Atlantic Immigration Program – Endorsement Application
The PEI Office of Immigration is currently experiencing a high volume of applications to the Atlantic Immigration Program and has recently received a reduction in allocations from the Federal government. PEI provincial immigration pathways are dependent upon federal immigration allocations, application volumes, and provincial labour market needs. The Province is currently selecting and prioritizing skilled workers in PEI’s higher-demand sectors.
As a result of these factors, at this time PEI is limiting applications to the Atlantic Immigration Program to workers in the healthcare, construction, and manufacturing sectors. As a Designated Employer, please consider these limitations before submitting an Endorsement Application for your Candidate.
Effective January 24. 2025, PEI will only accept new endorsement application packages for workers in the healthcare, construction and manufacturing sectors. Eligible candidates in other sectors are encouraged to submit an Expression of Interest profile for consideration under the Provincial Nominee Program.
The Atlantic Immigration Program is an employer-driven, federal immigration program designed to help fill permanent labour shortages and skill gaps in your business by supporting skilled foreign workers and international graduates for permanent residency.
How do I apply?
To be eligible to endorse a foreign national, you must first be a PEI Designated Employer. If you are not currently Designated by the Province of PEI, please visit the Employer Designation Application page for more information.
- A Designated Employer should complete the online AIP Endorsement Application by clicking "Apply Now" at the bottom of this page for each of your qualified Candidates.
- You will receive a secure link from our Office to upload all the supporting documents after you submit your Endorsement Application.
- Our office will review the completed endorsement application package once received by the PEI Office of Immigration.
If the PEI Office of Immigration approves your Endorsement Application, the Certificate of Endorsement will be sent directly to you, the PEI Designated Employer. You should then forward the Certificate to your Candidate so they can apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residency.
Please refer to the Endorsement Guidelines for further information on completing this online form.
Do I have to pay a fee?
There are no fees payable to the Province for the endorsement process.
However, for your applicant to work on a temporary basis while their application for permanent residence is being processed, you will be required to submit an offer of employment via the Employer Portal and pay a $230 Employer Compliance fee to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in order for the work permit to be processed.
What documents will I need to submit?
Please ensure the following documents are complete and saved as one, combined PDF file:
- Signed copy of the Employee Declaration Form
- IMM0157 Job Offer Form
- Use of a Representative Form (if the candidate used a representative)
- If the candidate requires a temporary work permit, also include the IMM0156: Undertaking for an application for a work permit exempted from a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) as part of the Atlantic Immigration Program form
- The Candidate's Settlement Plan from a designated Immigrant Settlement Service Provider (including any accompanying family members)
- Passport for Candidate and all Dependants
- Any past or current Temporary Resident Permits (eg. work, visitor, study) for the Candidate and all Dependants
- Education Documents (Canadian Education Credentials or Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for those who studied outside of Canada)
- A valid language assessment (IELTS or CELPIP for English, TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French) issued within the last two years
- Proof of Recruitment Efforts by the Employer, if applicable
- Signed PEI Employment Offer Letter or Contract, including a detailed Job Description
- Evidence of the candidate’s previous work experience in the form of a reference letter
- Detailed and recent Résumé for the Candidate
Who can I contact with questions?
Forward questions related to the program to immigratepei@gov.pe.ca or call (902) 620-3628.