Rural Renewal Stream

Program and fee updates

Employer fees are illegal

Employers and employment agencies cannot charge employees fees for a job or employment offer. If an employer is charging you a fee of any kind we can help. Call the Alberta government information line at 310-0000 and ask for Employment Standards or the Temporary Foreign Worker Advisory Office.

Introduction

The Rural Renewal Stream supports the attraction and retention of newcomers to rural Alberta through a community-driven approach that supports local economic development needs and contributes to the growth of the community. The Rural Renewal Stream empowers rural communities to recruit and retain foreign nationals to live, work and settle in their communities.

Communities and employers can:

• work on their own to recruit foreign workers. Once nominated, temporary foreign workers can qualify to work while they wait for a decision on their permanent residence application or
• work with an approved non-governmental organization, also referred to as a Designated Referral Partner, to recruit and retain refugees under the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP). Designated referral partners assist in identifying candidates abroad with the skills and experience, and who meet the EMPP program criteria, to facilitate a match with local employers in designated rural Alberta communities.
  • The EMPP is a partnership between Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP).
  • The AAIP can nominate refugees for permanent residence through its Rural Renewal Stream and provide priority processing on a provincial level. EMPP applicants arrive to Alberta as permanent residents. This is considered the Regional EMPP program.

Communities must apply for and become designated before they can recruit and endorse candidates for the Rural Renewal Stream. Candidates endorsed by the community who meet eligibility requirements either temporary foreign worker or EMPP refugee can apply using the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program portal.

Learn about community designation, eligibility criteria and how to apply.

Contact

Connect with us if you have questions about the program using the Opportunity Alberta Feedback contact form.