Question Period Note: ATLANTIC IMMIGRATION PROGRAM

Transitioning the Atlantic Immigration Pilot into a permanent program

PROPOSED RESPONSE:
• Immigration is a driving force in meeting Canada’s demographic and labour market needs.
• Recognizing this, the Atlantic Immigration Pilot was launched in 2017 to support employers using immigration to fill key labour market vacancies and increase newcomer retention in Atlantic Canada.
• The pilot was very well received in the region, and the evaluation showed it to be successful in attracting and retaining skilled immigrants to Atlantic Canada with over 12,700 principal applicants and their families having received permanent residency as of the end of January 2022.
• As a result, the pilot transitioned to a new permanent program on January 1, 2022.
• Employers have begun the provincial designation and endorsement process under the permanent program enabling them to begin recruiting candidates to fill their labour market needs with the new permanent Atlantic Immigration Program.

BACKGROUND:
Atlantic Immigration Pilot (2017-2021)
• The Atlantic Immigration Pilot (the Pilot) was launched in 2017 to meet regional economic and demographic growth needs in Atlantic Canada.
• On January 29, 2021 IRCC published its Evaluation of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot online. This evaluation incorporated the experiences and feedback of applicants, employers, service provider organizations, and provincial stakeholders.
• The report found that the Pilot was largely successful in supporting labour market needs in Atlantic Canada as a result of its unique employer-driven model, enhanced settlement support, and federal-provincial partnership approach.
• The Pilot ended on December 31, 2021, with the deadline for Pilot candidates to submit a completed application for permanent residence to IRCC being March 5, 2022. IRCC will continue to process these pilot applications over the coming months.
• Since the launch of the Pilot, over 12,700 principal applicants and their families have received their permanent residency and landed in Atlantic Canada (data as of January, 2022).
Atlantic Immigration Program (launched in 2022)
• On January 1, 2022, IRCC and Atlantic provinces transitioned the Atlantic Immigration Pilot to a permanent program.
• The permanent Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) builds on the strengths of the Pilot and retains the core objective of attracting skilled immigrants to Atlantic Canada to address demographic and economic needs, as well as to continue to increase retention in the region. Similar to the pilot, the permanent program will continue to help employers find skilled workers to fill jobs, so they can grow their businesses and the economy.
• The AIP also continues to complement the Provincial Nominee Program by maintaining key program elements that distinguish it as Canada's flagship regional economic immigration program (e.g. aligning immigration with region-wide economic development strategies), and offering provinces additional pathways through which candidates can migrate to the region and support provincial economic needs.
• The AIP launched on January 1, 2022 with the coming into force of the regulations and bilateral agreements, allowing provinces to begin designating employers and endorsing candidates. Employers looking to participate in the program have begun the provincial designation process, are completing necessary training courses and are applying for provincial endorsement to fill their labour market needs.
• Foreign nationals with a valid provincial endorsement have been able to start applying for permanent residence under the AIP as of March 6, 2022

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