Top Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) Employers Hiring in Atlantic Canada – July 2026

Key Stats

• 570 active job postings from Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) designated employers in the last 3 months. 

• Hundreds of designated employers across New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland & Labrador

• Retail, healthcare, construction, manufacturing, education, and home care account for the majority of current hiring

• Kent Building Supplies is the largest employer in this month's analysis 

• Walmart, Shannex, ParaMed Home Health Care, Dalhousie University, and OSCO Construction Group are among the biggest AIP recruiters

• Many employers are hiring for occupations that do not require university degrees, creating excellent opportunities for newcomers seeking permanent residence.

Unlike many Provincial Nominee Programs that periodically restrict occupations, the AIP allows designated employers to recruit international talent across a wide range of industries when they cannot find suitable workers locally. Better yet, employers hiring through the program do not need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), making the hiring process faster and more attractive for both employers and foreign workers.

At QuestJobs, we've analyzed 570 live job postings from AIP-designated employers to identify where the greatest opportunities exist today.

Our analysis shows a clear trend: Atlantic Canada's labour shortages remain strongest in retail, healthcare, home care, construction, manufacturing, education, and skilled trades. Many of these employers have appeared consistently in our database over the past two years, making them excellent companies to monitor if you're serious about immigrating to Canada.

Can AIP Employers Hire Foreign Workers Without an LMIA?

Yes.

One of the biggest advantages of the Atlantic Immigration Program is that designated employers can hire eligible foreign workers without obtaining an LMIA.

Instead, employers must:

• Be designated under the Atlantic Immigration Program

• Offer a genuine full-time, non-seasonal job

• Receive a provincial endorsement for the applicant

• Support the worker's application for an employer-specific work permit (when applicable)

This significantly shortens the hiring process compared to traditional LMIA-based recruitment.

However, it's important to understand that designation alone does not guarantee sponsorship. Employers still decide whether to recruit internationally based on their staffing needs and may first consider candidates already living in Canada.

Apply to AIP jobs here.

Top 10 Employers Hiring Under the Atlantic Immigration Program

Rank	Employer	Industry
1	Kent Building Supplies	Building Materials & Home Improvement Retail
2	Walmart	Retail
3	Shannex	Healthcare & Senior Living
4	ParaMed Home Health Care	Home Healthcare
5	Kindred Home Care	Home Healthcare
6	Dalhousie University	Higher Education
7	CFM	Industrial & Mechanical Services
8	OSCO Construction Group	Construction & Manufacturing
9	YMCA	Community & Childcare Services
10	J.D. Irving – Sawmills Division	Forestry & Manufacturing

One thing we've consistently observed at QuestJobs is that the best employers to apply to aren't necessarily the biggest companies—they're the companies that hire repeatedly.

The employers above continue posting new vacancies month after month, which means applicants who aren't successful today may have another opportunity in the near future.

If you're applying from overseas, these employers deserve to be on your watchlist.

Company Spotlight

1. Kent Building Supplies 

Kent Building Supplies leads all employers in our analysis.

Current opportunities include store management, customer service, project sales, merchandising, warehouse operations, and retail leadership positions.

For applicants with retail, sales, logistics, or customer service experience, Kent offers one of the widest ranges of opportunities in Atlantic Canada.

2. Walmart 

Walmart remains one of Canada's largest employers and continues expanding across Atlantic Canada.

Current openings include:

• Store Associates

• Customer Fulfillment

• Front End Associates

• Overnight positions

• Department Managers

• Team Leads

Many positions require minimal Canadian experience, making Walmart attractive for newcomers already living in Canada.

3. Shannex 

Healthcare remains one of Atlantic Canada's largest labour shortages.

Shannex continues hiring for:

• Continuing Care Assistants

• Resident Care Workers

• Dietary Aides

• Housekeeping

• Recreation staff

• Licensed healthcare professionals

Healthcare workers remain among the strongest candidates for Atlantic immigration pathways.

4. ParaMed Home Health Care 

ParaMed specializes in community healthcare and home support.

