Alberta Advantage Immigration Program – Changes due to COVID-19

On November 1, 2020, the Government of Canada increased the number of occupations that are not eligible to apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) in Alberta. This is also known as the ‘refusal to process list’. All new and pending LMIAs for positions in Alberta must be on the list of exempt occupations to be eligible for processing. To learn more, please visit the Government of Canada website.

People whose occupations are not eligible for an LMIA can apply to immigration streams under the AAIP. This change is retroactive to November 1, 2020.

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holders who mailed or submitted an application to the Alberta Opportunity Stream:

• before November 1, 2020 are not eligible if their occupation was on the refusal to process list (PDF, 185 KB) that was in place at the time they applied
• on or after November 1, 2020 are eligible to apply even if they are working in an occupation for which the Government of Canada refuses to process an LMIA

The AAIP is also adjusting requirements for the Alberta Express Entry Stream. Candidates who received a Notification of Interest on or after November 1, 2020, can be selected and/or nominated under this stream – regardless of whether they are working in an occupation for which the Government of Canada refuses to process an LMIA.

As of October 1, 2020:

• Incomplete applications will no longer be accepted. Incomplete applications mailed on or after October 1, 2020 or submitted in the online portal will be declined.
• Alberta Opportunity Stream and Alberta Express Entry Stream applications must be completed using the new AAIP online portal. Only Self-Employed Farmer Stream applicants will continue to mail their applications. Only additional information or application updates can be submitted by email. See AAIP Updates for more information.
• All candidates who have lost their job after submitting an application to the AAIP, regardless of the date they applied, as well as all nominees, will have up to 6 months (180 days) from the time their application is assessed to find employment that meets AAIP criteria. Candidates must meet employment requirements at the time an application is submitted or mailed. We will advise by email when an application is put on hold. This change provides more opportunity to meet AAIP employment criteria and extends the time to find employment by up to 4 months for candidates and nominees. Previously, nominees and select candidates were given up to 60 days to find qualifying employment.

Current candidates are defined as candidates who mailed their application on or before April 29, 2020.

Submitting applications

We will accept copies for all document types, as well as copies of signatures on forms from both new and current candidates, including:

• copies of candidate, spouse/common-law partner, dependant and representative signatures on application and request forms
• copies of educational transcripts for Post-Graduation Work Permit holders

We may confirm the authenticity of signatures and transcripts by other means, including phone and email.

We will only accept applications by mail. We will not accept electronic applications.

New candidates may submit an incomplete application only if they:

• meet all Selection Criteria for their AAIP stream, but are missing some documents to demonstrate they meet criteria due to COVID-19
• include a written explanation as to why the document(s) cannot be acquired
• provide evidence they have requested the document(s) from the individual or organization who will issue the document or evidence the issuing body is not issuing documents due to COVID-19, and
• for the Alberta Opportunity Stream, they include either valid language results or proof of registration for a language testing session on or before October 29, 2020, or
• for the Alberta Express Entry Stream, they include valid language results and an Educational Credential Assessment (if applicable)

New applications that do not meet these requirements will be declined.

If a current candidate cannot provide documents due to COVID-19, they must provide:

• a written explanation as to why the document(s) cannot be acquired, and
• evidence they have requested the document(s) from the individual or organization who will issue them or evidence the issuing body is not issuing documents due to COVID-19

Assessment of applications

We will temporarily hold new applications for 60 calendar days from date of mailing and current applications for 60 calendar days from date of assessment where the application is either incomplete due to COVID-19 or the AAIP program officer cannot verify information or documentation.

We will advise by email when an application is put on hold.

After 45 days, we will determine if an additional 60 calendar day hold will be applied. We will advise the candidate by email of the status of their application by each 60 calendar day mark.

The longest we will hold an application is 6 months. After 6 months, we will make a decision on the application based on the information available and the candidate’s circumstances at that time.

Candidates must advise us of any changes to their employment, address, email, phone number or family status while their AAIP application is in process.

Information about a change in employment must be emailed to the AAIP program officer who is processing the application or mailed to the AAIP.

Do not mail information without an AAIP file number. All candidates should review IRCC’s website for current information on maintaining their status to live and work in Alberta.

Selection criteria and assessment of applications

Alberta Opportunity Stream

Under the Alberta Opportunity Stream, new candidates and current candidates who are working in a location that is not zoned for commercial or industrial use due to government social distancing directives may be eligible for nomination. For example, working from home.

If the candidate is still working for their employer and continues to perform some of the job duties or types of work listed in their job description, they may be eligible for nomination if they can demonstrate they will be returning to their regular job duties after the pandemic. They must also continue to meet all other criteria.

