ALBERTA: IMMIGRANT NOMINEE PROGRAM

AINP Gets Federal Government Allocation Boost

In January 2018 Alberta received a small increase in its federal government allocation for 2018 under the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP). This program is comprised of three streams: :

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

Alberta is currently in the process of overhauling the AINP, although the changes had to be delayed after they were originally planned for a launch on January 2, 2018. A provincial statement said further consultation with stakeholders was required, and that applications would be accepted under the old structure in the meantime. Under the changes, a new Alberta Opportunity Stream will replace the current Employer-Driven Stream and Strategic Recruitment Stream.

This means the AINP will accept applications under two streams only: the new Alberta Opportunity Stream and the existing Self-Employed Farmer Stream. Furthermore, a new Alberta Express Entry Stream will allow the province to nominate candidates who will then apply through the federal Canada Express Entry System. The province has reassured candidates that those already in the queue for processing will be assessed under the eligibility criteria that were in place at the time the application was received.

Alberta Opportunity Stream: Requirements

1.Occupation

At the time of your application, you must be working in an eligible occupation in Alberta. Most occupations under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill levels 0, A, B, C, and D are eligible under the AINP.

2.Residency and Work Permit

At the time of your application:

• You must have valid temporary resident status in Canada that authorizes you to work. Refugees, those under appeal or removal proceedings and temporary residents living outside of Alberta are ineligible.
• You must have a valid work permit based on a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment or an LMIA exemption.

3.Language

At the time of your application, you must have minimum Canadian Language Benchmark 4 for all disciplines in English or French for the majority of NOC codes. If you apply under NOC code 3413 (nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates), the minimum language score rises to 7.

4.Education

At the time of your application, you must have completed a minimum Canadian high school diploma or equivalent, verified through an Educational Credential Assessment. You do not require an ECA if your degree, diploma or certificate is from a recognized Canadian institution, or if you have work experience that qualifies you for the AINP in a compulsory or optional trade.

5.Work Experience

At the time of your application, you must have either:

• Minimum of 12 months of full-time work experience in your current occupation in Alberta within the last 18 months; or
• Minimum of 24 months of full-time work experience in your current occupation in Canada and/or abroad within the last 30 months. This work experience can be a combination of experience gained in Alberta, in Canada (outside Alberta) and/or abroad.

At the time of your application:

• You must have the required licensing, registration or certification to work in your current occupation in Alberta.
• You must have a bona fide full-time job offer from an Alberta employer to work in your current occupation in Alberta and be working full-time for that employer in Alberta in that occupation.
• Your job offer must be signed by you and your Alberta employer and must offer: Continuous paid work; Full-time work, defined as a minimum of 30 hours/week for 12 months; Work in your current occupation, and Work for an eligible AINP occupation for which you have a work permit that meets AINP work permit requirements.
• The following individuals are not eligible, even if they have a job offer to work 30 hours a week or more in a 12-month period: Part-time employees, regardless of their working hours; Independent contractors, business owners or temporary agency workers, or Employees who work in Alberta in a place of employment that is not zoned for commercial or industrial operations, such as a home-based business; Employees who do not work on premises in Alberta, such as those who work in a “virtual” location or serve the employer by telecommuting from a location outside Alberta.

6.Income Level

At the time of your application, you must meet a minimum gross annual income level based on your family size. A family can include:

• You, and
• Your spouse or common-law partner
• Your dependent children
• Your spouse or common-law partner’s dependent children
• Any dependent children of your dependent children
• Any dependent children of your spouse or common-law partner’s dependent children

Dependent children must be under the age of 22 and not have a spouse or common-law partner, or 22 or older and are unable to be financially self-sufficient since before the age of 22 due to a physical or mental condition

Self-Employed Farmer Stream: Requirements

To qualify under the Self-Employed Farmer Stream, the applicant must have:

• Prior managerial experience with an existing farm enterprise;
• Education, training and work experience necessary to develop a sustainable farming business in Alberta;
• A business plan for the farming enterprise to be developed in Alberta;
• Evidence that a Canadian financial institution is willing to finance the proposed farming enterprise;
• A minimum of $500,000 of equity to invest in the farming enterprise;
• The minimum net worth of $500,000 or confirmation of access to these funds from other sources.

To find out if you are eligible and to go over any specific details, please contact us.

For interested investors:

Feel free to apply and we will contact you to discuss your global residency and citizenship investment options.