Alberta is a Canadian province situated in its western region and always be the talk of the town for its diversified culture and society. The arrival of spring marks the blossoming of different varieties of flora which attract visitors across the world. According to the size of the population, Alberta ranks fourth among all Canadian provinces and in terms of the economy; it enjoys the status of one of the fastest growing provinces in Canada. It encompasses multiple exciting opportunities for its residents as well as new immigrants.
Alberta’s government in coordination with the Federal government operates its provincial nominee program by the name Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP). AINP brings applications from potential immigrants who wish to settle in Alberta with PR status.
Categories of Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP):
After the latest changes in AINP on June 14, 2018, three immigration streams come under AINP including,
- Alberta Opportunity Stream
- Alberta Express Entry Stream
- Alberta Self-employed Farmer stream
Alberta Opportunity Stream:
After the modification on June 14, 2018, AINP’s Strategic Recruitment Stream and Employer-driven stream got replaced by the Alberta Opportunity Stream. It is open for those eligible internationals who are currently working in Alberta in an occupation listed in high demand in the province.
Alberta Express Entry Stream:
It is an Express-entry linked immigration stream of the AINP which manages applications from the Express entry pool. Eligible Express entry candidates who obtain a nomination from the province receive an additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) 600 points towards their Express entry score card guaranteeing an invitation to apply for Canadian PR
Self-employed Farmer Stream:
As per the name implies, this stream allows the entry of only those foreign nationals who have experience in farming practices as well as possess sufficient personal funds to purchase or manage a farm in the province.
Eligibility requirements for the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP):
Alberta Opportunity Stream:
- An applicant must have temporary residency status in Canada which provides the authority to work in Canada
- He/she must have a legal or valid work permit
- He/she must score a minimum of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 4 in the language proficiency test
However, on January 01, 2020, minimum CLB level of 5 in each language skill including speaking, writing, listening and reading will be mandatory for NOC 0, A or B.
- A minimum level of education required at the time of applying is a Canadian high school diploma or equivalent
- He/she must have at least full-time work experience of 12 months in the ‘current occupation’ in the province within the last 18 months; or,
- He/she must have at least full-time work experience of 24 months in the ‘current occupation’ in and/or outside Canada within the last 30 months
Alberta Express Entry Stream:
- An applicant must have a profile in Express Entry pool
- He/she must be ready to settle permanently in Alberta
- He/she must be working in an occupation which is in demand by Alberta’s employer
- He/she must score at least a CRS score of 300
The following requirements are not mandatory; however, they can increase the chances of selection for the nomination of the profile
- A valid job offer from Alberta employer
- Graduate degree from a reputed Alberta’s post-secondary institution with a valid Alberta job offer
- Connection in Alberta such as parent, child, brother and/or sister who is living in Alberta as a permanent resident or citizen
Self-employed Farmer Stream:
- An applicant must have farm management skills with proof of education and work experience in farming
- He/she must have at least amount of $ 500,000 (in Canadian Dollars) to invest in primary farming in the province
- He/she must be a holder of a minimum net worth of $ 500,000 (in Canadian dollars)
Documents required for the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP):
At the time of applying for any stream of Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP, a candidate and his/her employer need to be equipped with the following list of documents
- All Alberta Employers and their respective candidate have to submit the Employer-Driven Application for a Skilled Occupation (AINP 005) form
- Applicants have to submit Employer-Driven Application form (AINP 003) for nomination
- CIC forms
- Valid CIC Work permit
- Copy of valid passport and other travel itineraries
- Copy of Educational certificates such as degree, diploma, and certificates
- Official letters mentioning all work-related details
- Scorecard of Language proficiency test
- Proof of civil status like birth certificate
- Education Credential Assessment (ECA) report, if education is acquired outside Canada
How to apply for the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)?
It is worth noting here the availability of any of the immigration stream of AINP depends on the volume of incoming applications and demands of the labor market of the province. So, if there is availability as well as an applicant is interested in AINP, then the following is the step-by-step guide for the application process of the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP).
Check the eligibility and read the guidelines:
It is advisable to go through the above eligibility criteria for each immigration stream of AINP before proceeding to any further step. Next, to it, check the updated guidelines for the program as AINP can bring new changes at any time without any prior notice.
Fill the online application form:
Fill the form for AINP available online and mention all your credentials like education, work experience, language proficiency and other required essentials.
Submit the essential documents:
An applicant needs to provide some documents like language proficiency test, ECA, proof of funds to the authority for verification of the information given in the form or to check the eligibility of applicant according to the needs of employer or market of the province
Make the payment:
After completing all the above steps, make the payment of processing fee for AINP through the mode available for the respective AINP’s stream
Processing time for the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP):
The processing time of applications for federal and provincial immigration programs are different. Some may take the duration of six months; whereas, others take 12-14 months for processing. In addition to this, there are many cases which take exceptionally more processing time than others due to multiple reasons like incomplete documentation, insufficient or false information and delay in payment of processing fee, a large volume of applications and more.
So, it is advisable to candidates to read all terms and conditions of the applied immigration programs and get ready with all essentials in advance to reduce the chances of delay in the processing time of the applications for immigration to Canada. For AINP, the average processing time is around 7-8 months; however, it may vary case to case.
How countrywide visas can help you in applying for the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)?
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