Alberta Immigration

Alberta Immigration

Alberta is one of Canada’s three Prairie provinces, located in Western Canada. Often known as Canada’s “energy province,” and home to two of the country’s major urban centers, Calgary and Edmonton. Alberta’s landscape varies from towering mountains to glacial lakes, from vast boreal forests to fertile prairies and desert badlands. Thanks to the opportunities provided by oil and gas industry Alberta attracts many immigrants working in those industries.

Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program

The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) is designed for individuals who possess the skills and abilities to fill labor shortages in Alberta and who wish to settle in and work in the province.

Successful applicants will receive an Alberta Provincial Nomination Certificate. With this nomination, the applicant, as well as his or her accompanying family members, if applicable, may apply to Immigration Canada for Canadian permanent residence. The federal government makes final decisions on these applications.

Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program Streams

Under the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP), you may qualify under one of the following three streams:

Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS)

In order to assesses your application under Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP), you must have a valid temporary resident status in Canada that authorizes you to work in Canada.

Eligible Applicants

• 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
• 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 as set out below.

Alberta Express Entry Stream

Candidates who have demonstrated strong ties to Alberta or who can help support the government’s economic development and diversification priorities are nominated in this Alberta Express Entry Stream.

Eligible Applicants

• Have an active Express Entry profile in the federal Express Entry pool
• Meet the criteria of at least one of the federal immigration programs
• Intend to and be able to live and work in Alberta
• Be working in an occupation that supports Alberta’s economic development and diversification
• 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 being nominated:

• Valid Alberta job offer and/or work experience
• A graduate of an Alberta post-secondary institution with a valid Alberta job offer, or
• Parent, child, brother and/or sister who is a permanent resident living in Alberta, or a Canadian citizen living in Alberta.

Self-Employed Farmer Stream

This stream targets applicants with farm management skills and sufficient financial resources to invest in a farming business in Alberta. Successful applicants are farm owners/operators who plan to live in Alberta in order to purchase and manage their farming business.

Eligible Applicants

• Prior managerial experience with an existing farm enterprise;
• Education, training and work experience necessary to develop a sustainable farming business in Alberta;
• A business plan for the farming enterprise to be developed in Alberta;
• Evidence that a Canadian financial institution is willing to finance the proposed farming enterprise;
• A minimum of $500,000 CAD of equity to invest in the farming enterprise;
• A minimum net worth of $500,000 CAD or confirmation of access to these funds from other sources.