Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)

What Is the Alberta AINP Program?

This is an immigration program operated on behalf of the Government of Alberta. The Alberta PNP or AINP lets the province hire skilled workers who have the right work experience and training needed to fill jobs in Alberta.

Those who successfully apply for the program can get permanent residence, when they receive a Provincial Nomination (PN) from the province.

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How to Apply for Alberta INP Streams for Fast Track Canada Immigration

Successful applicants will receive a Alberta Provincial Nomination Certificate, which will speed-up the Canada Immigration (Permanent Resident) Visa application processing time. The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program has a new application stream called the Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS), and an expansion to the occupations and skill levels that can be accepted.

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These new changes will better serve workers in Alberta who want to become permanent residents. We have simplified processes, which will reduce wait times and provide fair access for all workers who wish to build lives in Alberta.

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Under the Alberta Provincial Nominee Program (PNP),
you may qualify under one of two streams:

• Alberta Opportunity Stream

• Self-Employed Farmer Stream

 

1) Alberta Opportunity Stream

• Employer Driven Stream; and

• Strategic Recruitment Stream

 

Changes to the Stream

You no longer need the support of an employer to apply for this program.

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Requirements for the Alberta Opportunity Stream

1. Residency and Work Permits Requirements

You must have:

• Temporary resident status in Canada to legally work in the country;

• A valid work permit for a valid NOC job through:

  • A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA); unless you are

  • An LMIA exempt worker who is covered by international trade agreement; or

  • An LMIA exempt international student who has a Post Graduation Work Permit

You cannot apply if you are:

• A refugee claimant; or

• A person who is being deported from the country

2. Language Proficiency

There are certain language tests you must qualify for. These are based off the:

• • Canadian Language Benchmark or CLB; and

  • Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens or NCLC

You must score 4 for both the CLB and NCLC in 2018 to qualify. These score requirements will change to 5 for both CLB and NCLC in 2019.

This does not apply for Job NOC codes like 3413, which include nurse aids, patient services and orderlies.

For these occupations you must score at least:

• • • 7 for the CLB in English; and a

    • 7 for the NCLC in French

3. Education Requirements

You must have:

• • • A certificate or have completed a post-graduate certificate program;

    • A diploma that was at least two years long; or

    • An undergraduate bachelor’s degree, graduate degree; graduate level certificate or diploma

From July 10, 2018, you must meet all the requirements for graduation, if you are Post Graduation Work Permit Holder. This must be approved by Alberta Advanced Education for both private and public high school.

4. Occupation Requirements

You must:

• • • Work at a job in Alberta that is part of the AINP. (Most National Occupational Classification levels like 0, A, B, C, and D are accepted by the program)

    • Have enough work experience in the job you are applying with

5. Work Experience

You must apply for an applicable job under the AINP. This job must match the required work experience for your application. Please note that you cannot change the job you applied for in you application.

To qualify for this section of the application it is required you have:

• • • 12 months of full time work experience in Alberta for an AINP accepted job within a period of 18 months

    • 24 months of full time work experience in Canada within a period of 30 months

    • A Post Graduate Work Permit with six months full time work experience within an 18 month period (This work experience must be related to your degree or field of study)

*Please note that if you are part of the Alberta credential program after October 1, 2018 you must:

• • • Have completed an Advanced Education Approved Post Graduate Certificate; and

    • Have a job that relates to your studies

If an applicant is a Post-Graduation Work Permit holder, he or she:

• • • must have a minimum of six months full-time work experience in his or her current occupation in Alberta within the last 18 months; and

    • must currently be in an occupation related to his or her field of study in Alberta based on an approved Alberta educational credential from an Advanced Education-approved Alberta post-secondary institution. Also, if the applicant has completed an Advanced Education-approved one year post-graduate certificate, the occupation must also be related to his or her previous undergraduate or graduate field of study Canada.

In addition to meeting the time frame requirements above, the work experience:

• • • must have been full-time, for a minimum of 30 hours/week (part-time work will not be considered);

    • must have be in same occupation as the ‘current occupation’ listed in the application;

    • must have been authorized by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and with valid temporary resident status if completed in Alberta or Canada;

    • cannot be completed while studying in Canada and doing co-op work placements or internships as part of a study program.*

*Post-Graduation Work Permit holders who have work experience from paid co-op placements as part of of study program at an Alberta post-secondary institution may use that experience as part the work experience requirement. For these applicants, the work experience must meet the following conditions:

a. The paid co-op work term must have been full-time (minimum 30 hours per week).

b. The work experience must be directly related to a Post-Graduation Work Permit holder’s ‘current occupation’.

6. Fund Requirements

You must have enough funds to support you and your family before you apply for this program. Your family unit includes:

• • • You;

    • Dependant children (under the age of 22 and who are not married); and

    • Spouse or common law partner

You must include these family members, even if they are not immigrating with you. Please note that you must use your gross annual income which is your yearly pay after tax.

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2) Self-Employed Farmer Stream

This Self Employed Farmer stream in Alberta was created to help foreign immigrants start their own farms in Canada.

The basic requirements to apply to the Alberta Self Employed Farmer Stream are assessed on your:

• Education: You must have completed high school and received a diploma. Please note that these must be equal to Albertan education standards.

• Experience

• Income: You must earn at least $21,883 a year for any application handed in from 2018 to 2019; and $23,392 a year for any application handed in from 2020 to 2021

• Language skills: Must meet Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) of 4 until June 13, 2019, and CLB or NCLC of 5 starting on June 14, 2019.

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Requirements for the Self-Employed Farmer Stream

• A proposed business plan for an Albertan Farm

• Education, training and work experience necessary to develop a sustainable farming business

• Evidence of sufficient financial resources to develop or sustain farming operation and

• A minimum of $500,000 CAD of equity to invest in the farming enterprise

• A minimum of net worth of $500,000 CAD or confirmation of access to these funds from other sources

Reasons You Cannot Apply for This Stream

• A refugee claimant;

• Being removed or in the process of being removed from Canada;

• Work as a caregiver in Canada;

• Work as a Temporary Foreign Worker who is not living in Alberta; or

• Study in Canada as an international student doing internships or co-op work placements

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Express Entry Alberta

There are a few different programs that can be used to obtain permanent residency in Alberta, the most popular and effective route being the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP). The AINP is a partnership between Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and the Government of Alberta that seeks out skilled and semi-skilled foreign nationals who can immediately enter the Albertan workforce and therefore benefit the economy as soon as possible.

Prospective immigrants can apply to the Alberta PNP 2018 in two different ways. An Expression of Interest (EOI) can be sent directly to Immigration Alberta without going through the Canadian Express Entry system. If nominated through this route, an applicant can then apply for Canada Permanent Residency through Express Entry by uploading their provincial nomination credentials into the platform. The other option for people interested in immigrating to Alberta is to begin the process by creating a new Express Entry profile. Once this is done, the individual can then show an interest in the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program directly through the system. If an Alberta nomination is then received, the prospective immigrant will consequently gain 600 points on his or her Express Entry score, significantly increasing their chances of being given an Invitation to Apply during the next Express Entry draw. Our Canadian immigration professional can help potential immigrants optimize their Express Entry profile for Alberta immigration through the AINP. We can help with every step of the Alberta Provincial Nominee Program process, and once an Alberta nomination is received we can professionally prepare a Canada Permanent Residency application on your behalf.