Alberta Advantage Immigration Program

The Alberta Opportunity Stream accepts applications from individuals who are already working in Alberta, with a valid work permit. All applicants require a full-time job offer for at least one year to continue working in their current occupation in Alberta.

Eligibility Criteria:

1. Immigration status

You must be already working in Alberta at the time of your application with one of the following work permits:

• an LMIA based work permit
• a work permit based on an international trade agreement (NAFTA, GATS, CETA, CPTPP)
• an intra-company transferee work permit
• an International Experience Canada work permit (Working Holiday, Young Professionals, or International Co-op)
• a post grad work permit (you must have graduated from an Alberta institution)
• an open work permit issued to a vulnerable worker

Note that there are a significant number of other types of work permits available, and individuals holding those types of permits are no longer eligible to apply to the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP).  Common examples of those no longer eligible include open work permit holders as the spouse of a student or the spouse of a skilled worker.

2. Occupation requirements

You must be working in a position in Alberta that matches your previous work experience, and/or your post-secondary education in the case of an international student.  There is also a short list of occupations that are not eligible to apply to the AINP.

3. Language skills in either French or English:

• CLB 4 for each skill for NOC C and D occupations
• CLB 5 for each skill for NOC 0, A and B occupations
• CLB 7 for each skill if you are working under NOC 3413 (nurse aide, orderlies & patient service associates)

4. Education

All candidates except PGWP holders must have completed the equivalent of an Alberta High School education as shown by an Educational Credential Assessment. PGWP holders require a credential issued by an Alberta publicly-funded post secondary institution. 

5. Work Experience

You must be working in an occupation that matches your previous work experience:

• min 12 months full time in Alberta within prior 18 months, or
• min 24 months full time in Canada and/or overseas within prior 30 months
• post grad work permit holders need a min of 6 months full time work within prior 18 months in a position that is related to the program of study in Alberta

Application fee: $500

The Alberta Express Entry stream is for individuals who have a valid Express Entry profile in the federal Express Entry Pool, with a connection to Alberta.  Alberta will invite selected candidates from the pool to apply; there is no option to apply directly to the AAIP for this program.

If you are a Tech worker, you may qualify for expedited processing under the Accelerated Tech Pathway.

General Express Entry Eligibility Criteria:

Applicant criteria:

• you have a valid Express Entry profile with a CRS score above 300
• you have some connection to Alberta, such as a job offer in Alberta, a close relative in Alberta or previous work experience in Alberta

You are not likely to be invited by Alberta if the following apply:

• your Express Entry profile expires in less than 5 months
• your current occupation is on the list of ineligible occupations

Accelerated Tech Pathway Eligibility Criteria:

Applicant criteria:

• you have a valid Express Entry profile with a CRS score above 300
• you are working full-time in Alberta or have a job offer for full-time employment based in Alberta (full-time is a minimum of 30 hours per week):
  • in an occupation on the list of eligible Accelerated Tech Pathway occupations
  • for an employer that is part of the Alberta tech industry as defined by the AAIP list of eligible North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes
• the primary occupation in your Express Entry profile is the same occupation as your current Alberta employment or job offer

You are not likely to be invited by Alberta if the following apply:

• your Express Entry profile expires in less than 3 months

Application fee: $500

The Rural Renewal Stream addresses current labour needs and skill shortages in rural Alberta communities. It is a community-driven stream which requires a community to apply to the Government of Alberta for community designation.

The Rural Renewal Stream has a 2-step process:

1. A community designation process – community recruits newcomers to meet labour needs and provides an Endorsement of Candidate letter.
2. Candidate submits the AAIP application.

The AAIP defines a rural Alberta community as any community outside of the Calgary and Edmonton Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) that are under 100,000 in population. 

Eligibility Criteria:

• You receive the Endorsement of Candidate letter from your designated community
• You intend to and are able to reside and work in your designated community in Alberta
• You have a full-time job offer or employment contract from an Alberta employer to work in an eligible occupation in your designated community (Most occupations under NOC 0, A, B, C and D are eligible)
• Your employment will be for 12 months or more
• You have a minimum of 12 months full-time work experience in an eligible occupation within the last 18 months (this work experience can be a combination of experience gained inside or outside Alberta or abroad)
• Your work experience meets the requirements
• You meet the language requirement: CLB 5 for NOC 0, A and B; CLB 4 for NOC C and D
• You have a minimum of high school education equivalent to the Canadian education standard
• You meet the settlement requirements if you are currently not living in Canada or you are currently in Canada but not working

Application fee: $500

If you want to start a business or buy an existing business in a rural Alberta community, you can submit an Expression of Interest through the Rural Entrepreneur Stream.

AAIP defines rural Alberta communities as any community with a population of less than 100,000. In addition, the community must be outside of the Calgary and Edmonton Census Metropolitan Area.

