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Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP)
Check our table summary of all AAIP streams, with their main criteria, their applicant fees, etc.
Home > Work in Canada > Permanent Residency > Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) > Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP)
The AAIP (Alberta Advantage Immigration Program) is the program used by the province of Alberta to choose its future permanent residents, who satisfy to Alberta's target criteria and who wish to settle in and work in the province.
The AAIP is one of Canada’s PNPs, which includes 3 categories for skilled or semi-skilled workers: Alberta Express Entry, Alberta Opportunity stream (AOS) and Rural Renewal, and three additional ones for Entrepreneurs.
The AAIP is one of Canada’s PNPs, which includes 3 categories for skilled or semi-skilled workers: Alberta Express Entry, Alberta Opportunity stream (AOS) and Rural Renewal, and three additional ones for Entrepreneurs.
Choosing Alberta Immigration
Alberta, a western province of Canada, is home to two of the largest cities in Canada, Calgary and Edmonton. Being the fourth most populated province, after Ontario, Québec, and British Columbia, Alberta is the largest producer of oil and gas in Canada, and attracts many immigrants working in those industries.
Apart from some federal programs, the immigration authorities of Alberta also propose some immigration streams. Only one of these streams is aligned with Express Entry. The only problem with this stream is that there is no information on eligibility, being one of the most opaque PNP stream in Canada.
If the application is successful, then a provincial nomination is issued leading the applicant to receiving 600 extra CRS points. This leads the applicant to obtain an ITA in the following Express Entry draw.
Concerning other non-aligned Express Entry streams, there is no need to be in the pool. There are four other streams, one for people already in Alberta with a Work Permit, and three others for entrepreneurs wishing to invest in Alberta.
Apart from some federal programs, the immigration authorities of Alberta also propose some immigration streams. Only one of these streams is aligned with Express Entry. The only problem with this stream is that there is no information on eligibility, being one of the most opaque PNP stream in Canada.
If the application is successful, then a provincial nomination is issued leading the applicant to receiving 600 extra CRS points. This leads the applicant to obtain an ITA in the following Express Entry draw.
Concerning other non-aligned Express Entry streams, there is no need to be in the pool. There are four other streams, one for people already in Alberta with a Work Permit, and three others for entrepreneurs wishing to invest in Alberta.
Overview of the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) Streams
| Stream | Main Criteria (not exhaustive) | Job Offer Required | Aligned with Express Entry | Application Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta Express Entry | Regular Express Entry candidates Currently working or having a job offer in a targeted Tech occupation Have an Express Entry online profile with a CRS score of minimum 300 points Receive an invitation to apply | No | Yes | $500 |
| Accelerated Tech pathway candidates Have work experience in a eligible occupation with an Alberta employer in an eligible industry Have an Express Entry online profile with a CRS score of minimum 300 points Receive an invitation to apply | Yes | Yes | $500 | |
| Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS) | Have valid temporary resident status in Canada Have a valid work permit for an eligible occupation Minimum CLB of 4 in either English or French Full-time job offer of at least 12 months to work in an eligible occupation | Yes | No | $500 |
| Rural Renewal | Have a valid Endorsement of Candidate Letter issued by the Economic Development Organization (EDO) of a designated rural community in Alberta Have a full-time job offer from an Alberta employer to work in an eligible occupation in the designated rural community Minimum CLB of 4 (NOC C or D) or 5 (NOC 0, A or B) in either English or French Have completed at least the equivalent of a high school degree Have sufficient funds to settle in the designated community if not residing in Canada or if currently in Canada but are not working | Yes | No | $500 |
| Farm | Relevant farm knowledge & experience Min net worth of $500,000 and invest $500,000 | No | No | $500 |
| Graduate Entrepreneur | Have completed at least two years of full-time post-secondary education in Alberta have a valid Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Minimum CLB of 7 in either English or French Establish a new business or buy an existing business in Alberta with a minimum 34% ownership | No | No | $3,500 |
| Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur | Have a minimum of 6 months of full-time work experience that can be a combination of actively managing or owning a business or equivalent Have completed at least the equivalent of a Bachelor's degree outside Canada Minimum CLB of 5 in either English or French Invest a mandatory minimum of $100,000 for an urban centre (min. ownership of 34%) or $50,000 for a regional area (min. ownership of 51%) Have a letter of recommendation from a Designated Agency | No | No | $3,500 |
| Rural Entrepreneur | Have either a min. 3 years of experience as an active business owner/manager or a min. of 4 years of experience as a senior manager Have completed at least the equivalent of a high school degree Minimum CLB of 4 in either English or French Invest min. $200,000 in a participating rural Alberta community with min. ownership of 51% for a new business OR 100% ownership for business succession Min. net worth of $300,000 New businesses must create at least one full-time job (not including relatives) Have a Community Support Letter from a participating rural Alberta community | No | No | $3,500 |