The Alberta Opportunity Stream is a stream of the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program, which is a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) run by the government of Alberta. This stream is aimed towards foreign employees who are currently living and working in Alberta and have an offer of full-time employment from an Alberta firm.
What are the Minimum Eligibility Requirements?
If you are an international student who has finished your studies at an eligible Alberta post-secondary school and are employed in Alberta on a Post-Graduation Work Permit, you may be eligible for the Alberta Opportunity Stream.
The AINP encourages student candidates to utilize the AOS if their education and abilities are matched with Alberta’s labour market demands.
You qualify if:
- you have at least six months of work experience in an occupation similar to your field of study in Alberta (this is less than the requirement for other applicants); and
- you fulfil the same language and financial criteria as specified below.
It is vital to remember that as a Post-Graduation Work Permit holder, you will not be qualified for the AINP if you studied in another Canadian province. However, if you have a different form of work permit, you can be considered for the program.
What are the Residency and Work Permit Requirements?
The following residence criteria are required when your application is submitted and when it is evaluated. You must:
- hold a valid temporary resident status in Canada that allows you to work there. However, the residency status may not be considered under the AOS if you are:
○ Individuals involved in a federal appeal or removal process or refugee claimants
○ Temporary residents living or working in other provinces of Canada; or
○ Foreign nationals living or working in Canada who do not have a legitimate temporary residence status. - hold a valid work permit for a qualifying occupation based on either:
○ a favourable Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA);
○ an LMIA exemption for workers protected under trade treaties, Intra-Company Transferees, or individuals taking part in International Experience Canada, as determined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC); or
○ an LMIA exemption as a bearer of a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). The applicant is required to: ■ have completed the prerequisites for graduation from an Alberta Advanced Education recognized credential granted by an Alberta public or private post-secondary school.
■ be working in an occupation connected to his or her field of study in Alberta right now. Keep in mind that if you were accepted and enrolled in an Alberta-approved post-secondary credential program on or after April 1, 2019, your present career must be connected to your former undergraduate or graduate field of study from outside Canada.
What are the Language Ability Requirements?
You should have a least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of 4 in either English or French for each of the following language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking in either English or French.
Should you apply under NOC code 3413 (Nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service employees), you must have a minimum of CLB 7 in French or English.
If you are applying for NOC 0, A, or B occupations, you must have a CLB 5 for each language skill.
What are the Educational Requirements?
At the time of submitting their application for the AOS, applicants must have completed at least a Canadian high school diploma or equivalent in their home country. Foreign education equivalents should be verified through an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from an IRCC-recognized organization that confirms the education requirements are met.
If you hold a recognized Canadian post-secondary, technical college, or secondary institution degree, diploma, or certificate, you do not need an ECA. ECAs are also not necessary if you have work experience in a compulsory or optional trade that qualifies you for the AINP and a valid Alberta Qualification Certificate or trade certificate from the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training.
If you currently possess a Post-Graduation Work Permit during the time you apply for the AOS, you need to complete the graduation requirements for an eligible Alberta Advanced Education credential granted by a post-secondary school in the province.
Remember that as of July 10, 2018, the AINP states that applicants who have been admitted to an Alberta Advanced Education authorized post-secondary program prior to April 1, 2019, may be able to apply to this stream.
You may be able to apply to this stream if you were accepted to an Alberta Advanced Education approved post-secondary program before April 1, 2019.
Unless you have a Post-Graduation Work Permit, you must have completed a least high school level education to be considered for this stream.
Are there Work Experience Requirements?
- If you want to apply for the AOS, you must complete the following work experience requirements:
When submitting to the AINP, you must be presently working in the occupation stated as your ‘current occupation.’ - You should be employed in a profession that relates to your work experience at the time you apply and when the AINP assesses your application.
To fulfill the AOS work experience criteria, you must:
- have a one-year minimum full-time employment experience in the ‘current occupation’ in Alberta in the last18 months; or
- having at least 2 years of full-time work experience in the ‘current occupation’ in Canada and/or outside of Canada in the past 30 months. Remember that your professional experience can be a balance of experience earned in Alberta, Canada (outside of Alberta), and/or outside of Canada.
If you have a Post-Graduation Work Permit, you must:
- must have had at least six months of full-time work experience in your current occupation in Alberta during the previous 18 months, and
- must be actively employed in an occupation relevant to your field of study in Alberta based on an accepted Alberta educational certification from an Alberta post-secondary school approved by Advanced Education In addition, if you have earned a one-year post-graduate certificate recognized by Advanced Education, the career must be connected to your prior undergraduate or graduate field of study in Canada.
In addition to achieving the above-mentioned time constraints, the job experience:
- must have worked full-time for at least 30 hours per week (part-time employment will not be considered);
- must have worked in the same field as the ‘current occupation’ mentioned on the application;
- if finished in Alberta or Canada, it must have been approved by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada, and it must have valid temporary resident status;
- cannot be finished while studying in Canada and participating in co-op work placements or internships as part of a study program.
Are there any Requirements for the Job Offer?
- You must have a legitimate employment offer from an Alberta business to work in your present occupation to apply for the AOS.
- You must be employed full-time in Alberta by the company. In addition, to work in your present occupation in Alberta, you must have the necessary licensure, registration, or certification.
The job offer should:
- be for continuous, paid employment, full-time work, defined as a minimum of 30 hours per week for 1 year or more for an eligible AINP occupation;
- be signed by both the candidate and the employer in Alberta;
- provide work for at least 12 months;
- employ in the applicant’s present field; and
- employ in a qualified AINP occupation for which the applicant possesses a work permit that qualifies with the AINP work permit standards.
What are the Occupation Requirements?
You must be working in an approved occupation in Alberta that matches your past work experience at the time you apply.
If you have a Post-Graduation Work Permit and an Alberta Advanced Education authorized post-secondary credential issued by an Alberta public or private post-secondary school, you must work in an occupation relevant to your field of study in Alberta.
If you have finished a one-year post-graduate certificate authorized by Alberta, you must be working in an occupation relevant to your prior undergraduate or graduate field of study outside of Canada.
Most employment in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill levels 0, A, B, C, and D are eligible for the AINP.
Here’s What You Can Read Next
Canadian Immigration Pathways: Which one is best for you?
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs): Immigrate to a Province or Territory
Immigrate to Canada through the Study-Work-PR Pathway