Candidates interested in a specific rural Alberta community should connect with the community contact person to discuss their business proposal and schedule an exploratory visit. Each community will have their own process for scheduling an exploratory visit. Communities reserve the right to meet only with potential entrepreneurs whom they deem as a fit.

You must have a Community Support Letter from a participating rural Alberta community to apply through this stream.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Minimum 3 years of experience as an active business owner/manager or minimum 4 years of experience as a senior manager within the past 10 years
• Minimum of high school equivalent to the Canadian standard with an Education Credential Assessment (ECA)
• CLB level 4 for each English language skill
• Minimum net worth of $300,000
• Minimum investment of $200,000 from candidate’s own (and/or spouse/common-law partner) equity

Application fee: $3,500

This stream accepts applications from Alberta post-secondary graduates who wish to establish or operate a profit-making business in Alberta which will provide jobs for Canadians and permanent residents. It is not necessary to establish the proposed business until your Business Application has been approved.

Eligibility Criteria:

1. Immigration status

• you must have a post-graduate work permit valid at the time of your Expression of Interest

2. Business requirements

• you will own at least 34% of the business
• your business partners are Canadian citizens or permanent residents
• the type of business is not on the list of ineligible businesses
• you will reside in Alberta and actively manage the day-to-day-operates of the business

3. Language skills in English or French

• you have a minimum CLB 7 on each language skill

4. Education

• you have completed at least two years of full-time study resulting in a degree or diploma from a publicly-funded post-secondary institution in Alberta

5. Adaptability

These are not essential, but will increase your chances of being invited to submit a Business Application:

You have a minimum of 6 months of related full-time work experience before submitting your Expression of Interest. It can be obtained through owning or actively managing a business, or equivalencies gained through (1) experience with a business incubator or accelerator or (2) eligible entrepreneurship courses at an Alberta post-secondary institution, or some combination. The necessary work experience may be acquired: from outside or inside Canada; before or after completing your Alberta education.

• A minimum of 6 months’ full-time work experience that can be a combination of actively managing or owning the business or equivalencies. Equivalencies include experience with a business incubator or business accelerator, or completion of entrepreneurship program courses.
• Work experience can be obtained from outside or within Canada, before or after completing Alberta education
• you are between 21-49 years old
• your business will provide economic benefits to Alberta given its location, economic sector, amount of investment, job creation, support from a business incubator, etc
• your spouse or common-law partner has 1 year of work or 2 years of study in Alberta, or CLB 5 language scores
• you or your spouse or common-law partner have close relatives living in Alberta: father, step-father, mother, step-mother, child, step-child, sister, step-sister, brother, step-brother
• you rank high on a selection grid that assigns points for various factors over and above the minimum eligibility criteria such as years of business experience, number of jobs created, language scores that exceed the minimum, etc

Application fee: $3,500

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 AAIP for assessment. The AAIP will consult with Alberta Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development to ensure the business plan is feasible and viable, and meets the needs of Alberta’s agriculture industry.

Eligibility Criteria:

• You must prove that you have farm management skills
• You must be able to invest a minimum of CDN $500,000 of equity in a primary production farming business in Alberta

Application fee: $500

This stream accepts applications from recent foreign graduates educated outside Canada who want to launch a start-up enterprise or innovative business in Alberta. They must work with an approved Designated Agency and obtain a letter of recommendation to include with their AAIP application.

Eligibility Criteria:

1. Immigration status

• you must be eligible for a work permit
• you have settlement funds to support yourself and family while launching the business
• you must reside in Alberta during the start-up

2. Work experience

• you require a minimum of 6 months of related full-time work experience before submitting your Expression of Interest. This can be a combination of owning or actively managing a business, or the equivalent gained through work experience with a business incubator or business accelerator.

3. Education

• you have completed a degree from a post-secondary institution outside of Canada within the last 10 years
• the credential is equivalent to a Canadian degree as verified by an ECA

4. Language skills in English or French

• you have a minimum CLB 5 on all language skills on a valid test

5. Business Requirements

• connected to a targeted sector: technology, aerospace, financial services, energy, agriculture, tourism, life sciences, pharmaceuticals
• letter of recommendation from a Designated Agency
• ownership of at least 34% of the business if located in an urban centre, or 51% if outside Calgary and Edmonton
• min investment of $100,000 for a business in an urban centre; $50,000 for a regional area
• business plan with projected financials meeting the required business plan guidelines
• pitch-deck of 10 slides outlining the business venture from an investor perspective
• business must have a physical place of business in Alberta at all times
• you must reside in Alberta and manage the business on a day-to-day basis

6. Adaptability

The following will increase your chances of being invited to submit a Business Application:

• you exceed the minimum eligibility criteria in language scores and education
• your business will provide greater economic benefits to Alberta given your experience, the business sector, location, amount of investment, job creation, etc.
• additional investment has been secured for after the start-up

Application fee: $3,500