Most vacancies involve Continuing Care Assistants and healthcare support workers—occupations that continue experiencing shortages across Canada.

5. Kindred Home Care 

Kindred Home Care has become one of New Brunswick's largest home-care employers.

If you have experience caring for seniors or individuals requiring daily assistance, this employer should be high on your application list.

6. Dalhousie University

Dalhousie University demonstrates that AIP opportunities extend well beyond healthcare and retail.

Current hiring spans:

• Administration

• Research

• Information Technology

• Student Services

• Academic positions

Professionals with higher education experience may find excellent long-term career opportunities here.

7. CFM 

CFM continues recruiting engineers, industrial technicians, project professionals, and skilled trades.

These positions generally require technical experience but often provide excellent career growth.

8. OSCO Construction Group 

Atlantic Canada's construction boom continues.

OSCO regularly recruits:

• Carpenters

• Project Coordinators

• Concrete workers

• Production staff

• Construction professionals

9. YMCA 

The YMCA continues hiring for childcare, recreation, administration, and community support positions throughout Atlantic Canada.

Applicants with education, childcare, or recreation experience should monitor future openings.

10. J.D. Irving 

J.D. Irving remains one of Atlantic Canada's largest employers.

Its Sawmills Division continues hiring manufacturing workers, operators, mechanics, supervisors, and production staff as demand in forestry remains strong.

Industries Driving Atlantic Canada's Labour Shortage

Our analysis highlights six sectors dominating AIP hiring.

Healthcare

Demand remains exceptionally high for:

• Continuing Care Assistants

• Personal Support Workers

• Home Support Workers

• Nurses

• Healthcare Aides

Canada's aging population means this demand is expected to remain strong for years.

Retail

Large employers continue recruiting year-round for:

• Sales Associates

• Cashiers

• Supervisors

• Assistant Managers

• Department Managers

Retail remains one of the easiest sectors for newcomers to enter.

Construction & Skilled Trades

Infrastructure projects and housing shortages continue driving demand for:

• Carpenters

• Labourers

• Concrete workers

• Project Coordinators

• Skilled trades

Manufacturing & Forestry

Atlantic Canada's manufacturing sector continues expanding, creating opportunities for machine operators, production workers, mechanics, and supervisors.

Education

Universities, colleges, and community organizations continue hiring administrative professionals, researchers, instructors, and support staff.

Home Care

Home healthcare is one of Canada's fastest-growing industries and consistently appears among the highest-demand sectors in our QuestJobs database.

QuestJobs Insights

After tracking immigration-friendly employers for more than two years, we've identified several trends.

Large employers hire repeatedly. Companies like Kent Building Supplies, Walmart, Shannex, and J.D. Irving regularly post new opportunities throughout the year.

Healthcare isn't slowing down. Continuing Care Assistants remain among the most consistently advertised occupations across Atlantic Canada.

Construction continues to grow. With ongoing housing development and infrastructure investment, skilled trades remain in high demand.

Don't overlook retail. While many applicants focus solely on healthcare, retail employers hire in much larger volumes and often recruit throughout the year.

Tips for  Applicants

Don't simply submit hundreds of applications.

Instead of searching dozens of job boards every day, the QuestJobs platform identifies employers that are eligible to sponsor, allowing you to focus on opportunities with the greatest immigration potential. The portal currently has more than 25,000 PR eligible jobs tracking more than 8000 employers across Canada.

If your goal is permanent residence in Atlantic Canada, following employers that consistently recruit through AIP is one of the smartest strategies you can take—and QuestJobs helps you stay one step ahead.

Instead:

• Focus on employers with a long history of AIP hiring.

• Tailor your résumé to each position instead of using the same version repeatedly. The CV analyzer feature of QuestJobs is a great help. This tool increases your chance of landing an interview by 70%.

• Apply within the first 24–48 hours after a job is posted.

• Mention your willingness to relocate to Atlantic Canada.

• If you're already eligible to work in Canada, clearly state your current status.

• If you're overseas, indicate that you're interested in opportunities through the Atlantic Immigration Program.