One of the best ways to apply for permanent residency in Alberta is to apply through one of the streams under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program.
Alberta is one of the ten provinces of Canada, located in the western part of the country. With a population of over four million people, it is the fourth most populous province in Canada. The capital city of Alberta is Edmonton, which is also the largest city in the province. Alberta is home to a diverse range of landscapes, from the Rocky Mountains in the west to the grasslands of the prairies in the east.
The province is also well known for its oil sands, which are some of the largest deposits of oil in the world. Alberta’s economy is largely based on natural resources, with agriculture, forestry, and oil and gas extraction being major industries. Tourism is also an important contributor to the province’s economy, with visitors coming to admire the natural beauty of Alberta’s parks and mountains.
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (formerly the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program) is an economic immigration program that allows people to be nominated for permanent residence in Alberta. Nominees must have the ability to address labour shortages or be ready to buy or start a company in Alberta. They must also be able to support their families.
If you are nominated for the program, you and your spouse or common-law partner may apply for permanent resident status, as well as any dependent children.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada processes applications for permanent residence once you have you have been nominated by Alberta.
You have 7 options to choose from if you want to immigrate to Alberta:
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program has 3 permanent resident programs for foreign workers
who are employed or planning to reside in Alberta:
If you’re a qualified candidate who lives and works in Alberta and have a job offer from an employer in Alberta, you can apply for an Alberta Provincial Nominee Program nomination.
If you have an Express Entry profile and meet the requirements, AAIP may send you an invitation to apply for permanent residence. Tech workers can go through the Accelerated Tech Pathway.
Candidates who have a job offer from an Alberta company and wish to work in a designated rural Alberta area can apply for an Alberta Provincial Nominee Program nomination.
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program has 4 permanent resident streams for foreign entrepreneurs
who want to move to Alberta and either buy or start a business:
Farmers who have extensive experience and plan to buy or start a farm in Alberta can apply for PR.
International graduates from qualified Alberta post-secondary institutions who want to start a business or buy an existing business can submit an Expression of Interest (EOI).
Foreign graduates who studied outside of Canada can apply for permanent residency.
Entrepreneurs wanting to start a business or purchase an existing business in an eligible rural Alberta community can submit an Expression of Interest (EOI).
Alberta Opportunity Stream
Under the Alberta Opportunity Stream, foreign nationals who work in Alberta and international graduates studying at an approved Alberta post-secondary institution may apply for a provincial nomination.
What's the process?
Candidates who want to apply for the Alberta Opportunity Stream must do so via the AAIP online portal. After that, individuals will be invited to upload required documents based on their unique circumstances and pay the online application fee.
What are the minimum requirements?
- Must be currently authorized to work in Canada;
- You must be working in an eligible occupation in Alberta;
- A minimum of a high school;
- A minimum Canadian Language Benchmark of 4 or 5 depending on your occupation
- A minimum of 12 months of work experience in Alberta in the last 18 months, or a total of 24 months of Canadian work experience in the past 30 months.
Alberta Express Entry Stream
Individuals who already have a profile in the federal Express Entry system may be nominated to the Express Entry stream through the Alberta provincial nominee program. Individuals with the skills to contribute to Alberta’s economic growth and who have ties to the province may be invited by the province to submit an application.
Candidates who are selected from the province of Alberta earn 600 more CRS points. By receiving a nomination, you are almost guaranteed to receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence in the next Express Entry draw.
What's the process?
The Alberta Express Entry Stream is by invitation only. Under this system, those who have been deemed eligible to participate in the federal Express Entry pool may receive a Notification of Interest (NOI) from the Alberta government. After being invited, candidates need to tell the province they are interested in this selection stream.
If candidates are selected, they will receive a request from the AAIP to apply for provincial nomination. All required documents must be submitted through the AAIP online portal.
After receiving your nomination, you will then need to apply through Express Entry to gain permanent residence.
What are the minimum requirements?
- have an active profile in the Express Entry pool with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 300
- the primary occupation in your federal Express Entry profile must be an occupation that supports Alberta’s economic development and diversification
- meet the criteria of one of the Express Entry immigration programs:
- indicated you intend to live and work in Alberta permanently in your Express Entry profile
If you work in the Tech industry, you may be eligible to apply through the Alberta Accelerated Tech Pathway.
