alberta

Alberta

The province of Alberta, which located in western Canada, serves as the country's agricultural production center. The province is home to large oil reserves, which has led to a flourishing local oil sector. Alberta is surrounded on the west by Canada's breathtaking Rocky Mountains and is home to the cities of Calgary and Edmonton.

The province operates several immigration streams divided among two categories:

1. Workers
2. Entrepreneurs

WORKERS:

1. Alberta Opportunity Stream

The Alberta Opportunity Stream accepts applications for provincial nominations from foreign nationals employed in Alberta and international graduates who finished their studies at an accredited Alberta post-secondary institution.

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 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.

2. Alberta Express Entry Stream

Alberta may propose those who have previously registered in the federal Express Entry system through the express entry stream. The province may extend an invitation to apply to people who have shown ties to Alberta and who possess the qualifications to support the expansion of the province's economy.

Candidates for Express Entry who are nominated by Alberta are given an additional 600 CRS points. This essentially ensures that you will be invited to submit an application for permanent residence at the upcoming Express Entry draw.

By invitation only, the Alberta Express Entry Stream operates. The Alberta government may submit a Notification of Interest (NOI) to the federal system on behalf of candidates who have Express Entry profiles. The province will then give invited candidates a short window of time to express their interest in being considered for selection under this stream.

If chosen, candidates will be asked by the AAIP to submit the necessary paperwork on the AAIP website in order to file for provincial nomination.

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

3. Alberta Accelerated Tech Pathway

For tech workers who are eligible for the Alberta Express Entry Stream and have a profile in the federal government's Express Entry system, there is a fast-track immigration program called the Alberta Accelerated Tech Pathway. Anyone who believes they meet the stream's eligibility requirements is welcome to submit an online form on the AAIP portal to be evaluated for this stream. The AINP invites the candidate to submit an application for a provincial nomination when the AAIP confirms that the candidate satisfies the minimal eligibility requirements.

Minimum Requirements:

• Must have a profile in the Express Entry pool
• Must have expressed interest in immigrating to Alberta permanently
• A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 300
• Must be working or received a job offer in an eligible tech occupation in Alberta

4. Rural Renewal Stream

Candidates who have a job offer from an Alberta company to work in rural communities in Alberta are eligible for the Rural Renewal Stream.

Candidates for this stream must first secure the backing of a participating community in Alberta because it is community-driven. Employers make job offers to foreign nationals, designated communities fight to keep them, and the community is in charge of making sure the applicant satisfies the stream requirements. The foreign national is subsequently given a letter of support. The foreign national submits their application to the AAIP after receiving the endorsement.

Minimum Requirements:

• Must have valid full-time job offer or employment contract from an Alberta employer to work in an eligible occupation in a designated community
• Must have at least 12 months of full-time work experience in an eligible occupation in the 18 months before you apply. This work experience can be a combination of experience in Alberta, elsewhere in Canada or abroad
• Must meet minimum language requirements
• Minimum of a high school education equivalent to the Canadian education standard
• Must demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to support themselves and all family members who will be moving into the designated community

ENTREPRENEURS

1. Farm Stream

The Self-Employed Farmer Stream is for candidates interested in immigrating to Alberta to purchase or start a farming business.

Interested candidates must first submit their business plan to the Alberta government, and wait to receive a decision. The AAIP bases its decision through consultation with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry to ensure that the business plan is feasible and that the project meets the needs of Alberta's agricultural industry. If a positive decision is received, you must then gather the required documents and fill in the required forms for both the Alberta government and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Minimum Requirements:

• Farm management skills
• Sufficient financial resources (minimum investment of CAD $500,000)
• Investment plans documented in a proposed business plan

2. Graduate Entrepreneur Stream

For foreign graduates of recognized Alberta post-secondary schools who are interested in starting or running a business in Alberta, there is the International Graduate Entrepreneur Immigration Stream.

Through the AAIP online portal, interested candidates must first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). Within 30 days, you will be given an EOI score, and the top applicants will be requested to submit a Business Application.

After getting an email requesting one, you have 90 days to complete a Business Application. You must also turn in the necessary paperwork.

Minimum Requirements:

• At least two years full time education in Alberta
• A valid Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) at time of application
• A minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 7
• Must establish a new business or operate an existing business with at least 34% ownership

3. Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream

Alberta’s Foreign Graduate Start-Up Visa is for foreign-educated international graduates who wish to launch a start-up business in Alberta, and become permanent residents of Canada.

You must work with a designated agency if you're interested in this program. If you meet the conditions, this organization will provide you a letter of recommendation.

Then, using the AAIP Portal, you must submit your letter of reference together with their Expression of Interest (EOI).

The organization will also offer a written report on how they evaluated your suggested business plan. This report must be included with your application.

Minimum Requirements:

• A minimum of six months of full-time work experience of managing and/or owning the business
• Must have a business plan with projected financials
• 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 ten years
• A 10-minute slides-only presentation that explains the business and details what an investor what want to see
• A minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 5
• 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
• 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 a letter of recommendation from an AAIP-approved agency
• Must have enough money to set up their business and support yourself and your family in Canada.

4. Rural Entrepreneur Stream

Candidates who want to launch a business in Alberta's rural regions should apply to the Rural Entrepreneur Stream.

Due to the community-driven nature of this stream, prospective company owners in rural Alberta must first get in touch with a participating community and arrange an exploratory visit. Following the exploratory visit, the business owner is required to submit a business plan that details the venture and its advantages for the neighborhood. The entrepreneur is then given a letter of support. The foreign national submits an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the AAIP once they have the community's support.

Minimum Requirements:

• Minimum 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
• Minimum of high school equivalent to the Canadian standard with an Education Credential Assessment (ECA)
• 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
• Must have a minimum net worth of $300,000
• Minimum investment of $200,000 from candidate’s own (and/or spouse/common-law partner) equity
• Must have a Community Support Letter from a participating rural Alberta community