PNP – Alberta

Alberta Immigration Nominee Program

The Alberta Provincial Nominee Program is designed to support economic growth by attracting foreign workers to the province. Individuals nominated by the Province of Alberta, together with their spouse and dependent children, are eligible to apply for a permanent resident visa as a Provincial Nominee.

Skilled Worker Criteria

The skilled worker immigration program is designed to help candidates gain permanent residence and to help employers get workers for their companies. This category of immigration is useful because it helps workers get their application for permanent residence processed within 6-18 months.

Alberta Employer criteria
  • Be incorporated or registered by or under an act of the legislature of a province or the Parliament of Canada and operating as a business that has an established production capability, plant or place of business in Alberta
  • Provide a job offer to the Candidate for permanent, full-time employment in a skilled occupation.
  • Provide a job offer to the Candidate that meets Alberta’s employment and wage standards
  • Provide a job offer to the Candidate that does not conflict with existing collective bargaining agreements. The AINP will not approve an application if there is a labour dispute in progress that may involve, directly or indirectly, either the employer or the candidate
  • Provide proof of your authorization to hire a foreign worker by showing either the Labour Market Opinion (LMO), or evidence of the LMO exemption
    • If there is an LMO in place for the Candidate, you must show that you are following all the conditions of the LMO (including salary)
  • If the Candidate is exempt from an LMO, you must show you are offering wages and benefits to the Candidate that meets industry standards
  • Clearly show the need for the position and that you have made a significant effort to hire a Canadian or permanent resident of Canada for the position only if the Candidate is not currently working in Alberta
  • The Employer-Driven Stream is not intended to be used as a substitute for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
  • Meet additional criteria if the Candidate’s occupation is in one of the following:
    • Plasterers, Drywallers, and Upholsterers
    • Early Childhood Educators and Child Care Staff
    • Managers/Supervisors in the Service, Retail and Foodservice Industries
Candidate Criteria
  • Application must shows that you are able to and intend to live permanently in Alberta
  • Have related education, training, previous work experience, and any Alberta licensing needed for the position and to meet AINP criteria
  • Provide a copy of your valid work permit if you are already working in Alberta
  • Provide proof of your legal status in your country of residence only if you are not currently working in Alberta (you are living abroad)
  • Meet additional criteria if your occupation is one of the following:
    • Plasterers, Drywallers, and Upholsterers
    • Early childhood educators and child care staff
    • Managers/Supervisors in the service, retail and food service Industries

Supervisors, foremen, and tradespeople working in occupations designated as a Compulsory or Optional Trade in Alberta (including Chefs, Cooks, and Line Cooks) are no longer eligible to apply under the Employer-Driven Stream and must apply under the Strategic Recruitment Stream, Compulsory and Optional Trades Category.

International Graduate Criteria

Alberta Employer criteria
  • Be incorporated or registered by or under an act of the legislature of a province or the Parliament of Canada and operating as a business that has an established production capability, plant or place of business in Alberta
  • Provide a job offer to the Candidate for permanent, full-time employment in a skilled occupation
  • Provide a job offer to the Candidate that meets Alberta’s employment and wage standards
  • Provide a job offer to the Candidate that does not conflict with existing collective bargaining agreements. The AINP will not approve an application if there is a labour dispute in progress that may involve, directly or indirectly, either the employer or the candidate
  • Show you are offering wages and benefits to the Candidate that meets industry standards
Candidate criteria

This application allows you to live permanently in Alberta.

  • Have obtained a diploma, degree, or have completed a graduate level program from a publicly funded community college, trade/technical school or university in Alberta or Canada, or at a private institution in Alberta authorized by provincial statute to confer degrees
  • AINP approved Alberta public and private post-secondary institutions
  • Have graduated from a Canadian educational program that was a minimum of two years in length at the undergraduate level or a minimum of one year at the graduate level
  • Have a current and valid post-graduation work permit issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada
  • Show that your job with your Alberta Employer is related to your field of study in Alberta or Canada
  • Have six months of full-time work experience with the same Alberta Employer on a post- graduation work permit before you apply with the Alberta Employer to the AINP

Supervisors, foremen and tradespeople, working in an occupation designated as a Compulsory or Optional Trade in Alberta (including Chefs, Cooks, and Line Cooks) are no longer eligible to apply under the Employer-Driven Stream and must apply under the Strategic Recruitment Stream, Compulsory and Optional Trades Category.

Semi-skilled Worker criteria

Language criteria for all semi-skilled workers have changed. The language requirements are now the same for all occupations and industries in this category.

