Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program

The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) is an economic immigration program operated by the Government of Alberta with the Government of Canada’s department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). It supports Alberta’s economic growth by attracting and retaining work-ready people to the province.

Alberta Opportunity Stream

Applications are not being accepted under this stream until January 2, 2018. The criteria below is listed for reference purposes only. Applications to the Alberta Opportunity Stream postmarked before January 2, 2018 will not be accepted. In January 2018, the AINP website will be updated with further details on how to apply to this stream including application forms.

In 2018, the AINP will be implementing intake and nomination guidelines that will set the maximum number of applications accepted and nominations issued each year, as well as maximums for applications and nominations by sector and occupation. Further details on these guidelines will be posted on the AINP website in 2018.

Selection Criteria

All selection criteria must be met to be eligible to apply to the AINP.

Occupation requirements

At the time your application is postmarked and at the time the AINP assesses your application you must be working in an eligible occupation in Alberta.

Most occupations under National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill levels 0, A, B, C and D are eligible under the AINP.

Ineligible occupations

Occupations that are not eligible are listed on the Alberta Opportunity Stream Ineligible Occupations list. Review the list to determine if your occupation is ineligible.

Residency status and work permit requirements

At the time your application is postmarked and at the time the AINP assesses your application:

You must have valid temporary resident status in Canada that authorizes you to work in Canada (i.e. temporary foreign worker). Ineligible residency status for the AINP includes the following:

refugee claimants or individuals involved in a federal appeal or removal process. It is not the mandate of the AINP to intervene in the federal refugee claim, appeal or removal process, or

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

You must have a valid work permit (not implied status or restoration status) for an eligible occupation based on either:

a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), or

a LMIA exemption for workers covered under international trade agreements, workers transferred within a company, or people taking part in International Experience Canada, as determined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

English and/or French language requirements

At the time your application is postmarked you must demonstrate you meet the following language test score in English or French:

As of January 2, 2019, the test score required for English and French language skills will be increased to a minimum of 5 in each language skill.

Note
If you apply to the AINP under NOC code 3413 (Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates), the AINP requires a minimum language test score as follows:

CLB of 7 for each English language skill; or

NCLC of 7 for each French language skill

You must provide your official test results with your AINP application for one of the following language tests:

Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) General Test,

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) General Training Test, or

Test d’évaluation de français (TEF)

Official test results must be less than two years old at the time your application was postmarked. The AINP will not accept confirmation of registration to take a language test in place of a test result.

Check the IRCC guideline on CLB/NCLC equivalency for each of the tests.

Education requirements

At the time your application is postmarked you must have completed at least a Canadian high school diploma or equivalent.

To show you meet this requirement you must have your highest level of foreign education verified through an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). The AINP only accepts the ECAs accepted by IRCC. Find out which ECAs will be accepted.

You are not required to provide an ECA if you have:

a Canadian degree, diploma or certificate from a recognized Canadian post-secondary, technical college or secondary institution, or

work experience that qualifies you for the AINP in a compulsory or optional trade and you have a valid Alberta Qualification Certificate or trade certificate that is recognized by Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training

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Work experience requirements

Your “current occupation” is the occupation you are working in at the time your application is postmarked to the AINP.

You must be working in the same occupation when the AINP assesses your application for nomination.

Qualifying Work Experience

At the time your application is postmarked you must have either:

a minimum of 12 months full-time work experience in your current occupation in Alberta within the last 18 months; or

a minimum of 24 months of full-time work experience in your current occupation in Canada and/or abroad within the last 30 months

This work experience can be a combination of experience gained in Alberta, in Canada (outside Alberta) and/or abroad.

The work experience in the qualifying period:

• must have been full-time, for a minimum of 30 hours/week; part-time work will not be considered,
• must be for the same occupation as your current occupation,
• must have been authorized by IRCC and with valid temporary resident status if completed in Alberta or Canada, and
• cannot have been gained while studying in Canada and doing co-op work placements or internships as part of a study program
• At the time your application is postmarked and at the time the AINP assesses your application for nomination:
• You must have the required licensing, registration or certification to work in your current occupation in Alberta.
• You must have a bona fide full-time job offer from an Alberta employer to work in your current occupation in Alberta and be working full-time for that employer in Alberta in that occupation.
• Your Alberta employer must be incorporated or registered by or under an act of the legislature of a province, territory, or the Parliament of Canada and operating as a business that has an established production capability, plant or place of business in Alberta, and
• Your job offer must be signed by you and your Alberta employer and must offer:
• continuous, paid work,
• full-time work, defined as a minimum of 30 hours/week for 12 months,
• work in your current occupation, and
• work for an eligible AINP occupation for which you have a work permit that meets AINP work permit requirements

The following individuals are not eligible, even if they have a job offer to work 30 hours a week or more in a 12-month period:

• part-time employees, regardless of their working hours,
• independent contractors, business owners or temporary agency workers, or
• employees who work in Alberta in a place of employment that is not zoned for commercial or industrial operations, such as a home-based business
• employees who do not work on a premises in Alberta, such as those who work in a “virtual” location or serve the employer by telecommuting from a location outside Alberta

 Income level requirements

At the time your application is postmarked, you must meet a minimum gross annual income level based on your “family unit” size.

