Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)
Alberta is one of Canada’s most economically and socially dynamic provinces. Located in Western Canada, the province has a rapidly growing economy, based in large part on its vast natural resources. Home to two of Canada’s largest cities, Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta is the most populous of the country’s three ‘prairie provinces’. It is also renowned as one of the most beautiful parts of North America, with famous national parks such as Banff and Jasper.
The AINP is Alberta’s Provincial Nominee Program. Through this program, prospective immigrants with the skills and experience targeted by the province may receive an Alberta Provincial Nomination Certificate, which will speed up the overall immigration process.
Express Entry candidates nominated by Alberts will receive an additional 600 points under the Comprehensive Ranking System and receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence from Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). IRCC has committed to processing times of six months or less for applicants through Express Entry.
The AINP is Alberta’s Provincial Nominee Program. Through this program, prospective immigrants with the skills and experience targeted by the province may receive an Alberta Provincial Nomination Certificate, which will speed up the overall immigration process.
Express Entry candidates nominated by Alberts will receive an additional 600 points under the Comprehensive Ranking System and receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence from Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). IRCC has committed to processing times of six months or less for applicants through Express Entry.
The AINP Consists of Three Main Immigration Streams
- Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS);
- Alberta Express Entry Stream; and
- Self-Employed Farmer Stream.
1. Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS)
Residency Status and Work Permit Requirements
At the time your application is postmarked and at the time the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) assesses your application, you must have a valid temporary resident status in Canada that authorizes you to work in Canada (i.e. temporary foreign worker).
Eligible Applicants
At the time your application is postmarked and at the time the AINP assesses your application, you must have a valid work permit (not implied status or restoration status) for an eligible occupation.
Valid work permits are based on one of the following:
Ineligible Applicants
The following individuals cannot apply for or be nominated under the AOS:
Eligible Occupations
At the time your application is postmarked and at the time the AINP assesses your application, you must work in an eligible occupation in Alberta. Occupation requirements also apply to your work experience and job offer. You must review the Work Experience criteria and Eligible Job Offer criteria sections for details.
The occupation you are working in at the time your application is postmarked to the AINP is your “current occupation.”
Most occupations under National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill levels 0, A, B, C and D are eligible under the AINP.
If you are not sure if your occupation is eligible please contact us for assistance.
Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Holders
If you are a Post-Graduation Work Permit holder your occupation must also be related to your field of study in Alberta.
In addition to occupations on the list above, Post-Graduation Work Permit holders are not eligible to apply to the Alberta Opportunity Stream if their occupation is on the Government of Canada’s list of high-wage and low-wage occupations in the province of Alberta. These occupations are not in demand in Alberta and can be filled by Albertans and Canadians.
For more information on the AOS and to find out of you qualify please contact us.
At the time your application is postmarked and at the time the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) assesses your application, you must have a valid temporary resident status in Canada that authorizes you to work in Canada (i.e. temporary foreign worker).
Eligible Applicants
At the time your application is postmarked and at the time the AINP assesses your application, you must have a valid work permit (not implied status or restoration status) for an eligible occupation.
Valid work permits are based on one of the following:
- a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
- a LMIA exemption for workers based on one of the following exemptions as determine by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC):
- international trade agreements
- workers transferred within a company
- International Experience Canada
- Mobilité Francophone
- an open work permit issued by IRCC to
- vulnerable workers who have demonstrated they are experiencing abuse or are at risk of abuse in the context of their employment in Canada, including under the Vulnerable Workers Open Work Permit (VWOWP) exemption, or
- the family members of a vulnerable worker under the VWOWP exemption
- A Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) held by a graduate of an Alberta Advanced Education publicly funded post-secondary institution
- PGWP holders must also meet specific occupation, education and work experience requirements
Ineligible Applicants
The following individuals cannot apply for or be nominated under the AOS:
- refugee claimants or individuals involved in a federal appeal or removal process. The AINP does not intervene in the federal refugee claim, appeal or removal process
- temporary residents living or working in a province or territory of Canada other than Alberta, or
- foreign nationals living or working in Canada who do not have valid temporary resident status
Eligible Occupations
At the time your application is postmarked and at the time the AINP assesses your application, you must work in an eligible occupation in Alberta. Occupation requirements also apply to your work experience and job offer. You must review the Work Experience criteria and Eligible Job Offer criteria sections for details.
The occupation you are working in at the time your application is postmarked to the AINP is your “current occupation.”
Most occupations under National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill levels 0, A, B, C and D are eligible under the AINP.
If you are not sure if your occupation is eligible please contact us for assistance.
Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Holders
If you are a Post-Graduation Work Permit holder your occupation must also be related to your field of study in Alberta.
