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Find out if you meet the criteria to apply to the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program –Graduate Entrepreneur Stream.
Prioritizing applications for Ukrainians
Temporary processing measures are now in place for the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) for Ukrainian nationals who apply to the program. Find out how the AAIP is responding to the crisis in Ukraine.
COVID-19 response
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) continues to accept and process applications and Expressions of Interest (EOIs), with temporary adjustments to some application and assessment processes.
Find out how the AAIP is responding to COVID-19.
The Graduate Entrepreneur Stream allows Alberta to nominate qualified international graduates from Alberta post-secondary institutions who want to establish or operate a business in Alberta to apply for permanent residence.
An entrepreneur is a person who sets up a business with the aim to make a profit. An entrepreneur is commonly seen as an innovator, a source of new ideas, goods, services and business/or procedures.
Entrepreneurs play a key role in Alberta’s economy, using their skills and initiative to anticipate needs and creating jobs for Albertans. Entrepreneurs who prove to be successful in taking on the risks of a start-up business are rewarded with profits and continued growth opportunities.
To be eligible for this stream, candidates must meet the following criteria:
Table 1. Requirements for Graduate Entrepreneur Stream
Area | Requirement |
---|---|
Education | Have completed at least two years of full-time education, resulting in a degree or diploma from an Alberta Advanced Education publicly funded post-secondary institution. |
Work permit | Have a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which is valid at the time of your Expression of Interest (EOI) submission. |
Language | Have a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 7 for each English language skill or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) of 7 for each French language skill: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Official test results must be less than 2 years old at the time your EOI is submitted. Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) only accepts the following language tests:
Check the federal guideline on CLB/NCLC equivalency for each of the tests. |
Business establishment | Must establish a new business or buy an existing business in Alberta with a minimum 34% ownership. The proposed business type must not be on the list of ineligible businesses. Candidates are not required to establish a business in Alberta until their Business Application is approved by the AAIP. Find resources on how to establish a business in Alberta, including supports and services related to business plan development, business start-up, and business loans. Business Partners must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents. |
If you have one or more of the following adaptability factors, this may increase your likelihood of receiving a Request to submit Business Application:
Table 2. Factors that increase your chances
Criteria | Adaptability factors |
---|---|
Work experience | Have a minimum of 6 months of full-time work experience that can be a combination of actively managing or owning the business or equivalencies. Equivalencies include experience with a business incubator or business accelerator, or completion of entrepreneurship program courses.* Work experience can be acquired:
|
Economic benefit | Can provide economic benefit to Alberta through:
|
Age | 21 to 49 years |
Spouse | Your spouse or common-law partner has at least one of the following:
|
Alberta relative | You, or your spouse or common-law partner, have one or more of the following relatives living full-time in Alberta: father, step-father, mother, step-mother, child, step-child, sister, step-sister, brother, step-brother |
* Education being used in lieu of work experience must be from an Alberta post-secondary institution. Approved post-secondary institution entrepreneur programs and suggestions for work experience equivalencies may include:
Note: There are several entrepreneurship courses and programs available through different post-secondary institutions in Alberta but not all courses will be considered for work experience equivalencies. In general, courses that are extracurricular and not part of a formal academic program may not be eligible for consideration as work experience equivalencies.
Review the Self-Assessment Tool to ensure you meet program eligibility requirements.
The AAIP is currently accepting EOIs under the Graduate Entrepreneur Stream. The information provided in the EOI, the Business Proposal Summary and Net Worth Worksheet will be assessed and points will be awarded by the AAIP based on the Graduate Entrepreneur Stream Points Grid. Alberta may select candidates with the highest-ranking points and invite them to submit a Business Application.
For more information on the application process, see How to apply.
Table 3. Graduate Entrepreneur Stream points grid
Business establishment factors (75 points) | ||
---|---|---|
Criteria | Descriptions | Points |
Business management or ownership experience or equivalent (equivalencies include work experience with a business incubator or business accelerator or completion of entrepreneurship program courses)
(Maximum of 15 points) Not a mandatory requirement |
6 months | 5 |
More than 6 months to 1 year | 10 | |
More than 1 year | 15 | |
Economic benefit
(Maximum of 40 points) Not a mandatory requirement |
Economic benefits
|
15 |
Succession | 5 | |
Job Creation (max 15 points): Jobs must be created for Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents (not including relatives) for a period of at least 6 months. |
||
|
5 | |
|
10 | |
|
15 | |
Rural (outside Edmonton and Calgary Census Metropolitan Areas) | 5 | |
Total business investment
(Maximum of 20 points) Not a mandatory requirement |
$25,000 or less | 5 |
$25,001 to $50,000 | 10 | |
$50,001 to $75,000 | 15 | |
$75,001 or more | 20 |
Human capital factors (25 points) | ||
---|---|---|
Language proficiency
(Maximum of 15 points) Mandatory requirement |
Proficiency in English or French: | |
|
5 | |
|
12 | |
|
15 | |
Alberta education
(Maximum of 10 points) Mandatory requirement |
Bachelor’s degree or a 2-year Diploma (mandatory minimum) | 5 |
2 or more degrees or diplomas | 7 | |
Master’s degree or higher | 10 |
Adaptability factors (25 points) | ||
---|---|---|
Age
(Maximum of 5 points) Not a mandatory requirement |
21 to 49 years | 5 |
Spouse/common-law characteristics
(Maximum of 10 points) Not a mandatory requirement |
Your spouse/common-law partner has one or more of the following:
|
10
(if one or more characteristics are met) |
Alberta relatives
(Maximum of 10 points) Not a mandatory requirement |
Relatives are defined as father, step-father, mother, step-mother, child, step-child, sister, step-sister, brother, step-brother of candidate or spouse/common-law partner | 10 |
Maximum points | 125 |
Once the AAIP receives your Business Application, they will assess it against the eligibility criteria and your EOI Points will be verified. An AAIP Official may contact you for more information.
The AAIP does not guarantee that all complete Business Applications received will be assessed or that all candidates who meet the assessment criteria will be issued a nomination. Review the declaration for the International Graduate Entrepreneur Immigration Stream available on the AAIP Portal and the AAIP Terms and Conditions for complete information. Submission of a Business Application or nomination by the AAIP does not guarantee you will be issued a permanent resident visa.
You are not eligible to apply under Graduate Entrepreneur Stream if:
International graduates who currently own and operate a business in Alberta can apply to the AAIP as another pathway for permanent residency. They must demonstrate they meet the criteria highlighted in the Graduate Entrepreneur Stream Points Grid at the time of EOI submission. The established business must have operated in Alberta for at least one year immediately prior to submitting an EOI in the AAIP portal.
EOI submissions will be scored based on the Graduate Entrepreneur Stream Points Grid and candidates with the highest-ranking points will be requested to submit a Business Application to the AAIP. International graduates who have already established businesses in Alberta and are currently operating them will not be required to operate their business for an additional one year after applying to the AAIP.
Eligible international graduates will be issued a nomination certificate after submitting their Business Application to the AAIP and must continue to operate their business in Alberta while they go through the permanent residence application process with IRCC.
Read After you are nominated for more information on next steps.
It is your responsibility to ensure your proposed business meets the criteria for eligible businesses. If it is not an eligible business or does not clearly demonstrate a significant economic benefit to Alberta, your Business Application may be declined.
Business must have the potential for creating economic benefit to Alberta, as assessed by the AAIP. A proposed business must align with the following general requirements to be eligible under the Graduate Entrepreneur Stream:
Connect with the program if you have questions:
Email: [email protected]
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