Get designated

Before you can make a job offer to hire a candidate, you must first become designated by the provincial government of the Atlantic province where the candidate will be working.

Being designated means you can hire candidates under the Atlantic Immigration Program. The provinces are responsible for designating employers.

Key points about the designation process

• You can apply for designation even before you find a candidate.
• You only have to apply once to be designated by a province. You don’t need to apply for each candidate.
• You can’t hire a candidate if they won’t be working in an Atlantic province.
• You must be designated in the province where the candidate will be working. If the candidate will be working in several provinces, you must be designated in all those provinces.

1. Check that you meet the requirements

   To be a designated employer, your organization must

   • not be in violation of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act or the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations
   • be in good standing and comply with employment standards and occupational health and safety legislation
   • not recruit or hire workers for the purpose of establishing a pool of candidates that can be later transferred or contracted out to separate businesses for staffing purposes
   • have been in continuous, active operation under the same management for at least 2 years in 1 of the Atlantic provinces, or be able to show continuous, active operation in another location with confirmation of approval from the province in which you’re applying for designation
   • work with a settlement service provider organization to help your candidates get settlement services
   • complete the free onboarding training
   • complete the free intercultural competency training, unless you’re exempted by the province

2. Apply to the province

   Each province has its own application process. There is no cost to become a designated employer. You can find applications to become designated on the provinces’ websites:

   • New Brunswick
   • Newfoundland and Labrador
   • Nova Scotia
   • Prince Edward Island

   If you have questions about the designation process, you must contact the provinces directly.

3. Receive your designation

   Once you’re designated, you’ll receive a Confirmation of Designation from the province.

   Find out about the support you can get as a designated employer.