The Canadian federal government has introduced new rules for the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIP), requiring immigration officials to reject certain applications for permanent residency.
The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced updated rules on July 23 this year, further specifying that AIP applicants must submit updated provincial endorsement and employment documents to the immigration department in case of job changes or changes in employer ownership while their applications are under review.
As per the current IRCC guidelines, if the department receives notice of changes in the applicant’s situation but the necessary supporting documents are not submitted simultaneously, officials are to pause processing the permanent residency application for 90 days and issue a Procedural Fairness Letter, requesting the applicant to provide the required documents within the specified timeframe. Failure to submit the necessary documents within the deadline will result in the rejection of the permanent residency application.
Previously, there was no deadline for AIP applications, and officials only needed to put the application on hold until the required documents were received.
The AIP is an employer-driven immigration program that provides a pathway to permanent residency for foreign nationals wishing to settle in one of the four Atlantic provinces of Canada (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island).
Foreign citizen applicants must have a full-time job offer from an employer in the designated province, and the employer must submit the job offer to the provincial government for approval before the applicant can apply for permanent residency from the federal government.
This program aims to increase the population in the Atlantic provinces and has lower requirements compared to other common immigration programs in Canada that often demand high proficiency in English for foreign nationals to be eligible for immigration. For many Chinese individuals who may not have strong English skills, studying in the Atlantic provinces and potentially using the AIP program for immigration could be a viable option.
In addition to extending the deadline for document submissions, the government has also introduced other rules for the AIP program.
The updated rules now require additional document submissions for three specific scenarios:
– Change in the ownership of the applicant’s employer
– Job position change with the same employer
– Transition from one designated employer to another
The updated rules cover situations that were not previously addressed, such as cases where the applicant’s employer undergoes changes in ownership during the application review period for permanent residency.
The provinces concerned must reevaluate the employer and certification status to confirm whether the employer still meets the criteria as a designated AIP employer and whether the applicant continues to receive provincial government support.
If the provincial government continues to support the applicant, immigration officials will proceed with the review of their permanent residency application, provided the applicant submits the updated documents within 90 days. If the employer is no longer designated, the provincial government still has the authority to support the applicant’s AIP certification on a case-by-case basis, and the applicant must provide a letter from the provincial government indicating continued support. If the employer is designated, updated letters of recommendation and job offer letters must be submitted.
If the provincial government withdraws its support for the applicant and revokes the endorsement, reviewing officials are directed to reject the relevant permanent residency application.
In accordance with the updated rules, if there are changes to the applicant’s employment terms (such as salary, position, or job conditions) or if a job position change leads to a different occupational code, the applicant must submit the following documents via the online form provided by the immigration department within 90 days:
– An updated provincial endorsement certificate reflecting the revised job information
– An updated Foreign National Employment Notification (IMM 0157 form) reflecting changes in employment status
If the only change in employment is the job title for the applicant, officials will determine whether an updated endorsement certificate is necessary based on the specific circumstances.
Previously, for cases where only the job position changed without a change in employer, the old rules had a single general provision requiring applicants to obtain a new job offer letter, revised endorsement certificate, and a new support letter after a promotion within the same employer.
In cases where applicants switch from one designated AIP employer to another, they must submit within 90 days:
– An updated provincial endorsement certificate
– An updated Foreign National Employment Notification (IMM 0157) from the new employer
Failure to provide these documents within the specified timeframe will result in the application being rejected.