Atlantic Immigration Pilot Programs (AIPP): Putting an application into processing
This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Programs (AIPP) closed on December 31, 2021 with the expiration of the pilot bilateral agreements. The Ministerial Instructions will expire on March 5, 2022. These grant IRCC the authority to continue accepting pilot applications until March 5, 2022 (processing may continue beyond this date, as long as the complete applications were received by March 5, 2022). Any pilot applications received as of March 6, 2022, should be rejected by CIO.
IRCC will start accepting PR applications under the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) as of March 6, 2022.
Following a positive completeness check, the Centralized Intake Office in Sydney (CIO-S) does the following:
- create a file in the Global Case Management System (GCMS);
- in the “Category” field in GCMS enter the following:
- “AHSP” for an Atlantic High-Skilled Program application or
- “AISP” for an Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program application or
- "AIGP" for an Atlantic International Graduate Program application;
- cost recover the applicable processing fees and enter confirmation in GCMS;
- record the GCMS file number on the paper file;
- send an acknowledgment of receipt to the applicant informing them that their file has been placed into processing and issue medical instructions;
- transfer the file to the processing office in accordance with existing file transfer policies; and
- transfer the electronic file to the processing office in GCMS by making that office the primary office for processing.
Note: Applicants should apply for only 1 of the 3 programs under the AIPP at a time. If refused, applicants may re-apply under any of the 3 programs as long as their initial endorsement is still valid, or they have obtained a new valid endorsement.
Once an application for one of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Programs has been assessed as complete under R10, the application is put into process.
For all AIPP applications, the processing office is responsible for:
- assessing if the applicant meets the requirements for membership in one of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot programs; and,
- assessing if the applicant is admissible to Canada
The processing office should carry out normal security screening procedures once the application is put into process. The office should also issue medical instructions to applicants.
For detailed information about determining admissibility, see ENF 2 / OP 18 – Evaluating Inadmissibility.
Processing family members
The CIO-S receives and triages all applications submitted under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Programs. The application is transferred to the relevant processing office, where both the principal applicant and all family members (inland or overseas) should be processed.