Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)
The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) is an economic immigration program that nominates people for permanent residence in Alberta. Nominees must have skills to fill job shortages or be planning to buy or start a business in Alberta. They must also be able to provide for their families. The program is run by the governments of Alberta and Canada. Eligible individuals can apply to be nominated to work and live in Alberta permanently.
About Alberta
Alberta is in Western Canada. It’s famous for its:
- sunshine
- mountains
- open spaces
- forests
- fresh air
The people of Alberta have come from many cultures and backgrounds. They work together to build a strong economy and safe communities where everyone is welcome. Alberta has:
- high standards of living
- cultural events all over the province
- excellent healthcare and school systems
- a diverse economy and innovative business spirit, making it an ideal place to work and live.
AINP Streams
There are totally 5 streams in 2 categories, under which you might apply for a nomination if you find suitable. The streams are as below
Alberta Opportunity Stream
The Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS) is for temporary foreign workers who are already working full-time in Alberta and have a full-time job offer from an Alberta employer in an eligible occupation. Candidates must have a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or hold one of the accepted LMIA exemption work permits. Candidates must also meet other minimum eligibility criteria for residency and work permit type, occupation, language, education, Alberta job offer and work experience.
Alberta Express Entry Stream
The Alberta Express Entry Stream allows Alberta to nominate a limited number of qualified candidates from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s Express Entry system.
Candidates who have demonstrated strong ties to Alberta or who can help support the government’s economic development and diversification priorities may be asked to submit an application.
International graduates from Canadian post-secondary institutions may also be asked to apply under this stream.
Notes:
- Candidates cannot apply directly to the Alberta Express Entry Stream.
- You cannot use a nomination under a different AINP stream to apply under the Alberta Express Entry Stream or the federal Express Entry system.
- If the AINP discovers fraud or misrepresentation in an application, a candidate may be banned for up to 5 years from reapplying to the AINP.
- Alberta Express Entry Stream nominees cannot extend their nomination.
International Graduate Entrepreneur Immigration Stream
The International Graduate Entrepreneur Immigration Stream (IGEIS) allows Alberta to nominate qualified international graduates from Alberta post-secondary institutions who want to establish or operate a business in Alberta to apply for permanent residence.
Eligibility for this stream
| Area | Requirement |
| Education | · Have completed at least two years of full-time education, resulting in a degree or diploma from an Alberta Advanced Education publicly funded post-secondary institution.
· Must be eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit. |
| Work Permit | Have a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) valid for at least 2 years at the time of your Expression of Interest (EOI) submission. |
| Language | Have a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 7 for each English language skill or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) of 7 for each French language skill: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Official test results must be less than 2 years old at the time your EOI is submitted |
| Business Establishment | Must establish a new business or buy an existing business in Alberta with a minimum 34% ownership. Business Partners must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents.
Candidates are not required to establish business in Alberta until their Business Application is approved by the AINP. |
| Work Experience | Have a minimum of 6 months of full-time work experience that can be a combination of actively managing or owning the business or equivalencies. |
Self-Employed Farmer Stream – Eligibility
This stream is for entrepreneurs who have the financial resources and farm management experience to establish a new or purchase an existing farm in Alberta.
To be eligible for this stream, the following requirements must be met:
- Candidates must prove that they have farm management skills.
- Candidates must be able to invest a minimum of CDN $500,000 of equity in a primary production farming business in Alberta.
- Candidates must document their investment plans in a proposed business plan and submit this with their application to the AINP. Applications representing the best opportunity for growth relevant to Alberta’s agri-food targets will be given priority.
Foreign Graduate Start-Up Visa Stream
The Foreign Graduate Start-Up Visa Stream (FGSVS) is an economic immigration program for qualified foreign educated graduates from outside of Canada who want to launch start-up enterprises and innovative businesses in Alberta.
Eligibility
| Area | Requirement |
| Work experience | Minimum of 6 months full-time work experience that can be a combination of actively managing or owning the business or equivalent |
| Education | Completion of a degree from a post-secondary institution outside of Canada with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). |
| Language | Have a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 7 for each English language skill or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) of 7 for each French language skill: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Official test results must be less than 2 years old at the time your EOI is submitted |
| Business Plan | A business plan with projected financials. |
| Pitch deck | A 10-minute presentation (slides only) that outlines the proposed business venture and focuses on what an investor would want to see. |
| Business establishment | Must have a minimum of 34% ownership if the business is located in an urban centre or a minimum of 51% ownership if located in regional area outside Calgary and Edmonton Census Metropolitan Areas. |
| Business investment | The mandatory minimum investment for an urban centre is $100,000 while the mandatory minimum investment for a regional area is $50,000. |
| Letter of recommendation | Must have a letter of recommendation from an AINP-approved designated agency. |
| Settlement funds | Candidates must demonstrate that they have the funds needed to set up their business and support themselves while they are on a work permit and launching their start-up. |
Application process
Although each stream in this program has different application process, generally, it is a two- step process: be nominated by the province of Alberta, and apply for permanent residency with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Kunal Thakur
Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant R#519955
Kunal Thakur is a passionate Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC), holding close to two decades of immigration experience, during which he has successfully guided thousands of immigrants in their immigration journey. He is quick in responding to client queries and would always give his clients the right advice. Kunal also brings immense value in all his talks and discourses on immigration and when not in front of his laptop reading and analysing client cases he could be seen exploring new places and trying new things. Kunal is currently based in Adelaide, Australia. You can book a time with him here.
RCIC: R519955
