Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)

Alberta is well-known for its crude oil, natural gas, and coal. It also offers beautiful landscapes with breathtaking mountains and forests. It is located in the western part of Canada, near British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)

1. Tourism and Hospitality Stream: This stream caters to eligible candidates residing and working in Alberta, offering a pathway for those with full-time job offers from employers within the Alberta tourism and hospitality sector to seek nomination through the AAIP.
2. Alberta Opportunity Stream: Intended for individuals already established in Alberta’s workforce, this stream enables qualified candidates with job offers from Alberta-based employers to apply for nomination through the AAIP.
3. Alberta Express Entry Stream: Under this stream, eligible candidates with profiles in the federal Express Entry pool may receive invitations to apply for nomination. The selection criteria align with provincial economic, sectoral, and occupational priorities. Special pathways are available for healthcare professionals and technology workers.
4. Rural Renewal Stream: Communities seeking economic revitalization can apply for designation to endorse qualified candidates. Temporary foreign workers with job offers in designated communities and an endorsement letter can apply for nomination. Additionally, communities can endorse refugees qualifying under the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) with support from non-governmental referral partners assisting with the AAIP application process.

Entrepreneur Streams: The AAIP offers four streams tailored to entrepreneurs planning to reside in Alberta and establish or purchase businesses within the province:

1. Rural Entrepreneur Stream: Entrepreneurs aiming to start or acquire a business in rural Alberta communities can submit an Expression of Interest to participate in this stream.
2. Graduate Entrepreneur Stream: International graduates from approved Alberta post-secondary institutions interested in initiating or acquiring a business can express their interest in this stream.
3. Farm Stream: Experienced farmers intending to purchase or establish farms in Alberta can apply for nomination through this stream.
4. Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream: Foreign graduates holding degrees from post-secondary institutions outside Canada, aspiring to launch innovative start-up enterprises, can collaborate with designated agencies to submit an Expression of Interest.

Worker streams:

Tourism and Hospitality Stream:

• Your current employment and any job offer in Alberta must be with a single approved employer in Tourism and Hospitality.
• Both your current employment in Alberta and the job offer must be for eligible occupations.
• At the time of application submission and assessment by the AAIP:
  • You must have been working full-time (minimum 30 hours per week) for at least six consecutive months (or a minimum of 780 hours) with an approved employer in Tourism and Hospitality.
  • You must have completed education equivalent to at least a Canadian high school diploma.

Alberta Opportunity Stream:

• You need to have a valid temporary resident status in Canada that allows you to work, specifically a temporary foreign worker permit, at both the time of applying and when the AAIP assesses your application.
• Your work permit must be valid both when you submit your application and when it’s assessed, excluding implied status or restoration status.
• Your employment must be in an eligible occupation within Alberta at both the time of application and assessment. Occupation requirements pertain to your work experience and job offer.
• If you hold a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), your occupation must be relevant to your field of study in Alberta.
• You must furnish a copy of an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from an organization designated by IRCC, verifying your highest level of education.

Alberta Express Entry Stream:

• You might receive a Notification of Interest letter or be considered for the Accelerated Tech Pathway if:
  • You possess an active Express Entry profile in the federal Express Entry pool.
  • You fulfill the criteria of at least one of the federal immigration programs managed by Express Entry, including the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Trades Program, or Federal Skilled Worker Program.
  • Your primary occupation listed in your federal Express Entry profile is either in demand, part of a specific Express Entry stream pathway, or connected to a provincial economic, sectoral, or occupational priority.
  • You have the intention and ability to permanently reside and work in Alberta, expressing a desire to immigrate permanently to the province.
  • You maintain a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 300.
  • Your primary occupation is not included in the Alberta Opportunity Stream Ineligible Occupations list.
  • The volume of applications or nominations for your primary occupation in the current calendar year under the AAIP is deemed reasonable to meet provincial economic immigration priorities.
  • You are neither a refugee claimant nor subject to a federal appeal or removal process, as the AAIP cannot intervene in these processes.
  • You lack an active nomination under any AAIP stream, defined as one that has not expired or is eligible for extension, or one that was used for a permanent residence application pending a decision.
  • You are not currently deemed ineligible to re-apply to the AAIP due to misrepresentation.
• You hold an Alberta job offer.
• You are a graduate of a Canadian post-secondary institution.
• You have a parent, child, or sibling who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident residing in Alberta.
• French is your primary language.
• Your Express Entry profile remains valid for more than five months.

