atlantic provinces.

The AIP is an employer-driven program, that means its designed to assist employers discover certified candidates to fill native positions.

Employers in search of to rent expert international staff beneath this program should apply to their province for designation, as solely designated employers can take part within the AIP. As soon as an employer is designated, they will submit an endorsement utility to their province for job presents they’ve prolonged to international nationals.

If profitable, the candidate will obtain a Certificates of Endorsement.

With this certificates in hand, the candidate can apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for PR, supplied that they meet the opposite eligibility necessities of the AIP.

Beneath the AIP, candidates can legally work in Canada whereas awaiting a call on their PR utility by making use of for a brief work allow. This work allow is linked to the AIP and designated employer that supplied them the job.

The present processing time for PR purposes submitted beneath the AIP is 11 months.

Those who don’t qualify for the AIP could also be eligible to immigrate by way of one in every of Atlantic Canada’s PNPs.

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