ABOUT ALBERTA
Among one of the three prairie provinces in Canada, Alberta is the fourth largest province by area and the fourth most populous province in Canada.
Capital: Edmonton
Largest City: Calgary
Population: 4,262,635 (Source: Statistics Canada)
Official Language: English
Industry: Hydrocarbons, Petrochemical Industry, Livestock, Agriculture, Oil, and Gas Industry
Tourist Attractions: Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, Rockies Mountains
Education: Free education for K-12 in public schools. Parents have to pay the tuition fee in Private schools
Alberta has over 150 Designated Learning Institutions, most of which offer Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) to international students that allows them to study as well as acquire work experience in Canada.
ALBERTA ADVANTAGE IMMIGRATION PROGRAM
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) is an economic immigration jointly administered by the governments of Alberta and Canada. The initiative is designed to nominate individuals for permanent residency in Alberta. Nominees are required to possess skills that address job shortages or have intentions to purchase or establish a business in Alberta. Additionally, they must demonstrate the ability to support their families.
If selected through this program, you have the opportunity to apply for permanent residency status alongside your spouse, common-law partner, and dependent children.
TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY STREAM
STEPS TOWARDS PERMANENT RESIDENCY:
For candidates nominated in Tourism and Hospitality stream a smooth transition into permanent residency is offered provided:
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Once nominated for the stream, you have to apply for PR within 6 months.
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Any change in personal circumstances has to be reported to AAIP and the federal government immediately.
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You must maintain your status to live and work in Alberta while your application for permanent residence is in process, i.e. have a valid work permit throughout the process.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
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Must have a valid work permit.
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Must be working in an eligible occupation in Alberta that matches your work experience.
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A minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 4 or 5 depending on occupation.
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A minimum of a high school degree.
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A minimum of 12 months of work experience in Alberta in the last 18 months, or a minimum of 24 months of work experience in Canada in the last 30 months.
ALBERTA OPPORTUNITY STREAM
On February 15, 2024, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) temporarily paused Alberta Opportunity Stream application intake until further notice.
Implied for temporary foreign workers who are already working full-time in Alberta and have a full-time job offer from an Alberta employer, Alberta Opportunity Stream accepts candidates having positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or hold one of the accepted LMIA exemption work permits.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
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A positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
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Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) held by a graduate of an Alberta Advanced Education publicly funded post-secondary institution.
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An open work permit issued under one of IRCC’s open work permit public policies.
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You must be employed in an eligible occupation in Alberta both at the time of submitting your application and when the AAIP evaluates it.
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Minimum 4 CLB in English or French for candidates under NOC 4,5 and minimum 5CLB in English or French for candidates under NOC 1,2,3.
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A minimum of 12 months full-time work experience in your current occupation in Alberta within the last 18 months, or a minimum of 24 months of full-time work experience in your current occupation in Canada or abroad.
ALBERTA EXPRESS ENTRY STREAM
Nomination based stream that enables Alberta to select a restricted number of eligible candidates from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's Express Entry system. Eligible candidates who receive Notification of Interest(NOI) can apply under this stream.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
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You have an active Express Entry profile in the federal Express Entry pool.
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You meet the criteria of at least one of the federal immigration programs managed by Express Entry.
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Your primary occupation in your federal Express Entry profile is an occupation in demand.
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You intend to and be able to live and work permanently in Alberta and have stated an interest in immigrating permanently to Alberta.
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You have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 300.
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You are neither a refugee claimant nor subject to a federal appeal or removal process.
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You do not have an active nomination under any AAIP stream.
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You are not currently identified as ineligible to re-apply to the AAIP due to misrepresentation.
RURAL RENEWAL STREAM
The Rural Renewal Stream is aimed at bolstering the influx and retention of newcomers to rural Alberta by adopting a community-led approach that addresses local economic development needs and fosters community growth. This initiative empowers rural communities to attract and retain foreign nationals, enabling them to live, work, and settle within these communities.
Communities and employers have two options:
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WORLDWIDE
They can independently recruit foreign workers. Once nominated, temporary foreign workers may be eligible to work while awaiting a decision on their permanent residence application.
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WORLDWIDE
Alternatively, they can collaborate with approved non-governmental organizations, known as Designated Referral Partners, to recruit and retain refugees under the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP). These partners aid in identifying suitable candidates abroad and facilitating connections with local employers in designated rural Alberta communities.
The EMPP is a joint effort between Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP).
Communities interested in participating can complete a Community Designation Application form. Additional consideration will be given to communities with populations of fewer than 10,000 residents. Upon designation, these communities gain the ability to attract, recruit, and retain newcomers through this stream.
MANDATORY CRITERIA:
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Communities must have a population of less than 100,000.
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Rural communities within the same economic region can collaborate to submit an application.
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Population figures from the 2016 census will serve as the reference.
Communities must be located outside of the Calgary and Edmonton census metropolitan areas. -
One or more employers must express interest in participating, offering permanent, full-time, non-seasonal employment for a minimum of 12 months.
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An endorsement letter of support from participating town or municipal councils, signed by the mayor or reeve, is required.
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The application must be signed and submitted by the economic development organization primarily focused on economic development.
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A documented economic development plan or similar document (current status not required) must be included.
Nomination based stream that enables Alberta to select a restricted number of eligible candidates from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's Express Entry system. Eligible candidates who receive Notification of Interest(NOI) can apply under this stream.
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The legitimacy of the business and its provision of goods or services within Alberta.
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Consistency between the offered employment and the employer's business activities or needs.
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The ability to fulfill all terms of the job offer or employment contract, meeting specific employer requirements verifiable by the AAIP.
The Alberta employer MUST:
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Be legally incorporated or registered under provincial, territorial, or federal legislation, and operate an established production capacity, plant, or business location in Alberta.
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Have maintained continuous and active operations in Alberta for at least two complete fiscal years preceding the submission of the application.
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Maintain a physical business location in Alberta where employees can regularly report for work and receive work assignments.
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Demonstrate the necessity of the position by providing either a valid work permit issued under federal Temporary Foreign Worker or International Mobility programs, or evidence of efforts to recruit Canadian citizens or permanent residents, as evidenced by recruitment outcomes.
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Have generated a minimum total gross annual revenue of $400,000 in the most recent fiscal year and employed a minimum of three full-time (or equivalent) employees in Alberta. Independent contractors are not considered indeterminate employees and do not count toward this requirement.
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Additionally, two part-time employees may be considered as one full-time equivalent position, provided their total hours average at least 30 hours per week.