Full Guide To Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP)
🛫 All You Need To Know About Alberta PNP And The Immigration Process
First things first, what exactly is the Alberta immigrant nominee program? The AAIP refers to the economic immigration program that nominates people to live in the province permanently.
The goal of the program is to help employers meet their workforce requirements. But of course, there are some pretty stringent requirements. Here are the most important ones:
Opportunity Stream
It is mandatory for the nominees to have the skills required to fill job shortages. This allows the Alberta government to nominate the best possible candidate.
People thinking of starting or purchasing a business in Alberta can also benefit from the program as long as the required skills are met.
Must Have a Relative Who is a Canadian Citizen or an Alberta Resident
If you are nominated for the program, your immediate family, like your spouse and dependent children, can apply for PR status.
However, you must have a immediate relative that is already a Canadian citizen or have a permanent residence in Alberta. The list of immediate relatives is limited to your parents, children, and siblings.
No Criminal Record
Applications for the Alberta PNP are supervised by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Thus, it is important that you don’t have serious criminal charges beforehand.
The IRRC has a very limited slots for nominees each year. In fact, in 2022, they only provided 6,500 nomination certificates. Thus, having no criminal charges at all will give you a better chance of getting it.
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🛣️ 4 Immigration Pathways of AAIP
Those considering moving to Alberta can apply to AAIP through four major immigration streams. These include:
Note: The Alberta Express Entry stream holds a significant portion of the allocated nomination certificates each year. This stream includes the Accelerated Tech Pathway. Let’s talk about some of them in the next sections.
👨💼 Eligibility for the Alberta Opportunity Stream
Here are some of the personal requirements and documents that you’ll need to apply for the Alberta Opportunity Stream:
- You should have a valid work permit through Labor Market Impact Assessment. This permit isn’t required if you have a LIMIA-exempt occupation.
- It’s vital that your occupation is one accepted by AINP.
- You should have an educational certificate from a post-secondary institution or a diploma for two years.
A decent working experience is required before you can get nominated to ensure that you have the right skills for the job qualification.
- You must have 12 months of full-time work experience in Alberta within 18 months in the province.
- People with 24 months of full-time work experience within 20 months in Canada also qualify.
Your language test results should be a minimum of 5 for CLB and NCLC. Please note that the language skill results have to be government improved like IELTS, CELPIP, and TEF.
You have to prove you are financially capable of settling in Canada. If you’ll bring your family with you, you must be capable of providing for them.
🌱 Eligibility for the Alberta Farmer Stream
If you are thinking of moving to Alberta using the farmer self-employed stream, here are the criteria you have to meet.
You must present proof that you have the skills and expertise to manage a farm. You must have completed high school and have a diploma certificate meeting the educational requirements of the province.
You should have a strategy for a farm in the province. You also have to prove that you have the backing of a Canadian institution that’s willing to invest in your plan.
In businesses, communication is an essential factor. Thus, it’s beneficial if your scores for language skills, CLB and NCLC are at least 4.
You must have an annual income of at least $ 23,392, while the net worth should at least be $500,000.
🚄 Eligibility for the Alberta AIP Express Entry Stream
This stream permits Alberta to select a fixed number of qualifying candidates through the Express Entry system of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada.
The Alberta Express entry stream is mainly for candidates with significant ties to the province. People who have the potential to help the government and play a role in its economic development and diversification goals can also be requested to apply. International graduates from Canadian post-secondary institutes can also be considered.
Keep in mind that this stream does not accept direct applications; hence, you cannot apply for it. Additionally, nominees cannot have their nomination prolonged.
📁 Document Required For The AAIP
Naturally, if you are immigrating to Alberta for good, you will have to submit some documentation alongside your application. Here’s a list of documents you can be asked for:
Personal Documents
- Fully completed and signed application form
- Birth certificate and Marriage certificate (if applicable)
- Proof of Address
- Valid passport
- Work permit
- Police clearance report
Supporting Documents
- Results of language skills tests
- Assessment of the Labor
- Market’s Impact (LMIA)
Assessment of - Educational Credentials (ECA)
- Letter of recommendation for an employee (if applicable)
- Employment letter
- Proof of funding
- Statement of Earnings
📅 How Long Does It Take For Alberta PNP Applications To Process?
You can expect the process to take around 4 to 6 months. However, this essentially depends on a variety of factors, including the number of applications submitted, labor market information, and the date of your application submission.
If you are found eligible for the program and are approved by the Alberta authorities, you will be issued a nomination certificate.
Luckily, there’s no cost to applying to the program. However, you will have to pay some fees for various purposes, including:
- Rights of Permanent
- Residence Fee
- Processing Fee
- Dependent child