Rural Renewal Stream
Candidates who have a job offer from an Alberta employer to work in rural areas in the province of Alberta may apply to the Rural Renewal Stream.
What's the process?
Candidates must first gain the approval of a participating Alberta community in order to be eligible for this stream. Designated communities seek to attract and retain foreign nationals, employers make them a job offer, and the community is in charge of ensuring that the applicant fulfils the stream requirements. After that, the foreign national is given a letter of support. The application is then submitted to the AAIP after the endorsement has been provided.
What are the minimum requirements?
- Minimum of high school education;
- You must have a legitimate job offer or employment contract from an Alberta employer to work in an eligible position in a designated community.
- You must have worked full-time for at least 12 months in an eligible job during the 18-month period before applying, in Alberta, in Canada or abroad;
- Applicants must be able to meet the minimum language requirements;
- Must demonstrate that they have sufficient funds.
Farm Stream
Candidates interested in coming to Alberta to purchase or establish a farm may apply for the Self-Employed Farmer Stream.
What's the process?
Candidates must first submit their business plan to the Alberta government and then wait for a response. The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program makes the final call by consulting with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry to make sure that the business plan is realistic, and that the plan meets the demands of Alberta’s agricultural sector.
After you receive a positive decision, you must gather the required documents and complete the paperwork for Alberta and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
What are the minimum requirements?
- Must have farm management skills;
- Must have significant financial resources (minimum investment of CAD $500,000);
- You must show investment plans in your business plan.
Graduate Entrepreneur Stream
International graduates of authorized Alberta post-secondary institutions who are interested in establishing or running a business in Alberta may apply for Alberta’s International Graduate Entrepreneur Immigration Stream.
What's the process?
To apply, interested individuals must first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) via the AAIP’s website. Within 30 days, you will receive an EOI score, and the top candidates will be invited to complete a Business application.
After being invited you will have 90 days o complete the application.
What are the minimum requirements?
- At least two years of full-time education from an approved post-secondary institution in Alberta;
- You must have a Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP);
- Minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 7;
- To qualify, either establish a new business or operate an existing business with at least 34% ownership.
Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream
Foreign-educated graduates who want to start their own business in Alberta are eligible for the Foreign Graduate Start-Up Visa.
What's the process?
If you want to participate in this program, you must work with a designated organization. If you fulfil the criteria, this agency will provide you with a letter of recommendation.
After you get your letter of recommendation, you need to submit it with the Expression of Interest (EOI) through the AAIP Portal, along with all required paperwork, documentation and the assessment of your business plan from the designated agency.
What are the designated agencies?
What are the minimum requirements?
- A minimum of six months of full-time work experience in business management and/or ownership;
- You must have a business plan;
- Must have a post-secondary education from a foreign institution, that was completed within the last ten years and have an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA);
- Provide a 10-minute presentation that explains the business;
- You must have a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 5;
- You must own at least 34% of the business if it is located in an urban centre or 51% if it is located outside of Calgary or Edmonton.
- For an urban centre, a minimum investment of $100,000 is required, while for a regional location, it must be $50,000.
- Have a letter of recommendation from an AAIP-approved agency;
- You will need to prove you have enough money saved up to cover the costs of setting up your business and supporting yourself and your family in Canada.
Rural Entrepreneur Stream
The Rural Entrepreneur Stream is designed for candidates who want to establish a business in small-town communities throughout Alberta.
What's the process?
This stream is community-driven, meaning that entrepreneurs wishing to start a company in rural Alberta must first contact a participating community and conduct an exploratory visit.
After the initial visit, the entrepreneur must submit a business proposal that contains information about how the community will benefit from the business. They will then provide a letter of support to the entrepreneur.
Once the community has backed them, the foreign national files an Expression of Interest (EOI) with the AAIP.
What are the minimum requirements?
- Must have a minimum of 3 years experience as an active business owner/manager or 4 years as a senior manager within the 10 years;
- Minimum of high school equivalent to the Canadian standard, proved by an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA);
- You must prove you have a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark of 4 for each individual English language skill;
- You must have a net worth of at least $300,000.
- Minimum investment of $200,000;
- You must have a Community Support Letter from a participating rural Alberta community in order to apply.
If you are interested in applying under one of the streams through the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program get in contact!
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