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Alberta – Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP)

The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) is an economic immigration program that nominates individuals for permanent residence in Alberta. Nominees must have the skills to address labor shortages or plan to start or buy a business in Alberta. They must also demonstrate
the ability to support their families. The program is a collaboration between the governments of Alberta and Canada.

Alberta

Streams for Workers

The AAIP has four streams for foreign workers who are already living and working in Alberta, or who plan to:

  • Alberta Opportunity Stream
  • Alberta Express Entry Stream
  • Rural Renewal Stream
  • Tourism and Hospitality Stream

Candidates cannot apply to these streams directly. They must first submit a Worker Expression of Interest (WEOI) through the AAIP portal. Each WEOI is scored out of 100 points and stays in the pool for up to 12 months. The AAIP holds regular draws based on scores, labour market needs and available nominations, and invites selected candidates to apply. For 2026, Alberta’s nomination allocation is 6,603.

1. ALBERTA EXPRESS ENTRY STREAM

This stream allows candidates in the federal Express Entry pool to receive an invitation for provincial nomination. It’s particularly attractive to workers in high-demand sectors such as healthcare, technology, and policing, as it aligns with Alberta’s economic needs. Successful applicants can accelerate their path to permanent residency through this fasttrack process.

2. ALBERTA OPPORTUNITY STREAM

This stream is for temporary foreign workers who already live and work in Alberta and have a full-time job offer from an Alberta employer in an eligible occupation.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

To be eligible for applying to this stream, applicants must:

  • Live and work in Alberta on a valid, eligible work permit (maintained status and restoration status are not accepted)
  • Work in an eligible occupation (most occupations in NOC TEER 0 to 5 are eligible; some occupations are excluded)
  • Have a full-time job offer or employment contract from an Alberta employer in their current occupation
  • Have at least 12 months of full-time work experience in their current occupation in Alberta within the last 18 months, or 24 months in Canada or abroad within the last 30 months (6 months in Alberta for eligible graduates of an Alberta publicly funded post-secondary institution who hold a post-graduation work permit)
  • Have a valid language test score equal to CLB 5 for TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 occupations, or CLB 4 for TEER 4 and 5 occupations (CLB 7 for nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates)
  • Have completed high school education equivalent to the Canadian standard (an Educational Credential Assessment is required for education completed outside Canada)
  • Hold any licence, registration or certification their occupation requires in Alberta

3. TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY STREAM

This stream is tailored for foreign workers in Alberta’s dynamic tourism and hospitality industry. Workers with full-time job offers from Alberta employers in this sector can apply for provincial nomination, offering a valuable opportunity to advance their careers and secure permanent residency in one of Alberta’s most thriving industries.

4. RURAL RENEWAL STREAM

This stream helps rural Alberta communities attract and keep newcomers. A community must first be designated by the AAIP before it can recruit and endorse candidates. Candidates need a full-time job offer from an employer in a designated rural community and an endorsement letter from that community. Since January 1, 2026, endorsement letters are valid for one year, and candidates who are in Canada must hold a valid work permit. Endorsed candidates submit a Worker Expression of Interest and may be invited to apply.

The AAIP has 4 streams for entrepreneurs who plan to live in Alberta and buy or start a business in the province: The Rural Entrepreneur Stream, Graduate Entrepreneur Stream, Farm Stream, and Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream. 

Alberta

Rural Entrepreneur Stream:

This stream enables Alberta to nominate qualified and capable entrepreneurs seeking to initiate a new business or acquire an existing one in a rural Alberta community.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

  • Minimum of 3 years of experience as an active business owner/manager or a minimum of 4 years of experience as a senior manager within the past 10 years.
  • Completion of a minimum of high school.
  • Attainment of a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 4 for each English language skill or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) of 4 for each French language skill: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
  • Minimum net worth of $300,000.
  • Minimum investment of $100,000 from the candidate's own (and/or spouse/common-law partner) equity.
  • Minimum ownership of 51% for a new business. Business partners must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents. Alternatively, 100% ownership for business succession.
  • New businesses must create at least one full-time job for Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents (excluding relatives).
  • Candidates must possess a Community Support Letter from a participating rural Alberta community.

Alberta

Graduate Entrepreneur Stream:

The Graduate Entrepreneur Stream empowers the AAIP to nominate eligible international graduates from Alberta’s post-secondary institutions who aim to establish or manage a business in the province, facilitating their pathway to permanent residence.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

  • Completion of at least two years of full-time education, leading to a degree or diploma from an Alberta Advanced Education institution.
  • Possession of a valid Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) at the time of Expression of Interest (EOI) submission.
  • Attainment of a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 7 (or NCLC 7 in French) in each of reading, writing, listening and speaking. Test results must be less than two years old when the Expression of Interest is submitted.
  • Establishment of a new business or acquisition of an existing one in Alberta with a minimum ownership stake of 34%. The established business must meet certain criteria.
  • Requirement for business partners to be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents.
  • Candidates are not obliged to establish a business in Alberta until their Business Application is approved by the AAIP.

Alberta

Farm Stream:

This stream caters to entrepreneurs who possess the financial resources and farm management experience to establish or purchase a farm in Alberta.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

Candidates must meet the following criteria both when the application is submitted and when it is assessed by the AAIP. Please note that meeting these criteria does not guarantee a nomination or permanent residence.

  • 1. FARM MANAGEMENT SKILLS: Applicants must demonstrate their farm management skills through supporting documents, such as financial records from an existing farm business; education, training and work experience in farm management; a detailed business plan for the proposed farm in Alberta; and proof that a Canadian financial institution is willing to finance the proposed farm.
  • 2. SUFFICIENT FINANCIAL RESOURCES: Applicants must be able to invest a minimum of CAD $500,000 of equity in a primary production farm business in Alberta, and show a minimum net worth of CAD $500,000 or access to a similar amount from other sources. Applicants may be asked to show they can invest more than the minimum.
  • 3. PRIMARY PRODUCTION INVESTMENT: Applicants must submit a detailed business plan for their proposed investment. Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation reviews the plan to confirm it meets the requirements of Alberta's farming industry. Applications that offer the best growth opportunity relative to Alberta's agri-food targets receive priority.

Alberta

Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream:

This stream allows the AAIP to nominate graduates of post-secondary institutions outside Canada who want to start an innovative business in Alberta.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

To be eligible for applying to this stream, applicants must:

  • Have a degree from a post-secondary institution outside Canada, equivalent to a Canadian degree and completed within the last 10 years (an Educational Credential Assessment is required)
  • Have a letter of recommendation from an AAIP-designated agency, submitted with the Expression of Interest
  • Have at least 6 months of full-time experience actively managing or owning a business, or equivalent experience such as work with a business incubator or accelerator
  • Have a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 5 (or NCLC 5 in French) in each of reading, writing, listening and speaking
  • Invest a minimum of $100,000 in the Calgary or Edmonton areas, or $50,000 in other Alberta communities, from their own (and/or their spouse's or common-law partner's) equity or from a recognized Canadian financial institution, venture capital firm or angel investor
  • Own at least 34% of the business in the Calgary or Edmonton areas, or at least 51% in other communities
  • Submit a business plan and a pitch deck for a business in an eligible sector, such as technology, aerospace, financial services, energy, agriculture, tourism, life sciences or pharmaceuticals
  • Live in Alberta and be involved in the day-to-day management of the business

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