Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)

Qualified candidates who live and work in Alberta and have a job offer from an Alberta employer can apply for an AINP nomination. The Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS) is for temporary foreign workers who are already working full-time in Alberta and have a full-time job offer from an Alberta employer in an eligible occupation. Candidates must have a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or hold one of the accepted LMIA exemption work permits. Candidates must also meet other minimum eligibility criteria for residency and work permit type, occupation, language, education, Alberta job offer, and work experience.

Minimum Requirements:

• Must have a valid work permit;
• Must be working in an eligible occupation in Alberta that matches your work experience;
• A minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 4 or 5 depending on the occupation
• A minimum of a high school degree;
• 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.

Qualified candidates with an Express Entry profile may be invited by AINP to apply for nomination for permanent residence. The Alberta Express Entry Stream allows Alberta to nominate a limited number of qualified candidates from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada’s Express Entry system.

Candidates who have demonstrated strong ties to Alberta or who can help support the government’s economic development and diversification priorities may be asked to submit an application.

International graduates from Canadian post-secondary institutions may also be asked to apply under this stream.

Minimum Requirements:

• Must be in the Express Entry pool.
• Must have expressed interest in immigrating to Alberta permanently.
• Must be working in an occupation that supports Alberta’s economic development and diversification.
• A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 300.

This stream has 2 steps:

1. Candidates with an Express Entry profile with the Government of Canada receive a Notification of Interest (NOI) letter from AINP in their Express Entry profile. Only candidates who receive an NOI letter may contact the AINP to advise them that they are interested in applying to this stream.

2. The AINP invites these candidates to apply. Candidates determine if they meet assessment criteria and submit an application. Complete applications go into a pool of eligible applications for consideration for processing.

Selection and notification process

Based on available profile information in the federal Express Entry portal, Alberta may select candidates and send them a Notification of Interest letter in their federal Express Entry profile. Profile information is self-declared by candidates in the federal Express Entry pool.

If you receive a Notification of Interest letter from Alberta and you are interested in being considered for this stream, you must send a copy of the letter along with additional information to the AINP by email within 2 weeks of receiving the letter. Instructions on how to contact the AINP are in the How to Apply section.

There is no guarantee that if you meet the selection requirements you will receive a Notification of Interest letter or be asked to apply. Notification of Interest letters and requests to apply are affected by the volume of potential candidates meeting these requirements, the type (occupation or sector) of submissions in AINP processing queues, and the number of available nominations.

You may receive a Notification of Interest letter if you:

• have an active Express Entry profile in the federal Express Entry pool
• have stated an interest in immigrating permanently to Alberta
• are working in an occupation that supports Alberta’s economic development and diversification
• have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 300

Factors that increase your chances

Meeting one or more of the following adaptability factors may also increase your likelihood of receiving a Notification of Interest letter:

• you have an Alberta job offer and/or work experience
• you are a graduate of a Canadian post-secondary institution
• you have a parent, child, brother, and/or sister who is a permanent resident living in Alberta, or a Canadian citizen living in Alberta

Factors that decrease your chances
If you meet one or more of the following factors, this may decrease your likelihood of receiving a Notification of Interest letter:

• your Express Entry profile expires in 5 months or less
• you work in an occupation:
  • on the list of High-wage and low-wage occupations in the province of Alberta set out on the online Government of Canada Refusal to Process a Labour Market Impact Assessment list
  • on the Alberta Opportunity Stream Ineligible Occupations list
  • that has a high volume of submissions across all AINP streams

The Rural Renewal Stream supports the attraction and retention of newcomers to rural Alberta through a community-driven approach that supports local economic development needs and contributes to the growth of the community. The Rural Renewal Stream empowers rural communities to recruit and retain foreign nationals to live, work, and settle in their communities.

Communities and employers can:

• work on their own to recruit foreign workers. Once nominated, temporary foreign workers can qualify to work while they wait for a decision on their permanent residence application or
• work with an approved non-governmental organization, also referred to as a Designated Referral Partner, to recruit and retain refugees under the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP). Designated referral partners assist in identifying candidates abroad with the skills and experience, and who meet the EMPP program criteria, to facilitate a match with local employers in designated rural Alberta communities.
  • The EMPP is a partnership between Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP).
  • The AAIP can nominate refugees for permanent residence through its Rural Renewal Stream and provide priority processing on a provincial level. EMPP applicants arrive in Alberta as permanent residents. This is considered the Regional EMPP program.

The Rural Renewal Stream has a 2-step process:

1. One of the following community endorsement processes –
   • Community directly recruits temporary foreign workers to meet labor needs and provides an Endorsement of Candidate letters to selected candidates.
   • Community completes Alberta’s Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) referral process to recruit refugees. An EMPP referral partner organization works with the community and the Alberta employer to assist in finding a refugee for the respective labor need. Selected candidate receives Endorsement of Candidate letter from the community and an EMPP Referral Partner letter from the referral partner.
2. Candidate submits the AAIP application.

The Rural Entrepreneur Stream is an economic immigration program. Entrepreneurs who want to start a business or buy an existing business in a rural Alberta community can submit an Expression of Interest.

Who is an entrepreneur?

An entrepreneur is a person who sets up a business with the aim to make a profit. An entrepreneur is commonly seen as an innovator, a source of new ideas, goods, services, and business/or procedures.

