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Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS)

Selection
  • P.N.P: Provincial Nominee Programs
  • C.E: Canadian Experience
  • E.D: Employer-driven
  • E.O.I: Express of Interest
  • P.S: Point System
Applicant
Visa
Status

Table of Contents

GSB

ASB

SUMMARY

Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)

The Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS) is for foreign nationals who are already working full-time in Alberta and have a full-time job offer from an Alberta employer in an eligible occupation to become permanent residents.

Candidates must have a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) (➨immilib.com/LMIA) or one of the approved LMIA exemption work permits. Candidates must also meet the following minimum eligibility requirements: residency and work permit type, occupation, language, education, Alberta employment offer, and work experience.

Ready to take the next step towards your Canadian immigration journey? Fill out the form below and embark on your path to new opportunities.

ASA

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

The following requirements must be met if you are applying to Alberta Opportunity Stream:

1- Residency Status and Work Permit

You must have a valid work permit for an eligible occupation. The work permit can be based on one of the following:
  • A positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) (➨immilib.com/LMIA)
  • An LMIA exemption based on one of the following:
    • International Trade Agreements – R204 (FTA, GATS, CETA/CUKTCA, CPTPP)
    • Workers transferred within a company (➨Page) R205(a) – C61, C62, C63 (Previously C12)
    • International Experience Canada  R205(b) – C21 (➨Page)
    • Mobilité Francophone R205(c) – C16 (➨Page)
    • Religious Leaders – R205(d) – C51
    • An open work permit to vulnerable workers or their family members – R207.1 – A72
  • A Post-Graduation Work Permit (➨Page) by a graduate of an Alberta Advanced Education publicly funded post-secondary institution.
  • An open work permit issued under one of IRCC’s open work permit public policies (➨Page)

2- Occupation Requirements

At the time of your application and at the time the AAIP assesses your application, you must:

  • work in an eligible occupation in Alberta.
  • work in an occupation that matches your previous work experience
  • only for Post-Graduate Work Permit holders, work in an occupation related to your field of study in Alberta

Most occupations under National Occupational Classification (NOC) (➨Appendix 1) are eligible under the AAIP.

The following occupations are not eligible:

NOC Code Occupation TEER
00010 Legislators 0
40021 School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education 0
40030 Managers in social, community and correctional services 0
40041 Fire chiefs and senior firefighting officers 0
60040 Escort agency managers, message parlour managers (other managers in customer and personal services are eligible) 0
41100 Judges 1
41220 Secondary school teachers 1
41221 Elementary school and kindergarten teachers 1
51111 Authors and writers (except technical) 1
51122 Musicians and singers 1
42200 Justices of the peace (Paralegal and other related occupations are eligible) 2
42202 Early childhood educators who do not have certification through Alberta Children's Services – Child Care Staff Certification Office or who have been certified as Level 1 Early Childhood Educator (formerly Child Development Assistant) 2
43100 Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants 3
43109 Other instructors 3
53121 Actors, comedians and circus performers 3
53122 Painters, sculptors and other visual artists 3
53124 Artisans and craftspersons 3
53200 Athletes 3
63101 Real estate agents and salespersons 3
33100 Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants 3
44100 Home child care providers 4
44101 Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations 4
64321 Casino workers 4
55109 Other performers 5
65109 Operators and attendants in amusement, recreation and sport 5
65211 Operators and attendants in amusement, recreation and sport 5
65229 Other support occupations in personal services 5
65329 Other service support occupations, not elsewhere classified 5
75200 Taxi and limousine drivers and chauffeurs 5
85101 Harvesting labourers 5
85102 Aquaculture and marine harvest labourers 5
85104 Trappers and hunters 5
85110 Mine labourers 5
85121 Landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers 5

3- Job Offer Requirement

At the time of your application and at the time the AAIP assesses your application for nomination, you must have a bona fide full-time job offer or employment contract from an Alberta employer to work in your current occupation in Alberta. Your job offer must be continuous, paid, full-time (at least 30 hours per week), for at least 12 months and for an occupation for which you have a work permit.

Individuals are not eligible to apply for or be nominated under the Alberta Opportunity Stream, , if they are part-time, casual, or seasonal employees; independent contractors, business owners, or temporary agency workers; employees working in non-commercially zoned locations such as home-based businesses; or employees who work remotely or outside Alberta.

4- Work Experience

At the time of your application you must have either:
  • a minimum of twelve (12) months full-time work experience in your current occupation in Alberta within the last eighteen (18) months; or
  • a minimum of twenty four (24) months of full-time work experience in your current occupation in Canada and/or abroad within the last thirty (30) months
Post-Graduation Work Permit holders require a minimum of 6 months full-time work experience in your current occupation in Alberta within the last 18 months. This occupation must be related to your field of study in Alberta.

5- Language Ability

If you are working in a NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation, you must have taken an approved test results and have obtained a minimum score of Canadian Language Benchmark CLB 5 in all for abilities in English or French (➨Appendix 5).

