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 Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) is an economic immigration program that nominates people for permanent residence in Alberta. Nominees must have skills to fill job shortages or be planning to buy or start a business in Alberta. They must also be able to provide for their families. The program is run by the governments of Alberta and Canada.
If you are nominated through the program, you may apply for permanent residence status together with your spouse or common-law partner, and dependent children.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada manages applications for permanent residence. The federal government also makes final decisions on these applications.
AAIP updates
February 15, 2024: The AAIP temporarily paused Alberta Opportunity Stream application intake until further notice.
Program streams
Choose a stream to find out how to get nominated:
Streams for workers
The AAIP has 4 streams for foreign workers who are living and working in Alberta, or plan to live and work here:
Tourism and Hospitality Stream
Qualified candidates who live and work in Alberta and have a full-time job offer to continue working with an Alberta tourism and hospitality sector employer.
Qualified candidates who live and work in Alberta and have a job offer from an Alberta employer can apply for an AAIP nomination.
Note: On February 15, 2024, the AAIP temporarily paused Alberta Opportunity Stream application intake until further notice. Read the AAIP updates for details.
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.
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:
Entrepreneurs who want to start a business or buy an existing business in a rural Alberta community can submit an Expression of Interest.
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.
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.