Alberta Opportunity Stream

Alberta Opportunity Stream

The Alberta Opportunity Stream is a popular immigration stream under the Alberta Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) that targets foreign workers with a job offer in a skilled occupation that is in high demand in the province. This stream allows eligible candidates to apply for permanent residency in Canada through a streamlined process, which can significantly reduce the processing time compared to other immigration programs.

To be eligible for the Alberta Opportunity Stream, candidates must have a valid job offer from an Alberta employer in an eligible occupation, meet the minimum language proficiency requirements, have completed high school education, and have sufficient settlement funds. They must also meet the minimum work experience requirements for their occupation and meet other program-specific requirements.

The Alberta Opportunity Stream is an excellent option for those who have a job offer in Alberta and wish to settle permanently in the province. Successful applicants and their families can enjoy all the benefits of living in Alberta, including a high standard of living, excellent healthcare, education, and employment opportunities, and access to stunning natural landscapes and recreational activities.

Who is it for

For temporary foreign workers

• Who are already working full-time in Alberta, and have a full-time job offer from an Alberta employer.
• Must have a positive LMIA or hold one of the accepted LMIA exemption work permits.
• Must also meet other minimum eligibility criteria (work permit type, occupation, language, education, Alberta job offer and work experience).

Eligible applicants summery

Work experience requirements

• A positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or
• A LMIA exemption for workers based on one of the following exemptions as determine by IRCC:
  • International trade agreements,
  • Workers transferred within a company,
  • International Experience Canada,
  • Mobilité Francophone,
  • R205(d) for religious work
• An open work permit issued by IRCC to:
  • Vulnerable workers who have demonstrated they are experiencing abuse or are at risk of abuse in the context of their employment in Canada, including under the Vulnerable Workers Open Work Permit (VWOWP) exemption, or
  • The family members of a vulnerable worker under the VWOWP exemption
• A Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) held 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:
  • Temporary policy changes to the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP). The permit must be held by a graduate of an Alberta Advanced Education publicly funded post-secondary institution.
• Holders of this open work permit must also meet the same specific occupation, education, and work experience requirements as PGWP holders as set out below.
  • An open work permit issued under the public policy for Hong Kong recent graduates
  • An open work permit issued under IRCC’s Ukraine immigration measures (also known as the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET)).

Ineligible applicants

• Refugee claimants or individuals involved in a federal appeal or removal process.
• Temporary residents living or working in a province or territory of Canada other than Alberta, or
• Foreign nationals living or working in Canada who do not have valid temporary resident status.

Occupation requirements

Most occupations under NOC TEER Categories 0, 1, 2, 3 4 and 5 are eligible under the AAIP.

• Post-Graduation Work Permit holder

PGWP holder’s occupation must also be related to your field of study in Alberta.

Language tests:

• Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) General Test
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) General Training Test
• Test d’evaluation de français Canada (TEF Canada)
• Test de connaissance du français Canada (TCF Canada)

Education requirements

• Completed a minimum of high school education equivalent to Canadian standards.
• Provide a copy of an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) (Not necessary if Canadian education or have valid Alberta Qualification Certificate/ trade certificate)
• Post-Graduation Work Permit holders (additionally)

Must have credential issued by an Alberta Advanced Education publicly funded post-secondary institution. If you started attending your Alberta credential program before April 1, 2019:

• Certificate or post-diploma certificate or post-baccalaureate certificate (minimum 1 year in length)
• Diploma program (minimum 2 years in length)
• Undergraduate bachelor’s degree
• Graduate level degree
• Graduate level certificate
• Graduate level diploma

If you started attending your Alberta credential program on or after April 1, 2019:

• Post-diploma certificate or post-baccalaureate certificate (minimum 1 year in length)
• Diploma program (minimum 2 years in length)
• Undergraduate bachelor’s degree
• Graduate level degree
• Graduate level certificate
• Graduate level diploma

Work experience requirements

Your current occupation must also match your work experience at the time your application is submitted and at the time the AAIP assesses your application. Eligible work experience: At the time your application is submitted you must have either:

• A minimum of 12 months full-time work experience in your current occupation in Alberta within the last 18 months, or
• A minimum of 24 months of full-time work experience in your current occupation in Canada or abroad within the last 30 months or both – this work experience can be a combination of experience gained in Alberta, in Canada (outside Alberta) or abroad.

Eligible job offers

Must have a bona fide full-time job offer or employment contract from an Alberta employer to work in your current occupation in Alberta.

• Continuous, paid work.
• Full-time work, defined as a minimum of 30 hours per week.
• Employment for 12 months or more.
• Work in your current occupation.
• Wages and benefits that meet provincial minimum wage and:
  • Meet or exceed the requirements set out in your LMIA, or
  • If you are LMIA exempt, meet or exceed the lowest Starting wage for your occupation across all industries in Alberta
  • Exceptions for NOC 41302 – Religious leaders and NOC 42204 – Religion workers:
– If your job offer is LMIA exempt, your wages and benefits must meet or exceed minimum wage.
• Work for an eligible AAIP occupation for which you have a work permit that meets AAIP work permit requirements.

Ineligible applicants based on job offer

• Part-time, casual or seasonal employees, regardless of their working hours,
• Independent contractors, business owners or temporary agency workers, including individuals listed as directors, shareholders or agents of the Alberta employer on the Corporate Registry System (CORES),
• 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.

How to apply

1. Online application using the AAIP portal.
2. Paper application submitted by mail.

Application fee – $500

You will need to pay your fee within 24 hours of submitting your complete application in the portal. The $500 fee must be paid online using a single credit or debit card.

Reconsideration fee

Subject to a service fee of $100.

Summary of Alberta Opportunity Stream changes