Rural Renewal Stream:

• When you submit your application and when the AAIP evaluates it, you must possess a job offer or employment contract from an Alberta employer to work in an eligible occupation within your designated community.
• Additionally, you need to fulfill the following licensing, registration, and certification requirements:
  • You must hold the necessary licensing, registration, or certification to work in your current occupation in Alberta or the occupation specified in your Alberta job offer. Detailed information regarding occupation-specific requirements can be found on the Alis website.
  • If you are employed or have a job offer in a compulsory trade in Alberta, you must possess a valid Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Trade (AIT) recognized trade certificate.
  • If you work as a childcare worker in Alberta, you must possess valid certification as either a Level 2 Early Childhood Educator (formerly Child Development Worker) or a Level 3 Early Childhood Educator (formerly Child Development Supervisor) before applying to the AAIP.
• At the time of application submission and assessment by the AAIP, you must hold a job offer in an eligible occupation.
• For temporary foreign workers: At the time of application submission, you must have accrued a minimum of 12 months of full-time work experience in an eligible occupation within the preceding 18 months. This experience can be acquired in Alberta, elsewhere in Canada, or abroad.
• For EMPP refugee applicants: At the time of application submission, you must possess a minimum of 12 months of full-time work experience in an eligible occupation within the last 10 years.
• At the time of application submission, you must have completed at least a high school education equivalent to the Canadian standard, or possess a foreign degree, diploma, or certificate.

Entrepreneur Stream: 

Rural Entrepreneur Stream: 

• Candidates must make an exploratory visit, which can be conducted either in-person or through web-based video conferencing, as mutually agreed upon by the candidate and the community. Regardless of the format, candidates must submit an Exploratory Visit Report with their Business Application.
• Possess a minimum of 3 years of experience as an active business owner/manager or a minimum of 4 years of experience as a senior manager within the past 10 years.
• Have completed at least a high school education equivalent to the Canadian standard, verified by an Education Credential Assessment (ECA).
• Maintain a minimum net worth of $300,000, with all assets being the candidate’s personal holdings or those of their spouse or common-law partner.
• Invest a minimum of $100,000 from the candidate’s own equity (or that of their spouse/common-law partner), with higher investment levels receiving additional points.
• New businesses must generate at least one full-time job for Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents, excluding relatives.
• Candidates must secure a Community Support Letter from a participating rural Alberta community.

Graduate Entrepreneur Stream:

• Completed a minimum of two years of full-time education, leading to a degree or diploma from a post-secondary institution funded by Alberta Advanced Education.
• Possess a valid Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) at the time of submitting your Expression of Interest (EOI).
• Required to establish a new business or purchase an existing one in Alberta, holding a minimum ownership stake of 34%.

Farm Stream:

• Candidates are required to demonstrate proficiency in farm management.
• Candidates must possess the capability to invest at least CDN $500,000 of equity in a primary production farming enterprise in Alberta.
• Candidates must articulate their investment strategies in a proposed business plan, which must be included with their application to the AAIP.
• Priority will be accorded to applications deemed most conducive to advancing Alberta’s agri-food objectives for growth.

Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream: 

• A minimum of 6 months of full-time work experience, which can include active management or ownership of a business, or equivalent experience such as involvement with a business incubator or accelerator.
• Possession of a degree from a foreign post-secondary institution, validated by an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA), completed within the past 10 years at the time of Expression of Interest (EOI) submission, and deemed equivalent to a Canadian degree.
• Submission of a business plan with projected financials, adhering to the Business Plan Guidelines.
• Preparation of a 10-minute presentation (slides only) outlining the proposed business venture, focusing on aspects of interest to potential investors.
• Ownership requirement of a minimum of 34% if the business is situated in an urban center, or a minimum of 51% if located in a regional area outside the Calgary and Edmonton Census Metropolitan Areas.
• A minimum investment level from the candidate’s own equity, or from a recognized Canadian financial institution, venture capital, or angel investment firm before arriving in Alberta.
• Submission of a letter of recommendation from an AAIP-approved designated agency.
• Demonstration of sufficient funds to establish the business and sustain oneself while on a work permit during the start-up phase.