Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) for skilled workers

The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) is an economic immigration program which supports Alberta’s economic growth by attracting and retaining work-ready people to the province.

Individuals nominated by the Government of Alberta, together with their spouse/common-law partner and dependent children, can apply for permanent residence through IRCC as a provincial nominee.

The AINP accepts applications under the following categories:

1- Strategic Recruitment Stream
2- Employer Driven stream
3- Self Employed Farmer Stream

1- Strategic Recruitment Stream

The Strategic Recruitment Stream is composed of the following categories:

•    Compulsory and Optional Trades
•    Engineering Occupations
•    Post-Graduated Worker

Compulsory and Optional Trades Criteria

The following criteria apply to all supervisors, foremen and trades people working in a compulsory or optional trade in Alberta. Candidates must at a minimum :

  • intend to and be able to live and work permanently in Alberta
  • Have (a) a valid Alberta Qualification Certificate in a compulsory or optional trade, or (b) a valid Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) Recognized Trade Certificate in a compulsory or optional trade
  • Be residing in Alberta at the time of application and have a valid work permit from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to work in Alberta in the trade in which they are certified
  • At the time of application, be either currently working in a trade for an Alberta Employer or have previously worked in a trade with an Alberta Employer for a minimum of six months in the past two years
  • Demonstrate minimum language scores of an accepted language test if applying in semi-skilled occupations.

Meeting the criteria listed above does not guarantee a nomination or permanent residence.

Engineering Occupations

The criteria for the Engineering Occupations Category include but are not limited to:

  • Currently residing in Alberta.
  • Intending to and being able to live permanently in Alberta
  • Providing evidence of related education/training and experience as an engineer, designer or drafter
  • Being currently working or having worked within the last two years in Alberta either directly or on contract for an Alberta Employer in an occupation listed on the AINP Strategic Recruitment Stream Engineering Occupations List
  • For occupations under NOC 0211, 2131, 2132, 2133, 2134, 2141, 2143, 2144, or 2145, a “Letter of No Objection” from the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) must be provided
  • Occupation under NOC 2231, 2232, 2241 or 2253 do not require a “Letter of No Objection” from APEGA.

If a candidate is an engineer but the NOC code is not on the Engineering Occupations List, they may qualify to submit an AINP application under the Skilled Worker category of the Employer-Driven Stream.

Post-Graduated Worker

Candidates in the Post-Graduate Worker Category  must among other things:

  • Be able to and intend to live permanently in Alberta
  • Be working full-time in Alberta, at the time of application, for an Alberta employer (defined defined as, being incorporated or registered by or under an act of the legislature of a province or the Parliament of Canada and operating as a business that has an established production capability, plant or place of business in Alberta)
  • Have obtained a certificate, diploma, degree, or have completed a graduate level program from one of the AINP approved Alberta public and private post-secondary institutions; in a program of study in Alberta of at least one year (i.e. minimum of two semesters of full-time study, or equivalent) in duration
  • Have a current and valid Post-Graduation Work Permit issued by IRCC
  • Be working in one of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill levels and type 0, A, B or C which are eligible for consideration under the AINP
  • If working in a NOC C occupation, candidates must submit official test results (less than 2 years old at the time of application ) showing that they meet the minimum language standards

Supervisors, foremen and trades people working in a Compulsory or Optional Trade in Alberta (including Chefs, Cooks and Line Cooks) must apply under the Strategic Recruitment Stream Compulsory and Optional Trades Category.

2- Employer Driven stream

The Employer-Driven Stream is composed of the following categories:

•    Skilled Worker
•    International Graduate
•    Semi-Skilled Worker

Skilled Worker

The Skilled Worker Category category of the employer driven stream is directed to is addressed to candidates in skilled occupations under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system skills and/or types 0, A or B

Additional requirements include, but are not limited to, the following conditions:

  • Intention to live permanently in Alberta.
  • Having related education, training, previous work experience, and any Alberta licensing needed for the position and to meet AINP criteria
  • If already working in Alberta, providing a copy of a valid work permit

If the occupation is in Early childhood educators and child care staff, candidates must also meet the following requirements:

  • Holding a work permit under the NOC code 4214 and be residing in Alberta
  • Having completed a minimum of high school education
  • Be certified as a Child Development Worker (Level 2) or Child Development Supervisor (Level 3) through Alberta Human Services – Child Care Staff Certification Office
  • Be employed in Alberta for a minimum of six (6) months with a pre/accredited daycare program or family day home agency before applying to the AINP

Meeting the criteria listed above does not guarantee a nomination or permanent residence.

