Through this program, the federal government — together with the governments of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island — aim to welcome nearly 7,000 newcomers and their families to the Atlantic region of Eastern Canada in the next three years. Much of this region is sometimes referred to as ‘the Maritimes’.

In July 2016, Canada’s Minister of Immigration met with the provincial premiers (heads of government) of the four Atlantic Provinces. Together, they worked to establish a new immigration pilot program for the region. The federal and provincial government alike recognize that these provinces need more newcomers who can establish themselves in the labour market and local communities.

The three-year pilot program has been established to help address resource gaps that sectors are facing, and to help businesses attract and retain global talent. The program will also support population growth, help to develop a skilled workforce, and increase employment rates in the region.

The pilot program forms part of an overall Atlantic Growth Strategy that will focus on the following five priority areas:

  • Skilled workforce and immigration;
  • Innovation;
  • Clean growth and climate change;
  • Trade and investment; and
  • Infrastructure.

On November 1, 2017, the Government of Canada announced multi-year immigration targets for 2018-2020 with specific allocations for the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program