- If you started attending your Alberta credential program on or after April 1, 2019 and you have completed an Advanced Education-approved one year post-diploma certificate or post-baccalaureate certificate, your occupation must also be related to your previous post-secondary field of study outside Canada.
In addition to occupations on the list above, Post-Graduation Work Permit holders are not eligible to apply to the Alberta Opportunity Stream if their occupation is on the Government of Canada’s list of high-wage and low-wage occupations in the province of Alberta. These occupations are not in demand in Alberta and can be filled by Albertans and Canadians.
For more information on the AOS and to find out of you qualify please contact us.
2. Alberta Express Entry Stream
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 submit an application under this stream. Only candidates who are asked to submit an application to the Alberta Express Entry Stream will be considered.
Selection from Express Entry Pool and Notification of Interest Process
Based on available profile information in the Express Entry portal, Alberta may select candidates and send them a Notification of Interest letter in their federal Express Entry profile. This information is self-declared by candidates in the Express Entry pool.
You may receive a Notification of Interest letter if you:
If you have one or more of the following adaptability factors, this may increase your likelihood of receiving a Notification of Interest letter:
There is no guarantee that if you meet the selection requirements you will receive a Notification of Interest letter or be asked to submit an application. Notification of Interest letters and requests to submit an application are affected by the volume of potential candidates meeting these requirements, the type (occupation/sector) of submissions in AINP processing queues and the number of available nominations.
When the AINP selects candidates, it expects that information contained in the Express Entry portal is accurate. The information and documents you identified in the Express Entry portal must be provided to the AINP at the time your Express Entry application package is submitted. Documents and information provided in the application must confirm the information identified in the Express Entry portal at the time that the Notification of Interest was issued. If there are discrepancies between the information in the portal and the information the AINP receives, your submission may be declined. The AINP does not guarantee that all complete applications received by the AINP will be assessed or that all candidates who meet the assessment criteria will be issued a nomination.
Selection from Express Entry Pool and Notification of Interest Process
Based on available profile information in the Express Entry portal, Alberta may select candidates and send them a Notification of Interest letter in their federal Express Entry profile. This information is self-declared by candidates in the Express Entry pool.
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, and
- Have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 300.
If you have one or more of the following adaptability factors, this may increase your likelihood of receiving a Notification of Interest letter:
- Alberta job offer and/or work experience
- A graduate of a Canadian post-secondary institution
- A relative that is living in Alberta: parent, child, brother and/or sister
There is no guarantee that if you meet the selection requirements you will receive a Notification of Interest letter or be asked to submit an application. Notification of Interest letters and requests to submit an application are affected by the volume of potential candidates meeting these requirements, the type (occupation/sector) of submissions in AINP processing queues and the number of available nominations.
When the AINP selects candidates, it expects that information contained in the Express Entry portal is accurate. The information and documents you identified in the Express Entry portal must be provided to the AINP at the time your Express Entry application package is submitted. Documents and information provided in the application must confirm the information identified in the Express Entry portal at the time that the Notification of Interest was issued. If there are discrepancies between the information in the portal and the information the AINP receives, your submission may be declined. The AINP does not guarantee that all complete applications received by the AINP will be assessed or that all candidates who meet the assessment criteria will be issued a nomination.
3. Self Employed Farmer Stream
This stream offers permanent residence to individuals with the farming experience and personal funds to purchase and develop a farm in Alberta. Successful applicants are farm owner/operators who plan to live in Canada in order to purchase and manage their farming business.
Requirements
Applicants to the Self-Employed Farmer stream must meet the following criteria. Meeting this criteria does not guarantee a nomination or permanent residence.
Farm Management Skills
Applicants must prove that they have farm management skills. Proof of this may include, but is not limited to:
Sufficient Financial Resources
Applicants 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 to a similar amount of funds from other sources. Applicants may be required to show the ability to invest more than the minimum.
Primary Production Investment
Applicants must document their investment plans in a proposed business plan. Applications representing the best opportunity for growth relevant to Alberta's agri-food targets will be given priority.
Requirements
Applicants to the Self-Employed Farmer stream must meet the following criteria. Meeting this criteria does not guarantee a nomination or permanent residence.
Farm Management Skills
Applicants 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
Applicants 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 to a similar amount of funds from other sources. Applicants may be required to show the ability to invest more than the minimum.
Primary Production Investment
Applicants must document their investment plans in a proposed business plan. Applications representing the best opportunity for growth relevant to Alberta's agri-food targets will be given priority.
PLEASE NOTE: THESE PROGRAMS ARE AMENDED OFTEN. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE AINP PLEASE CONTACT US TO DISCUSS YOUR OPTIONS IN MORE DETAIL.