If you are working in a NOC TEER 4 or 5 occupation, you must have taken an approved test results and have obtained a minimum score of Canadian Language Benchmark CLB 4 in all for abilities in English or French (➨Appendix 5).

6- Education

You must have minimum high school diploma equivalent to Alberta standards (except post-graduate work permit holders).
A Post-Graduation Work Permit holder applying for the AOS must meet the requirements for graduation for an approved credential issued by an Alberta Advanced Education-approved post-secondary institution in the province.

7- Licensing

All applicants, including Post-Graduation Work Permit holders, must meet the following licensing, registration and certification requirements:
  • You must have the required licensing, registration or certification to work in your current occupation in Alberta at the time your application is submitted and at the time the AINP assesses your application for nomination.
  • If you are working in a compulsory trade in Alberta you must have a valid Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Trade (AIT) recognized trade certificate.
  • If you are working as childcare worker, you must have valid certification as a child development worker or child development supervisor.

8- Ineligibility

You are not eligible to apply under the Alberta Opportunity Stream if:
  • You are a temporary resident living or working in a province or territory of Canada other than Alberta.
  • You are a refugee claimant in Canada, a failed refugee claimant, had a removal order, are prohibited from entering or being in Canada, do not have status in Canada or are living illegally in your country of residence.

Ready to take the next step towards your Canadian immigration journey? Fill out the form below and embark on your path to new opportunities.

AGMRA

CALCULATE YOUR SCORE

If you meet the above minimum requirement, then you must calculate your total score based on the following selection factors (➨immilib.com/AAIP-Grid). As of September 30, 2024, you must submit a Worker Expression of Interest (EOI) to be considered for an invitation to apply to one of the AAIP's worker streams. There is no fee for submission. The EOI requires you to self-declare information, which will be scored and ranked using a points grid. Candidates may be selected based on their EOI score, labour market needs, available nominations, and application levels. Selected individuals will receive an invitation to apply via email.

Candidates will be ranked against each other and only top ranked candidates will be invited to apply. A draw will occur with only the top ranked candidates being selected and issued an invitation to apply. The selection factors may be summarized as follows:
Selection Factor Maximum Points
Factor 1: Education 22
Factor 2: Language Ability 13
Factor 3: Work Experience 21
Factor 4: Age 5
Factor 5: Family Connection to Alberta 8
Factor 6: Alberta Job Offer 31

Factor 1: Education

Level of Education Points
Doctoral (PhD) level 12
Master’s level 10
Bachelor’s degree 7
Trade certification/Diploma 7
Diploma/Certificate 4
Secondary school/high school diploma or less 0

You will be awarded points for your Canadian educational credential or foreign credential accompanied by Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) Report.
The ECA Report must not be more than five (5) years old prior to the date AAIP receives your application and the date you will submit your application for Expression of Interest.

Location of Highest Level of Education Completed in Canada Points
Completed in Alberta 10
Completed in another province or territory in Canada 6

Factor 2: Language Ability

To be awarded point for language, you must have taken an approved test results. Test must be taken no more than two (2) years prior to submission of your EOI as well as your application. The lowest score achieved in the four (4) skills (Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening) is your score.
You must have a minimum proficiency of CLB 4 in English or NCLC 4 in French in all four competencies to submit an EOI.
Official Language (Lowest score in any of 4 skills) Points for English Points for French
CLB 6 and higher 10 8
CLB 5 8 5
CLB 4 5 3
Below CLB 4 0 0
Bilingual Language Proficiency Points
CLB/NCLC score of 4 or higher in both English and French 3

To prove your language abilities you must take any of the following approved tests:

  • English: IELTS General or CELPIP General or PTE Core
  • French: TEF Canada or TCF Canada

To find out the equivalent CLB level for any of the above approved tests (➨Appendix 5).

Factor 3: Work Experience

You can get points for the number of years you’ve spent doing full-time paid work (at least 30 hours per week, or an equal amount of part-time). The work experience claimed must be relevant to the single occupation you've selected in your application.
Experience Points
Total Work Experience, Including all experience accumulated in Canada and abroad
12 months or more 11
6-11 months 7
Less than 6 months 3
Work Experience in Canada
6 months or more in Alberta 10
6 months or more in another province or territory in Canada 6

Factor 4: Age

You’ll get points based on your age on the day you enter in your online Expression of Interest (EOI) profile.
Age Points
Under 18 Not Eligible
18-20 3
21-34 5
35-49 4
Over 50 3

Factor 5: Family Connection to Alberta

You can get points if you have a family connection in Alberta who is a Canadian Citizen or permanent resident over 18 years of age . Points are not awarded for family connections for your in-laws.
Family Connection to Alberta Points
Close family relative in Alberta (parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew) 8

Factor 6: Alberta Job Offer

You can get points if you have job offer from an employer in Alberta, the employer community or sector and the location of the employer:
Job offer to work in select Alberta rural communities or sector Points
Endorsement letter from a designated community in the Rural Renewal Stream 6
Job offer for the tourism and hospitality sector from an employer who is a member of a required sector association under the Tourism and Hospitality Stream 6
Job offer in a law enforcement occupation from an employer who is a member of the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police (AACP) 6
Job offer Location in Alberta Points
Rural Renewal Stream Designated Community or any other job location outside of the Edmonton and Calgary Census Metropolitan Areas and Rural Renewal Stream designated communities 5
Calgary or Edmonton Census Metropolitan Areas 0
Your Total Score  

WHAT STEPS SHOULD YOU TAKE?

