Canada increases settlement funds for Atlantic Immigration Program

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has increased funds needed to immigrate through the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP).

As of July 29, 2025, foreign nationals need a minimum of $140 more to immigrate to Canada’s Atlantic provinces through the AIP.

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For a family of one, the minimum funds required to qualify for AIP increased from $3,672 in 2024 to $3,815 in 2025 – a 3.89% increase.

Foreign nationals who are already working in Canada on a valid work permit are exempt from the settlement funds requirement.

How much money do I need to immigrate to Canada through AIP?

The minimum amount of funds needed to immigrate through AIP depends on the size of your family:

Number of family members	Funds needed as of July 29, 2025	Funds needed in 2024
1	$3,815	$3,672
2	$4,750	$4,572
3	$5,840	$5,620
4	$7,090	$6,824
5	$8,042	$7,740
6	$9,070	$8,729
7	$10,098	$9,718
For each additional family member over 7	$1,028	$989

How do I calculate size of family?

To calculate size of family, count:

Yourself;
Your spouse or common-law partner;
Your dependent children; and
Dependent children of your spouse or common-law partner.

You must include your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children even if they are Canadian citizens or permanent residents, and/or even if they are not coming to Canada with you.

What does IRCC accept as proof of funds?

For proof of funds, you must show official letters from banks or financial institutions where you have an account.

These letters must be printed on the institution’s letterhead and include the following:

Your name;
The bank/ financial institution’s contact information (address, telephone number, and email address;
Outstanding debts;
Details for each current banking and investment account (account numbers, date when the account was opened, current account balances, average balance over the last six months).

You must also prove that you can legally access your money when you arrive. That means that you can’t use equity on real estate as proof of settlement funds, nor can you use borrowed money.

If your spouse is coming with you, you can show money from a joint account. You may be able to show money from an account under a spouse’s name only, if you prove you can access the money.

About the AIP

The AIP is an employer-driven immigration pathway for foreign workers who would like to live permanently in one of Canada’s Atlantic provinces: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island.

To be eligible, a foreign national needs a job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada, and that job offer must be endorsed by the province.

In addition, candidates must be either:

A skilled worker (whether this experience is inside or outside Canada); or
A recent graduate of a recognized post-secondary institution in Atlantic Canada

Apart from that, the AIP has additional criteria regarding education, language proficiency, and settlement funds.

Once an eligible candidate has an endorsed job offer in hand, they can apply directly to the federal government for PR.

Candidates who have applied to the AIP can also apply for a special work permit that can be issued for up to two years, providing them with work authorization while their PR application is being processed.

Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration