Maple News reports that Canada’s Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP), a program designed to attract skilled immigrants to Atlantic Canada, will become a permanent immigration pathway beginning January 1, 2022. The initiative will be renamed the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), reflecting its new status within Canada’s immigration system.
The announcement was made by Immigration Minister Sean Fraser, alongside provincial leaders and Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. Minister Fraser, who hails from Nova Scotia, highlighted the program’s impact since its launch in 2017. Over the past four years, the AIP has welcomed nearly 10,000 newcomers and facilitated more than 9,800 job offers in critical sectors such as healthcare, hospitality, food services, and manufacturing.
Each year, the program will admit up to 6,000 newcomers to the region, aimed at addressing demographic challenges and workforce gaps in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. The region is grappling with an aging population and the outmigration of young workers—issues that have made economic immigration a regional priority.
One of the program’s key successes has been its strong retention rate. More than 90% of AIP immigrants have remained in the region after one year, a figure that significantly outpaces those of other regional immigration programs. In particular, Nova Scotia has demonstrated notable success, recently announcing that its population has surpassed one million for the first time. In the first quarter of 2021 alone, the province saw an influx of 5,696 new residents, including newcomers from abroad and interprovincial migrants, contributing to a record population growth rate.
Although the pilot officially ends on December 31, 2021, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will continue to accept applications under the existing pilot framework until March 5, 2022, for candidates who already hold a valid provincial endorsement.
The transition from a pilot to a permanent program signals the federal government’s confidence in the Atlantic region’s ability to integrate and retain immigrants. It also reinforces Canada’s broader strategy of using regional programs to respond to specific labour market and demographic needs, especially in areas with shrinking populations and economic challenges.
The Atlantic Immigration Program will continue to serve as a collaborative effort among the federal government and the four Atlantic provinces. It enables designated employers to hire internationally trained workers and international graduates for jobs they have been unable to fill locally, expediting both the job offer and settlement process.
As Atlantic Canada prepares for long-term population growth and economic expansion, the program is expected to remain a crucial pillar of the region’s immigration framework for years to come.