Atlantic Immigration Applicants See 12-Month Wait Cut

The expected processing time for permanent residence applications under the Atlantic Immigration Program has fallen by 12 months, giving some applicants a shorter wait than they faced only a few weeks ago.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada now lists the estimated wait for a newly submitted AIP permanent residence application at 26 months as of June 8, 2026. On May 12, 2026, the same processing time stood at 38 months.

Sharp Drop After Months of Delays

The drop marks the lowest published AIP processing time since the fall of 2025, when delays rose sharply in a single month. In September 2025, the estimated wait was 13 months. By October, it had jumped to 37 months, an increase of 184.6 per cent.

The wait stayed high through late 2025 and early 2026. It remained at 37 months in October, November and December, then moved to 33 months in January, February and March. In April, it rose again to 40 months before easing to 38 months in May and 26 months in June.

The new figure is a major improvement, but it is still far above the immigration department’s 11-month service standard for the program.

Work Permit Concerns Remain

The long delays created serious concerns for many people already working in Canada while waiting for permanent residence through the AIP.

Applicants in the program can qualify for a special work permit that does not require a Labour Market Impact Assessment. However, these AIP work permits are valid for a maximum of two years and cannot be renewed.

The issue became more urgent because AIP applicants are not eligible for bridging open work permits, which are available to applicants in many other permanent residence streams.

That meant some workers with two-year permits were facing processing timelines of more than three years. Many risked losing their legal ability to work before receiving a decision on their permanent residence application.

Provinces Offered Support Letters

To help address the problem, Atlantic provinces issued letters of support to some AIP endorsees whose work permits were close to expiring. These letters allowed them to apply for C18 closed work permits and keep working while waiting for IRCC to process their files.

How the AIP Works

The Atlantic Immigration Program is an employer-driven route to permanent residence. It is designed for foreign nationals with job offers from designated employers in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island.

To qualify, the job offer must be endorsed by the province. Applicants must also meet minimum requirements for language ability, work experience, education and settlement funds.

As of June 8, 2026, IRCC had 12,900 AIP applications waiting in its processing inventory.

The latest reduction may ease pressure on applicants and employers across Atlantic Canada. Still, with the wait time more than double the service standard, many applicants may continue to face uncertainty while planning their work, immigration status and future in Canada.