Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)

What Is The 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 and abilities to fill job shortages in Alberta, and be able to provide for their families. The program is run by both the Alberta government and the federal government.

This Program includes 3 streams: Alberta Opportunity Stream, Self-Employed Farmer Stream and Alberta Express Entry Stream. In which Alberta Opportunity Stream and Alberta Express Entry Stream is suitable for ones who have plan study, graduate and work in Alberta.

Who Can Apply For The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)?

Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS) & Alberta Express Entry Stream

Applicants must have a valid work permit (not implied status or restoration status) for an eligible occupation. Valid work permits are based on one of the following:

• A positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
• A LMIA exemption for workers based on one of the following exemptions as determine by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC):
  • International trade agreements
  • Workers transferred within a company
  • International Experience Canada
  • Mobilité Francophone
  • Have an open work permit issued by IRCC
• A Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) held by a graduate of an Alberta Advanced Education publicly funded post-secondary institution
  • PGWP holders must also meet specific occupation, education and work experience requirements as set out below.

Occupation requirements

At the time your application is postmarked and at the time the AINP assesses your application, you must work in an eligible occupation in Alberta. Occupation requirements also apply to your work experience and job offer. You must review the Work Experience criteria and Eligible Job Offer criteria sections for details.

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

There are various reasons that could make candidates become ineligible under AINP even with a work permit.

As a Post-Graduation Work Permit holder, applicants occupation must also be related to your field of study in Alberta. You must review the Education criteria section for details on eligible Alberta credentials and approved Alberta institutions.

• If you started attending your Alberta credential program on or after April 1, 2019 and you have completed an Advanced Education-approved one year post-diploma certificate or post-baccalaureate certificate, your occupation must also be related to your previous post-secondary field of study outside Canada.
• In addition to occupations on the list above, Post-Graduation Work Permit holders are not eligible to apply to the Alberta Opportunity Stream if their occupation is on the Government of Canada’s list of high-wage and low-wage occupations in the province of Alberta. These occupations are not in demand in Alberta and can be filled by Albertans and Canadians.

Language requirements

Language requirements changed for some applicants as of January 1, 2020. For information about this planned change in language requirements, read the AOS planned changes section.

If your application is postmarked on or after January 1, 2020 you must demonstrate you meet the following language test score in English or French.

Official test results must be less than 2 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 federal guideline on CLB/NCLC equivalency for each of the tests.

Education requirements

At the time your application is postmarked you must have completed a minimum of high school education in your country of origin.

Starting January 1, 2021, all candidates except Post-Graduation Work Permit holders must have completed a minimum of high school equivalent to Alberta standards.

Alberta Express Entry Stream assessment criteria

If you have received a request from AINP to submit an application to the Alberta Express Entry Stream, you must determine if you meet the assessment criteria before you submit an application.

To be considered for nomination you must:

• Have an active Express Entry profile in the federal Express Entry pool
• Meet the criteria of at least one of the federal immigration programs: Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Trades Program or Federal Skilled Worker Program
• Intend to and be able to live and work in Alberta
• Be working in an occupation that supports Alberta’s economic development and diversification
• Have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 300.

If you have one or more of the following adaptability factors, this may increase your likelihood of being nominated:

• Valid Alberta job offer and/or work experience
• A graduate of an Alberta post-secondary institution with a valid Alberta job offer, or
• Parent, child, brother and/or sister who is a permanent resident living in Alberta, or a Canadian citizen living in Alberta.

The Alberta Express Entry Stream application form is not available online. The AINP provides these documents by email to candidates.

How To Apply The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)

Alberta Opportunity Stream

Step 1: Meet the selection criteria

Your application will be declined if you do not meet the criteria.

Step 2: Prepare and complete all the required documents

• Candidates must complete original forms with original signatures, provide copies of the necessary Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) forms
• There will be some IRCC forms must be completed by you, your spouse/common-law partner and any dependents over the age of 18
• For help in filling out IRCC forms, read the IRCC Guide for Provincial Nominees.

Step 3: Mail the application

Keep a record and send your original complete application by registered mail or courier to:

Alberta Opportunity Stream
Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program
Government of Alberta
Suite 940, ATB Place North Tower
10025 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta  T5J 1S6

Step 4: Receive PR and settle down

• During waiting time up to 6 months, applicants need to update if receive the information from AINP about their application status.
• After successfully applying for PR and become a Permanent Residents, applicants can start to apply for benefits that offer for Permanent Residents and their family.

Alberta Express Entry Stream

Step 1: Meet the Alberta Express Entry Stream Assessment criteria

• Alberta Express Entry Stream Assessment criteria differs from the Notification of Interest factors. You must meet all assessment criteria.
• The AINP does not guarantee that all complete applications received by the AINP will be assessed or that all candidates who meet the assessment criteria will be issued a nomination. Review the declaration in the Alberta Express Entry Stream form and the online AINP Terms and Conditions for complete information (Step 2, above). Submission of an application or nomination by the AINP does not guarantee you will be issued a permanent resident visa.

Step 2: Receive a request from the AINP to apply to this stream.

If the AINP does not ask candidates to submit an application, they are not eligible for consideration under this stream.

Step 3: Review the Document Checklist and complete the required forms

• Candidates need to use the Alberta Express Entry Stream document checklist and application form received from the AINP by email to complete the application. The required forms are set out in the document checklist.
• The Alberta Express Entry Stream application form and document checklist are not available online. The AINP provides these documents by email to candidates.

Step 4: Mail the application package

• The application package must be postmarked within 30 days of receiving the email from the AINP requesting you submit an Alberta Express Entry application.
• Keep a record and send your original complete application by registered mail or courier to:
  Alberta Express Entry Stream
  Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program
  Government of Alberta
  Suite 940, ATB Place North Tower
  10025 Jasper Avenue
  Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 1S6
  Applications by email or fax are not accepted.

Step 5: Receive PR and settle down

• During waiting time up to 6 months, applicants need to update if receive the inform from AINP about their application status.
• After successful apply and become a Permanent Residents, applicant can start to apply for benefits that offer for Permanent Residents and their family.

Get Experience Advice Before You Apply For The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program

Second Passport Incubator team can help you come to Canada together with your family members. You can focus on your study and we focus on your permanent residence in Canada. Email us or book a consultation to work with an immigration lawyer today!