Table of contents

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.

Program streams

Choose a stream to find out how to get nominated:

Streams for workers

The AAIP has 3 streams for foreign workers who are living and working in Alberta, or plan to live and work here:

  • Alberta Opportunity Stream

    Qualified candidates who live and work in Alberta and have a job offer from an Alberta employer can apply for an AAIP nomination.

  • Alberta Express Entry Stream

    Qualified candidates may be invited to apply for nomination who have profiles in the federal Express Entry pool that are aligned with minimum requirements, factors that increase the chances of selection, and provincial economic, sector and occupational priorities. There are also dedicated pathways operated in this stream for healthcare professionals and technology workers.

  • Rural Renewal Stream

    Communities must apply for and become designated before they can recruit and endorse qualified candidates. Temporary foreign workers who have a job offer from an Alberta employer in a designated community, and an endorsement letter from a designated community, can then apply for an AAIP nomination. Communities can also endorse refugees who qualify under the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) with the support of a non-governmental referral partner. Referral partners help EMPP candidates with the AAIP application process.

Streams for entrepreneurs

The AAIP has 4 streams for entrepreneurs who plan to live in Alberta and buy or start a business in the province:

  • Rural Entrepreneur Stream

    Entrepreneurs who want to start a business or buy an existing business in a rural Alberta community can submit an Expression of Interest.

  • Graduate Entrepreneur Stream

    International graduates of approved Alberta post-secondary institutions who want to start a business or buy an existing business can submit an Expression of Interest.

  • Farm Stream

    Experienced farmers who plan to buy or start a farm in Alberta can apply for nomination.

  • Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream

    Foreign graduates who have a degree from a post-secondary institution outside of Canada and want to launch a start-up enterprise and innovative business can work with a designated agency to submit an Expression of Interest.

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