The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is a collaborative effort between the Canadian federal government and the four Atlantic provinces: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island. This employer-led program aims to bring candidates to the Atlantic region to fill job positions that are not readily available to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

**Employer Requirements for AIP:**
1. **No Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) Required:** Employers do not need to obtain an LMIA to hire through the AIP. Instead, they must meet specific requirements to become designated to make job offers.

**Candidate Requirements for AIP:**
1. **Work Experience:** Candidates must have worked at least 1,560 hours (equivalent to 30 hours per week for one year) in an occupation classified under National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 within the last five years.

2. **International Graduates:** Candidates who are international graduates may not need to meet the work experience requirements if they:
   - Hold a degree, diploma, certificate, or trade/apprenticeship certification that required at least two years of studies in a recognized institution in one of the four Atlantic provinces.
   - Were full-time students throughout their entire period of study.
   - Lived in one of the four provinces for at least 16 months.

3. **Education:** Candidates with a job offer in NOC codes 0 or 1 must have at least a Canadian one-year post-secondary educational credential or its equivalent from outside Canada. Those with job offers in NOC codes 2, 3, or 4 must have a Canadian high school diploma or its equivalent from outside Canada.

4. **Language Proficiency:** Language requirements vary based on the NOC code of the job offer:
   - Level 5 in English or French for NOC codes 0, 1, 2, or 3.
   - Level 4 in English or French for NOC code 4.

5. **Settlement Funds:** Candidates must have sufficient funds to support themselves and their family members when they arrive in Canada. The required amount depends on the family size, including non-immigrating dependents.

**Optional Temporary Work Permit:** Certain candidates may apply for a temporary work permit before submitting their permanent resident application. This allows them to start working while their permanent residence application is being processed.

**Settlement Plan:** All AIP candidates, regardless of the specific AIP program, require a Settlement Plan after receiving a job offer. This plan is designed to help candidates and their families settle in Canada by providing resources tailored to their needs. The Settlement Plan is created with the assistance of a settlement service provider, both inside and outside Canada.

**Provincial Endorsement:** Each job offer made through the AIP requires provincial endorsement. Employers handle the application for endorsement after candidates have their Settlement Plan in place. Candidates should not submit their permanent residence application until they receive a Certificate of Endorsement, which should be included with the application.