Entrepreneurs play a key role in Alberta’s economy, using their skills and initiative to anticipate needs and create jobs for Albertans. Entrepreneurs who prove to be successful in taking on the risks of establishing a business are rewarded with profits and continued growth opportunities.

Eligibility

Work experience

Have either 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.

Education

Completed a minimum of high school equivalent to the Canadian standard with an Education Credential Assessment (ECA).

The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website lists the designated organizations for ECAs.

Language

Have a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 4 for each English language skill or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) of 4 for each French language skill: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Official test results must be less than 2 years old at the time your Expression of Interest is submitted.

Net worth

Minimum net worth of $300,000. All assets must be the candidate’s own personal holdings or spouse’s or common-law partner’s.

Business investment

Minimum investment of $100,000 from the candidate’s own (and/or spouse/common-law partner) equity. Higher levels of investment will be awarded more points.

Business establishment

Minimum ownership of 51% for a new business. Business Partners must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents.

OR

100% ownership for business succession (the succession buy-out must result in a complete change in ownership where the candidate will assume full control of the business).

Experienced farmers who plan to buy or start a farm in Alberta can apply for permanent residence. This stream is for entrepreneurs who have the financial resources and farm management experience to establish a new or purchase an existing farm in Alberta.

Candidates must submit their application, along with a proposed business plan, to the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) for assessment. The AINP will consult with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry to ensure the business plan is feasible and viable and meets the needs of Alberta’s agriculture industry.

Note: If the AINP discovers fraud or misrepresentation in an application, a candidate may be banned for up to 5 years from reapplying to the AINP.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for this stream, candidates must meet the following criterion at the time their application is mailed to the AINP and at the time of assessment by the AINP. Meeting these criteria does not guarantee a nomination or permanent residence.
Minimum Requirements:
• Farm management skills.
• Sufficient financial resources (minimum investment of CAD $500,000);
• Investment plans documented in a proposed business plan.

Farm management skills
Candidates must prove that they have farm management skills.
Proof of this may include, but is not limited to:
• financial documentation of an existing farm business
• documentation of education, training, and work experience
• a proposed business plan for the farming enterprise you are considering in Alberta
• proof that a Canadian financial institution is willing to finance your proposed farming business
Sufficient financial resources
Candidates must be able to invest a minimum of CDN $500,000 of equity in a primary production farming business in Alberta.
Documents must be provided that show a minimum net worth of CDN $500,000, or confirmation of the ability to access a similar amount of funds from other sources.
Candidates may be required to show the ability to invest more than the minimum.
Primary production investment
Candidates must document their investment plans in a proposed business plan and submit this with their application to the AINP. The proposed business plan will be reviewed by Alberta Agriculture and Forestry to ensure the farming operation aligns with Alberta farming industry requirements.
Applications representing the best opportunity for growth relevant to Alberta’s agri-food targets will be given priority.

International graduates of approved Alberta post-secondary institutions who want to start a business or buy an existing business can submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). The International Graduate Entrepreneur Immigration Stream (IGEIS) allows Alberta to nominate qualified international graduates from Alberta post-secondary institutions who want to establish or operate a business in Alberta to apply for permanent residence.

Minimum Requirements:
• At least two years of full-time education in Alberta;
• A Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) valid for at least two years;
• A minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 7;
• Must establish a new business or operate an existing business with at least 34% ownership.
• A minimum of six months of full-time work experience.

Foreign graduates from outside of Canada can apply for permanent residence.
Overview
The Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream is an economic immigration program that nominates talented and qualified foreign-educated graduates from outside Canada for permanent residence upon launching start-up enterprises and innovative businesses in Alberta. The Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream is a collaboration between the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) and approved designated agencies.
Foreign graduates who are interested in applying under the FGSVS must work with a designated agency. The designated agency will issue a letter of recommendation if it deems that the foreign graduate meets the AINP requirements. The foreign graduate must submit the letter of recommendation with their Expression of Interest (EOI) through the AINP Portal.

The designated agency will review business plans based on the foreign graduate’s ability to demonstrate market need or demand, the potential for successful market entry in the short-term to medium-term, customer acquisition, business development, key partnerships, and financial plans to fund the development and operation of the start-up. The designated agency will provide a written report on their assessment of the proposed business plan. Foreign graduates must submit this report with their FGSVS Business Application.
Minimum Requirements
• Work Experience: A minimum of six months of full-time work experience in managing and/or owning the business.
• Education: Must have a post-secondary education from a foreign institution and have an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). The degree must have been completed within the last two years.
• Business Plan: You are also required to submit a business plan with projected financials. A 10-minute slides-only presentation that explains the business and details what an investor what want to see.
• Language requirements: You must have a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 7 for each English language skill (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) OR Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) of 7 for each French language skill (reading, writing, listening, and speaking)
• Business establishment: Must have at least 34% ownership if the business is located in an urban center, or at least 51% ownership if located in outside Calgary or Edmonton.
• Business investment: Must make a minimum investment of $100,000 for an urban center, or $50,000 for a regional area. More points are awarded for higher investments. These can be made from your own equity, or from a recognized Canadian financial institution, venture capital, or angel investment firm.
• Must have enough money to set up their business and support yourself and your family in Canada.
• Letter of recommendation: Must have a letter of recommendation from an AINP-approved agency.