Your “family unit” includes:

• you, and
• if applicable:
• your spouse or common-law partner
• your dependent children
• your spouse or common-law partner’s dependent children
• any dependent children of your dependent children
• any dependent children of your spouse or common-law partner’s dependent children
• Dependent children include all children related by blood or legal ties (including adopted and foster children) who are:
• under the age of 22 and do not have a spouse or common-law partner, or
• 22 years of age or older and are unable to be financially self-sufficient since before the age of 22 due to a physical or mental condition

Even if you do not plan to bring members of your family unit until after you become a permanent resident, you must still include them as members of your family unit and meet the minimum income requirements for that family unit size.

If you are not married, do not have a common-law partner, and do not have any children, then you are a family unit of one.

Gross Income Thresholds Table

If your family unit contains more than 10 members, contact the Immigrate to Alberta Information Service at 1-877-427-6419 to get the income level requirements associated with your family size.

Meeting the criteria listed above does not guarantee a nomination or permanent residence.

Note: Review AINP terms and conditions before applying.

Employer-Driven Stream

The AINP Employer-Driven Stream is for:  Alberta Employers who want to retain a foreign worker (Candidate) on a permanent, full-time basis where there is a challenge finding Albertans/Canadians to fill the position.

Candidates (foreign workers) with a permanent, full-time job offer from an Alberta Employer who intend to live and work in Alberta permanently.

The AINP is a program for permanent residence. AINP nominations will not be issued for the purpose of obtaining temporary work permit extensions.

Am I eligible?

The employer must make a permanent, full-time job offer to a candidate under one of three categories:

Skilled Worker Criteria

For Candidates who have a permanent, full-time job offer from their Alberta Employer in a skilled occupation (NOC 0, A, B). Learn more about the Skilled Worker Category criteria.

International Graduate Category

For Candidates who have recently graduated from a Canadian post-secondary institution and have a permanent, full-time job offer from their Alberta Employer in a NOC skill-level 0, A, B or C occupation. Learn more about the International Graduate Category criteria.

Semi-Skilled Worker Category

For Candidates who have a permanent, full-time job offer from an Alberta Employer in a semi-skilled occupation (NOC C or D) that is eligible under the AINP. Only certain occupations are eligible. Learn more about the Semi-Skilled Worker Category criteria.

Who is not eligible?

The following are not eligible under the AINP Employer-Driven Stream:

• Refugee claimants, or individuals involved in a federal appeal or removal process. It is not the mandate of the AINP to intervene in the federal refugee claim, appeal or removal process.
• Live-in caregivers currently living in Canada
• Temporary Foreign Workers working and residing in a province other than Alberta.
• International students studying in Canada, including students doing co-op work placements or internships as part of their study program

Strategic Recruitment Stream:Under this stream, you may be able to apply to the AINP without needing an employer to support your application.

There are three categories in this stream:

Compulsory and Optional Trades Category

For candidates who have a valid trade certificate in a Compulsory or Optional Trade in Alberta issued or recognized by Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT). Learn more about the Compulsory and Optional Trades Category criteria.

Engineering Occupations Category

For candidates who have credentials as an engineer, designer or drafter and Alberta work experience in an eligible Engineering Occupation. Learn more about the Engineering Occupations Category criteria.

Post-Graduate Worker Category

For candidates who have graduated from a recognized post-secondary institution in Alberta, are currently working in Alberta in an eligible occupation, and have a valid Post-Graduation Work Permit from IRCC. Learn more about the Post-Graduate Worker Category criteria.

Changes were made to this category on September 27, 2013.

Who is not eligible?

Review the criteria for each Strategic Recruitment Stream category to find out if your occupation is eligible.

Individuals in the following circumstances are not eligible under the Strategic Recruitment Stream:

• Refugee claimants, or individuals involved in a federal appeal or removal process. It is not the mandate of the AINP to intervene in the federal refugee claim, appeal or removal process.
• Live-in Caregivers currently living in Canada
• Temporary Foreign Workers working and residing in a province other than Alberta
• International students studying in Canada, including students doing co-op work placements or internships as part of their study program.

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