Canada PR Visa through the Alberta Opportunity Stream

The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program which is the Provincial Nominee Program of the Alberta Province manages the Alberta Opportunity Stream. The stream is aimed at overseas workers who are already residing and employed in Alberta. They are also required to have a full-time job offer from an employer in the province. Qualified candidates can submit an application for Canadian Permanent Residence through the stream. Overseas graduates who have completed their education at an authorized Post-secondary education in Alberta can also qualify for this stream.

Eligibility Requirements

• Express Entry Profile – Not required Job Offer – Required 
• Connection to Province - Work Experience
• Proficiency in Language - CLB 4
• Educational Credentials- High School 
• Investment – Not required
• Work Experience – Minimum of 12 months

Connection to Province

You must have a status of valid Temporary Resident in Canada that authorizes you to work. You must be staying and be employed in the province of Alberta. It must be noted here that those claiming refugee status do not qualify for this stream. You must have a lawful Work Permit, not restoration status or implied status in a qualified occupation that fulfills any one of the following criteria: 

• An affirmative LMIA - Labor Market Impact Assessment.
• A valid exemption for LMIA inclusive of International Experience Canada.

If you are a holder of a PGWP - Post-Graduation Work Permit, your occupation must correspond to your area of study in the province.

Job Offer

While you file your application with AINP and during its assessment, you must be working in a qualified occupation in Alberta matching your past work experience. If you have a PGWP, you must also be employed in an occupation that relates to your area of study in the province. 

Two lists of ineligible occupations are applicable:

• Alberta Opportunity Stream Ineligible Occupations list.

It is applicable to all applicants and you do not qualify to apply if your occupation is present on this list. 

•  List of Low-wage and High-wage occupations in the Alberta province.

It is indicated on the Refusal for Processing LMIA List in Canada. It is only applicable to applicants who have a PGWP. You do not qualify to apply if your occupation is present on this list if you have a PGWP.

You must have a full-time and bona fide job offer from your current employer in Alberta for continuing work in the existing occupation. The job offer must have your and your employer’s signature. It must be full-time, continuous, paid work in your existing occupation in the province.

Proficiency in Language

You must prove proficiency in French or English on par with CLB - Canadian Language Benchmark Level 4. It must be proved by offering valid test results from one of the approved tests for language in Canada. The results must also not have been achieved beyond 2 years while filing the application. 

Note: 

With effect from 1st January 2020, the language requirement has been increased to CLB Level 5 in French or English if you are applying through NOC Skill Levels B, A, or 0. CLB Level remains 4 if you are applying through NOC Skill Levels D or C.

If you are applying through NOC Code 3413 – Nurses, Patient Service Associates, and Orderlies, you must have CLB Level 7 in each language competency in English or NCLC 7 for the French Language.

Education Level

You must have completed at least High School studies in your nation of origin. 

Work Experience

While you file your application with AINP and during its assessment, you must be working in a qualified occupation in Alberta matching your past work experience. If you have a PGWP, you must also be employed in an occupation that relates to your area of study in the province. You must fulfill any one of the following three scenarios regarding work experience: 

• At least 1 year of full-time work experience in your existing occupation in Alberta in the past 18 months.
• At least 2 years of full-time work experience in your existing occupation in the past 30 months can be obtained overseas or in Canada. 
• At least 6 months of full-time work experience in your existing occupation in Alberta in the past 18 months that relate to your education in Alberta (For PGWP holders). 

You must have obtained work experience in a full-time occupation i.e. 30 hours weekly and part-time experience does not qualify. Also, you must have appropriate licensing, regulation, and/or Canadian status for performing the occupation lawfully. 

Settlement Funds

With effect from 1st November 2018, AINP has eliminated the minimum income requirement for applicants. It is no more an eligibility criterion for the program.

Occupation Requirements

You must be employed in a qualified occupation in the province of Alberta corresponding to your past work experience while filing the application. If you have a PGWP, you must also be employed in an occupation that relates to your area of study in the province. You must have obtained the credential from an Advanced Education authorized Post-secondary public or private institution.  

You have to be working in an occupation corresponding to your past Graduate or Undergraduate field of study overseas if you have a 1-year Post Graduate certificate approved by Alberta. 

Majority of the occupations under the NOC skill levels D, C, B, A, and 0 qualify under the Provincial Nominee Program of Alberta.

Alberta Opportunity Stream Ineligible Occupations list

The Provincial Nominee Program of Alberta AINP offers two lists of occupations for applicants of the Alberta Opportunity Stream. The first list is applicable for all the applicants of the stream. The second list is applicable for all applicants with PGWP. 

You can be unqualified for submitting an application through Alberta Opportunity Stream if you are employed in any of the following occupations:

There are extra occupations that are regarded as unqualified for applicants with PGWP. These occupations are not demanded in Alberta and Canadians and Albertans can fill them. If your occupation is included List of Low-wage and High-wage occupations in the Alberta province by the Government of Canada, then you are not qualified to file an application. 

Application Process for Alberta Opportunity Stream

The AOS is anytime open for fresh applications. Qualified candidates can file the application at any time and the applications are processed on basis of first-arrived, first-served. Candidates interested in applying for the program must arrange a full paper-based application. A hard copy of all the documents must be arranged and sent through one envelope to the office of AINP. 

You will be notified by Alberta province if it selects you for Provincial Nomination and approves your application. You will receive a formal nomination package through the mail from AINP if your application is successful. 

Upon receiving the nomination from Alberta, you have to file the application for Canadian Permanent Residence with the Federal Government within 6 months. Candidates interested in applying for Permanent Residence through the program must arrange a full paper-based application. They have to send it through mail to a suitable application center. Generally, Permanent Residence applications that are paper-based are processed in 18 months.

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