International Graduate

In the International Graduate Category several criteria apply to the emploeyr and others to candidates. Both must be met for candidates to be selected.

Alberta Employer criteria

To be eligible, Alberta Employers must:

  • Be incorporated or registered by or under an act of the legislature of a province or the Parliament of Canada and operating as a business that has an established production capability, plant or place of business in Alberta
  • Provide a permanent, full-time job offer to the candidates  that fall under NOC skill levels 0, A, B. NOC C occupations also qualify provided that candidates complete a designated language test with scores that meet minimum language requirements (as detailed below). Some occupations are not eligible for consideration.
  • Job offer must meet Alberta’s employment and wage standards and not conflict with existing collective bargaining agreements.

Candidates criteria

Candidates must:

  • Be able to and intend to live permanently in Alberta
  • Be working full-time in Alberta, for the employer who is supporting their application, at the time of application
  • Be performing the same occupation as is stated on their permanent, full-time job offer from their employer
  • Be working in an eligible occupation that falls under NOC 0, A, B or C
  • Meet minimum language knowlesge levels if the occupation is NOC C
  • Have obtained a certificate, diploma, degree, or have completed a graduate level program of at least 1 year (2 semesters of full time study) from one of the AINP approved Alberta public and private post-secondary institutions or from a publicly funded community college, trade/technical school or university in another Canadian province or territory
  • Have a current and valid Post-Graduation Work Permit issued by IRCC

Semi-Skilled Worker

Semi-Skilled Worker Category is articukated around employer and candidates criteria, including but are not limited to the following.

Alberta employer criteria

  • Be incorporated or registered as a business in Alberta by or under an act of the legislature of a province or the Parliament of Canada and operating as a business that has an established production capability, plant or place of business in Alberta.
  • Be operating in one of the five (5) eligible industries under the AINP Semi-Skilled Worker Category:
    • food and beverage processing
    • hotel and lodging
    • manufacturing
    • long-haul trucking industry
    • foodservice industry (pilot project)
  • Provide a job offer for permanent, full-time employment to the candidate in an eligible semi-skilled occupation, meets Alberta’s employment and wage standards and does not conflict with existing collective bargaining agreements.
  • Have a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) Confirmation for the candidate
  • Eligible industries and occupations

Eligible ocupations in Food and Beverage Processing

  • Food and Beverage Production Worker (NOC 9617)
  • Bakery Production Worker (NOC 9617)
  • Food and Beverage Processing Equipment Cleaner (NOC 9617)
  • Industrial Butchers and Meat Cutters (NOC 9462)
  • Poultry Production Workers (NOC 9462)

Eligible occupations in Hotel and Lodging

  • Food and Beverage Servers (NOC 6513)
  • Room Attendants (NOC 6731)
  • Front Desk Agent/Clerk (NOC 6525)

Eligible occupations in Manufacturing: Eligible AINP Manufacturing Occupations (PDF)

Eligible occupations in Trucking:   Long-Haul Truck Driver (NOC 7511)

Eligible occupations in Foodservices (pilot project)

  • Food and Beverage Servers (NOC 6513)
  • Food Counter Attendants (NOC 6711)
  • Kitchen Helpers (NOC 6711)

Candidate criteria

Candidates in the Semi-Skilled Worker Category must:

  • Be currently working in Alberta on a work permit for an eligible AINP Semi-Skilled Occupation (see list above).
  • Show that they have completed a minimum of high school education.
  • In the Foodservices Industry (pilot project), their high school education must be equivalent to Alberta standards.
  • Submit one of the accepted test results less than 2 years old , showing that they meet minimum language standards.
  • Meet additional criteria required for each industry

3- Self Employed Farmer Stream

The AINP works closely with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AAF) to assess the eligibility of applicants in this category.

Candidates dor the Self-Employed Farmer Stream must, among other things:

  • Prove that they have farm management skills
  • Have sufficient financial resources to develop a sustainable farming operation.
  • Be able to invest a minimum of CDN $500,000 of equity in a primary production farming business in Alberta
  • Have a minimum net worth of CDN $500,000 or confirmation that they have access to a similar amount of funds from other sources.
  • Provide a business plan.

Applications representing the best opportunity for growth relevant to Alberta’s agri-food targets will be given priority.