Alberta Employer criteria:
  • Be incorporated or registered by or under an act of the legislature of a province or the Parliament of Canada and operating as a business that has an established production capability, plant or place of business in Alberta
  • Be operating in an industry that is one of the five industries currently eligible under the AINP Semi-Skilled Worker Category and provide a job offer to the Candidate for permanent, full-time employment in an eligible semi-skilled occupation
  • Provide a job offer to the Candidate that meets Alberta’s employment and wage standards
  • Provide a job offer to the Candidate that does not conflict with existing collective bargaining agreements. The AINP will not approve an application if there is a labour dispute in progress that may involve, directly or indirectly, either the employer or the candidate
  • Have a Labour Market Opinion (LMO) Confirmation for the Candidate and meet all the conditions of the LMO :
    • For the occupation of Front Desk Agent/Clerk – if the Candidate is working with the Alberta Employer on a Post-Graduation Work Permit an LMO is not required
  • Show a plan outlining your approach to accommodation, settlement, and retention for the Candidate
    • Complete a Settlement and Retention Plan
  • Make sure you meet additional criteria required for your industry
    • Food and Beverage Processing
    • Hotel and Manufacturing
    • Trucking Industry (Long-Haul and 2012 Heavy Haul Initiative)
    • Foodservice Industry (pilot project)
Candidate criteria
  • Be currently working in Alberta on a work permit for an eligible AINP Semi-Skilled Occupation
  • Show that you have completed a minimum of high school education
  • In the Foodservices Industry your high school education must be equivalent to Alberta standards
  • Submit one of the following test results, showing that you meet minimum language standards. Your test result cannot be more than two years old at the time you submit your AINP application:a)An IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Test with minimum scores of:
    • Listening: 4.5
    • Reading: 3.5
    • Writing: 4
    • Speaking: 4
  • A CELPIP (Canadian English Language Proficiency Index) Test with minimum scores of:
    • Listening: 2H
    • Reading: 2H
    • Writing: 2H
    • Speaking: 2H
  • A TEF with minimum scores of:
    • Listening: 145
    • Reading: 121
    • Writing: 181
    • Speaking: 181
  • Make sure you meet additional criteria required for your industry
    a) Food and Beverage Processing
    b) Hotel and Lodging (Please note: if your application was received prior to April 1, 2011, it was assessed on this additional criteria)
    c) Manufacturing
    d) Trucking Industry (Long-Haul and 2012 Heavy Haul Initiative)
    e) Foodservice Industry (pilot project)
Compulsory and optional trades criteria

You must intend to and be able to live and work permanently in Alberta.

  • You must have an Alberta Qualification Certificate in a compulsory or optional trade.
  • You must be residing in Alberta at the time of application and show that you have a valid work permit from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) in the trade in which you are certified
  • You must show, at the time of application, that you are either currently working in your trade for an Alberta Employer or have previously worked in your trade with an Alberta Employer for a minimum of six months in the past two years.
Engineering occupations criteria
  • You must be currently residing in Alberta
  • You must intend to and be able to live permanently in Alberta
  • You must provide evidence of related education/training and experience as an engineer, designer or drafter
  • You must be currently working or have worked within the last two years in Alberta either directly or on contract for one of the following:
    • A recognized, reputable and well-established Alberta Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) Company
    • An Alberta company that is a member of the Consulting Engineers of Alberta.
  • Your occupation in Alberta must be on the AINP Strategic Recruitment Stream, Engineering Occupations List
  • If you have engineering credentials, you must provide a “Letter of No Objection” from the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) or show that you are registered with APEGA as a foreign licensee
Self-employed (Farmers Stream)

The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) can nominate individual farm owner/ operators who want to immigrate, purchase and manage a farming business in Alberta.

The AINP works closely with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development to assess the eligibility of applicants in this category.

  • You must prove that you have farm management skills shown by:a) financial documentation of your existing farm businessb) documentation of your education, training and work experiencec) proposed business plan for the farming enterprise you are considering in Albertad) proof that a Canadian financial institution is willing to finance your proposed farming business
  • You must have sufficient financial resources to develop a sustainable farming operation:a) you must be able to invest a minimum of CDN $500,000 of equity in a primary production farming business in Albertab) you must provide documents that demonstrates you have a minimum net worth of CDN $500,000 or confirmation that you have access to a similar amount of funds from other sourcesc) the CDN $500,000 is the minimum amount. You may be required to show you have the ability to invest more than the minimum
  • You must invest in a primary production farming business in Alberta:a) you will have to document your investment intentions in your proposed business planb) applications representing the best opportunity for growth relevant to Alberta’s agri-food targets will be given priority
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