Canada tightens Atlantic immigration rules for applicants with employment changes

Canada is implementing stricter rules for applicants in the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) who experience changes in their employment during the processing of their permanent residence applications. According to initial reports from CIC News, affected applicants now have 90 days to submit additional documents, or risk having their application refused.

The change in guidance, published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), provides clearer instructions for handling various employment-related situations.

Previously, officers would place applications on hold while awaiting the required documents, but now specific deadlines are in place. The updated rules apply to three scenarios involving employment changes: alterations in employer ownership while the application is pending, changes in employment terms such as wages or job responsibilities, and alterations in the position that result in different National Occupational Classification (NOC) or Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) codes.

In these cases, applicants must provide an updated provincial endorsement certificate and an updated Offer of Employment (IMM 0157) through IRCC’s web form within the 90-day window.

This new regulation adds complexity for applicants already in the permanent residence process, especially those whose jobs, employment terms, or sponsoring employers change during the application period. Canada has introduced several immigration fee increases in 2026, including a rise in permanent residence fees for the Atlantic Immigration Class from C$950 to C$990 for the principal applicant and accompanying spouse or common-law partner, along with an increase in the Right of Permanent Residence Fee from C$575 to C$600.