Step 1: Work and Job Offer in Alberta

In order to be qualified under the Alberta Opportunity Stream and submit your application, you must be working legally in Alberta in an eligible occupation. You must also have a full-time job offer from an Alberta employer to work in your current occupation in Alberta.

As a foreign worker in Canada, you first need to find an employer and secure the job for yourself. The criteria for your job in Alberta are explained in “Minimum Requirements”.

Step 2: Submit an Online Expression of Interest (EOI)

Now that you meet all the requirements, you can complete an online Expression of Interest (EOI) in your AAIP Portal (➨immilib.com/AAIP-Apply).

EOI is an online system where you submit information about yourself to the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program.

To complete the EOI, you’ll need information from some documents including passports, language test results, etc. But you don’t need to upload any documents.

After you submit the EOI, the system will calculate your score based upon the information you enter and your EOI will be placed in a pool for potential selection. The highest-scoring, qualified candidates will be invited to submit an application to the AAIP.

If you’re not invited to apply within twelve (12) months of submitting your EOI, it will automatically expire and removed from the system. You can still create a new EOI. If you are able to acquire additional points after submitting your EOI, you will need to submit a new EOI.

Step 3: Submit Application to AAIP

If you are selected by the AAIP, you will receive an email invitation to apply for a specific stream or pathway, sent to the same email address used for your EOI. Your status in the AAIP portal will show as “Invited.” You must login using the same account that you created for your EOI profile.

You have thirty (30) days to start the application and sixty (60) days to submit it. During this time, you'll be removed from the Worker Stream pool and cannot receive other invitations. If you don't complete and pay for the application, you'll be returned to the pool to wait for another selection.

Complete the different sections of your online application. Scan and upload all your completed forms and required documents in PDF format onto your online application. Keep the originals for your records.

Save, pay the fee and submit your application online.

If your application is complete, you will receive an email confirming that your file has been received and accepted for processing. Your application number will not change. Use it in all your submissions or any inquiries you may have during the assessment process.

A AAIP officer may contact you or your current or past employers by email or phone if information is needed to assess your application and will tell you how to send the information.

You will receive a decision on your application by email. If your application is approved, you will become a Provincial Nominee and get a nomination package by email.

AAIP Application
Submit Online Application:
immilib.com/AAIP-Apply
Official Program Guide:
immilib.com/AOS-Guide
AAIP Application Fee:
$840
Processing Time:
immilib.com/AB-PT
Document Checklist:
immilib.com/AOS-Doc
Contact:
780-6382843, 780-6447534
[email protected]

Step 3: Apply for Permanent Residence

If you are nominated by the Province of Alberta, then your next step is to submit a complete application for a permanent resident visa within six (6) months (➨Page).

You must submit your application using the IRCC Permanent Residence Portal (PR Portal) (➨ immilib.com/PR-Portal). 

If your application is complete, you will receive a letter or an email confirming that your file has been received and accepted for processing. This letter is called the Acknowledge of Receipt (AOR) and will include your IRCC file number.

Once you have received your acknowledgement of receipt, you can create an online account and link your application to it. By creating an account, you will be able to receive email updates and a more detailed case status.

Apply for a Temporary Work Permit
If you have an employer in Canada and your current work permit will expire within 180 days (approximately six months), at the time of nomination, AINP may include a work permit support letter in your nomination package. This letter permits you to apply for a work permit from the federal government without the need for an LMIA.

If you are in Canada on a valid work permit and your PR application is not finalized, you may be able to apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) (➨Page). This will let you to stay and continue working on a valid work permit until your PR application is finalized.

Step 4: Landing in Canada

If your application is approved, you will be asked to pay your right of permanent residence fee if you haven't already done so. You will receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CoPR) and if you are from a country that requires a visa you will also be issued a permanent resident visa.

You will only become a Permanent Resident of Canada when you cross a Canadian port of entry. This is referred to as ‘landing in Canada' (➨Page).

You must land in Canada before the expiry date, which appears on your Canada Immigration Visa. Usually, the expiry date is one (1) year from the time medical examinations were completed. As this is not always the case, be sure to verify the expiry date as soon as the Canada Immigration Visa is received.

Ready to take the next step towards your Canadian immigration journey? Fill out the form below and embark on your path to new opportunities.

AWSYTA

WELCOME TO ALBERTA!

GWA

AWA

Age Points
Under 18 Not Eligible
18-20 3
21-34 5
35-49 4
Over 50 3

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ATOCB

Location of Highest Level of Education Completed in Canada Points
Completed in Alberta 10
Completed in another province or territory in Canada 6

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