Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (Formerly known as the AINP)

Alberta is a prosperous province rich in natural beauty and resources.

Located in Western Canada, Alberta is home to two of Canada’s largest cities, Calgary and Edmonton, and 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 province operates the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), formerly the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program. Through this program, prospective immigrants with the right mix of skills and work experience needed by the province may receive an Alberta Provincial Nomination Certificate.

Alberta Immigration Streams

If you wish to immigrate to Alberta, you currently have eight options to choose from. This page will help you figure out which immigration stream is suitable for your situation.

Streams for workers

• Alberta Opportunity Stream for skilled workers who are currently working in an eligible occupation in Alberta.
• Alberta General Express Entry Stream for candidates in the Express Entry (EE) system who have a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of at least 300, and who are currently working in an eligible occupation.
• Alberta Accelerated Tech Pathway falls under the Express Entry stream and is open to applicants who are currently working in Alberta’s technology industry or who have received a job offer from that industry in 38 occupations identified by the province.
• Rural Renewal Stream for candidates with a job offer from an Alberta employer for work in a rural Alberta community.

Streams for entrepreneurs 

• Farm Stream for those who wish to operate a farming business in Alberta.
• Graduate Entrepreneur Stream for international graduates of a designated post-secondary institution in Alberta, who wish to start a business in Alberta.
• Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream for foreign nationals who graduated from outside Canada and who wish to start a business in Alberta.
• Rural Entrepreneur Stream for entrepreneurs who want to acquire a business or start one in a rural Alberta community.

Summary of AAIP Options

Category	Is a job required?	Is the stream aligned with Express Entry?	Is it currently receiving applications?	Connection to province
Alberta Opportunity Stream	Yes	No	Yes	Have work experience in the province
Alberta Express Entry Stream	No	Yes	Yes	Have work experience in the province OR Have a parent, child, brother or sister who is a permanent resident or Canadian citizen of Alberta
Accelerated Tech Pathway	Yes	Yes	Yes	Work full-time in Alberta or having a job offer for full-time work in Alberta
Rural Renewal Stream	Yes	No	Yes	Must intend to and be able to reside and work in the designated community in Alberta
Farm Stream	No	No	Yes	N/A
Graduate Entrepreneur Stream	No	No	Yes	Completed education in Alberta
Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream	No	No	Yes	N/A
Rural Entrepreneur Stream	No	No	Yes	Must have a community support letter from a participating rural Alberta community

Alberta Opportunity Stream

Foreign nationals working in Alberta and international graduates who completed their studies at an approved Alberta post-secondary institution are eligible to apply for a provincial nomination under the Alberta Opportunity Stream.

Application Fee: CAD $500

How it works:

Candidates interested in the Alberta Opportunity Stream must complete their application online through the AAIP online portal. After that, candidates will be asked to submit specific documents depending on their individual situations and pay the online application fee.

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.

Alberta Express Entry Stream

The Express Entry stream allows Alberta to nominate individuals who already have a profile in the federal Express Entry system. Individuals who have demonstrated ties to Alberta and have the necessary skills to contribute to the province’s economic growth may be invited by the province to submit an application.

Express Entry candidates who receive a provincial nomination from Alberta are awarded an additional 600 CRS points. This practically guarantees receiving an invitation to apply for permanent residence in the next Express Entry draw.

Application Fee: CAD $500

How it works:

The Alberta Express Entry Stream works by invitation only. Candidates who have Express Entry profiles may receive a Notification of Interest (NOI) from the Alberta government directly in the federal system. Invited candidates then have a limited about of time to indicate to the province that they are interested in being considered for selection under this stream.

If selected, candidates will receive a request from the AAIP to apply for provincial nomination by submitting all required documents through the AAIP online portal.

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.

Alberta Accelerated Tech Pathway

The Alberta Accelerated Tech Pathway is a fast-track immigration program for tech professionals who have a profile in the federal government’s Express Entry system and be eligible for the Alberta Express Entry Stream. Individuals who have determined they meet the eligibility criteria of the stream are invited to submit an online form on the AAIP portal to be assessed under this stream.  The AAIP verifies that the candidate meets the minimum eligibility criteria and if so, the AINP invites the candidate to apply for a provincial nomination.

Application Fee: CAD $500

How it works:

Candidates can initiate the application process under the expedited pathway if they are currently working or have a job offer with an Alberta technology industry employer in an eligible tech occupation and meet the requirements under the Alberta Express Entry stream. To do so they must submit an online form via the AAIP website. If they meet the stream criteria, candidates will receive an invitation from the AAIP to apply for provincial nomination by submitting all required documents through the AAIP online portal.

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.

Rural Renewal Stream

The Rural Renewal Stream is for candidates who have a job offer from an Alberta employer to work in rural communities in Alberta.

Application Fee: CAD $500

How it works:

This stream is community-driven, which means that candidates must first obtain the support of a participating community in Alberta. Designated communities work to attract and retain foreign nationals, employers make them a job offer, and the community is responsible for ensuring that the candidate meets the stream criteria. A letter of support is then provided to the foreign national. Once the foreign national receives the endorsement they submit their application to the AAIP.

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;

Farm Stream

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

Application Fee: CAD $500

How it works:

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.

Graduate Entrepreneur Stream

Alberta’s International Graduate Entrepreneur Immigration Stream is for international graduates of approved Alberta post-secondary institutions who are interested in establishing or operating a business in Alberta.

Application Fee: CAD $3,500

How it works:

Interested candidates must first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through the AAIP online portal. You will receive an EOI score within 30 days and the highest-ranking candidates will be asked to submit a Business Application.

A Business Application must be completed within 90 days of receiving an email asking you to submit one. You must also submit all required documents

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;

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.

Application Fee: CAD $3,500

How it works:

If you are interested in this program, you must work with a designated agency. This agency will issue you a letter of recommendation if you meet the requirements.

You will then have to submit your letter of recommendation with their Expression of Interest (EOI) through the AAIP Portal.

The agency will also provide a written report on their assessment of your proposed business plan. You must submit this report with your application.

What are the designated agencies?

1. Empowered Startups
2. Platform Calgary

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 centre, or at least 51% ownership if located in outside Calgary or Edmonton;
• Must make a minimum investment of $100,000 for an urban centre, 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.

Rural Entrepreneur Stream

The Rural Entrepreneur Stream is for candidates who wish to start a business in rural communities in Alberta.

Application Fee: CAD $3,500

How it works:

This stream is community-driven, which means that entrepreneurs who wish to establish a business in rural Alberta must first make contact with a participating community and plan an exploratory visit. After the exploratory visit, the entrepreneur must provide a business proposal containing information about the business and the benefits to the community. A supporting letter is then provided to the entrepreneur. Once the foreign national has the support of the community, they submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the AAIP.

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.