For new and current candidates who changed employers to maintain employment during the pandemic and who are working from home, their application will be placed on hold for 60 days to allow them to meet criteria.

No other changes have been made to Alberta Opportunity Stream selection criteria.

We will give some current candidates additional time to allow them to change their circumstances and meet criteria.

Current Alberta Opportunity Stream candidates experiencing any of the following circumstances will have their applications put on hold for 60 calendar days to allow them time to meet criteria:

• Candidates who have had a change in their employment circumstances, specifically those who are:
  • unemployed or not working full-time (part-time or job share)
  • working in an ineligible occupation
  • working in or have job offer for a different occupation than the occupation they were working in at time of application
  • working in or have a job offer for a different occupation than their work experience
  • Post-Graduation Work Permit holders who are working in an occupation unrelated to their field of study
  • working in Canada but may no longer have authorization for work being completed due to a change in job duties, employer, location and/or wage, or
• Candidates who:
  • have shifted from an eligible work permit type to an ineligible work permit type to maintain employment
  • are working in a regulated occupation in Alberta who cannot meet licensure/registration requirements
  • have an ineligible language test (test is older than 2 years or for wrong test type)

Alberta Express Entry Stream

We will continue to do selection draws and nominate individuals under the Alberta Express Entry Stream.

Only individuals living and working in Alberta will be considered for a nomination at this time. The following criteria must be met to receive a nomination:

• Alberta employer must be incorporated or registered by or under an act of the legislature of a province, territory, or the Parliament of Canada and operating as a business that has an established production capability, plant or place of business in Alberta.
• The individual must be currently working in Alberta:
  • Individuals working in a location that is not zoned for commercial or industrial use, such as working from home, due to government social distancing directives may be eligible for nomination, so long as they meet all other criteria.
  • Individuals working in a virtual location or who serve the employer by telecommuting from a location outside Alberta are not eligible.
• The individual must have a work permit authorizing them to work in their current occupation in Alberta.
• The work must be:
  • paid
  • full-time, defined as a minimum of 30 hours per week
  • for wages and benefits that meet provincial minimum wage and must meet or exceed the requirements set out in a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), or if LMIA exempt, meet or exceed the lowest starting wage for that occupation across all industries in Alberta as set out on the Alis website, and
  • in an eligible occupation. Ineligible occupations at this time include occupations on the:
    • Government of Canada’s list of high-wage and low-wage occupations in the province of Alberta (also known as the Refusal to Process a Labour Market Impact Assessment list), or
    • the Alberta Opportunity Stream Ineligible Occupations list
  • The following individuals are not eligible:
    • individuals with a job offer for part-time, casual or seasonal employment, regardless of their current working hours
    • independent contractors, business owners or temporary agency workers, including individuals listed as Directors, Shareholders or Agents of the Alberta employer on the Corporate Registry System (CORES)

Current Alberta Express Entry Stream candidates who are experiencing any of the following circumstances will have their applications put on hold for 60 calendar days to allow them time to become eligible for a nomination:

• candidates who were working in Alberta prior to the COVID-19 pandemic but who are currently not working full-time (part-time or unemployed)
• candidates working in a regulated occupation in Alberta but who cannot meet licensure/registration requirements

Alberta Express Entry Stream applications where there is no recent history of employment in Alberta will not be processed until further notice. This includes new applications from individuals who received a Notification of Interest letter before or after April 29, 2020, as well as applications where an AAIP program officer had already started to assess the application for eligibility.

In all cases, including those applications put on hold, if the candidate’s federal Express Entry profile expires, we will close the application and the candidate will need to be re-selected by Alberta in order to qualify for consideration under this stream.

After nomination

We are working with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on the impact of COVID-19 on the permanent residence process.

Nominees must advise us of any changes in their employment circumstances, address, email, phone number or family status after nomination. Once an application for permanent residence is submitted, you must continue to advise the AAIP and the IRCC of any changes. Information about a change in employment must be emailed to the AAIP program officer who processed the application or mailed to the AAIP along with an AAIP file number. Use the IRCC web form to advise IRCC of any changes.

Nominees whose employment circumstance change due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be given 60 calendar days to meet employment criteria in order to maintain their nomination. Nominees who move to another province or territory will have their nomination withdrawn.

We continue to issue nomination extensions and/or 204(c) Letters of Support to nominees who meet the requirements for these post-nomination supports.

All nominees should review IRCC’s website for current information on maintaining their status to live and work in Alberta.