The Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS) is a pathway for foreign workers working in Alberta want to live and settle in the province with Permanent Residence status.
The Alberta Opportunity Stream is a Provincial Nominee Program of Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) operated by the province of Alberta. This stream targets the international workers, living and working in Alberta and who have an offer of employment to continue working full-time for an Albertan employer.
Eligibility Requirements
| Requirement | |
|---|---|
| Express Entry Profile | No |
| Connection to Province | Work Experience |
| Job Offer | Yes |
| Language Proficiency | CLB 4 |
| Level of Education | High School |
| Work Experience | 12 months, minimum |
| Investment Requirement | No |
Connection To Province
Applicants must have a valid temporary resident status in Canada which authorizes them to work and also currently residing and working in Alberta. Please note that refugee claimants are not eligible under this stream. Applicants must have a valid work permit (not implied status or restoration status) for an eligible occupation. This can be based on any one of the following basis:
- a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
- a valid LMIA-exemption or people taking part in International Experience Canada, as determined by IRCC
- Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). If the candidate holding the PGWD, must meet additional requirements:
- The candidate must have met the graduation requirement for an Alberta Advanced Education approved credentials.
- The candidate must have an Alberta credential featured on the AOS list of Alberta Advanced Education Approved Post-Secondary Credentials. Please note that any Alberta educational program not included in this list will be accepted as long as the student was admitted prior to April 1st, 2019. Any students admitted after this date must meet the AAE Approved Post-Secondary Credentials list requirement.
- The applicant must be currently in an occupation related to his or her field of study in Alberta.
Job Offer
At the time an application is submitted to AINP and at the time the application is assessed, the applicant must be working in an eligible occupation in Alberta which matches their previous work experience. Post-Graduation Work Permit holders must also be working in an occupation related to their field of study in Alberta. The applicant must have a valid job offer from an Alberta employer to work in his or her current occupation. The applicant must be working full-time for the employer in Alberta. Also, the applicant must possess the required licensing, registration or certification to work in his or her current occupation in Alberta.
The job offer must:
- be for continuous, paid work, full-time work, defined as a minimum of 30 hours/week for 12 months or more for an eligible AINP occupation;
- be signed by the applicant and the Alberta employer;
- offer employment for 12 months or more;
- offer work in the applicant’s current occupation; and
- offer work in an eligible AINP occupation for which an applicant has a work permit that meets the AINP work permit requirements.
Job offers for the following conditions are considered ineligible:
- part-time 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; or
- 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.
Occupation Requirement
Applicants must be employed in an eligible occupation, when your application is postmarked, and when the AINP assesses the application. The AINP will still check whether candidates are being paid the provincial minimum wage and whether they’re being paid the minimum wage for their occupation, set out in their Labour Market Impact Assessment.
Most jobs with a National Occupational Classification (NOC) level of 0, A, B, C, or D are considered eligible. View the table below to see exceptions.
| NOC | NOC Skill Level | Occupation Title |
|---|---|---|
| 0011 | 0 | Legislators |
| 0422 | 0 | School Principals and Administrators of Elementary and Secondary Education |
| 0423 | 0 | Managers in Social, Community and Correctional Services |
| 0432 | 0 | Fire Chiefs and Senior Firefighting Officers |
| 0651 | 0 | Escort Agency Managers, Massage Parlour Managers |
| 4031 | A | Secondary School Teachers |
| 4032 | A | Elementary School and Kindergarten Teachers |
| 4154 | A | Professional Occupations in Religion |
| 5121 | A | Authors and Writers |
| 5133 | A | Musicians and Singers |
| 5135 | A | Actors and Comedians |
| 5136 | A | Painters, Sculptors and Other Visual Artists |
| 1227 | B | Court Officers and Justices of the Peace |
| 3223 | B | Dental Laboratory Bench Workers |
| 4214 | B | Early Childhood Educators and Assistants (only those without certification as a Child Development Worker (Level 2) or Child Development Supervisor (Level 3) through Alberta Children’s Services – Child Care Staff Certification Office)* |
| 4216 | B | Other Instructors |
| 4217 | B | Other Religious Occupations |
| 5232 | B | Other Performers, n.e.c. |
| 5244 | B | Artisans and Craftspersons |
| 5251 | B | Athletes |
| 6232 | B | Real Estate Agents and Salespersons |
| 4411 | C | Home Child Care Providers |
| 4412 | C | Home Support Workers, Housekeepers and Related Occupations |
| 4413 | C | Elementary and Secondary School Teacher Assistants |
| 6533 | C | Casino Occupations |
| 6564 | C | Other Personal Service Occupations |
| 7513 | C | Taxi and Limousine Drivers and Chauffeurs |
| 8442 | C | Trappers and Hunters |
| 6623 | C | Other Sales Related Occupations |
| 6722 | C | Operators and Attendants in Amusement, Recreation and Sport |
| 6742 | D | Other Service Support Occupations, n.e.c. |
| 8611 | D | Harvesting Labourers |
| 8612 | D | Landscaping and Grounds Maintenance Labourers |
| 8613 | D | Aquaculture and Marine Harvest Labourers |
| 8614 | D | Mine Labourers |
There are additional occupations that are considered ineligible for applicants on a Post-Graduation Work Permit. These occupations are not in demand in Alberta and can be filled by Albertans and Canadians. If the applicant’s occupation is on the following list, he or she is not eligible to apply.
| National Occupational Classification code | Ineligible occupations |
|---|---|
| 0112 | Human resources managers |
| 0211 | Engineering managers |
| 1215 | Supervisors, supply chain, tracking and scheduling co-ordination occupations |
| 1225 | Purchasing agents and officers |
| 1523 | Production logistics coordinators |
| 2113 | Geoscientists and oceanographers |
| 2131 | Civil engineers |
| 2132 | Mechanical engineers |
| 2133 | Electrical and electronics engineers |
| 2212 | Geological and mineral technologists and technicians |
| 2231 | Civil engineering technologists and technicians |
| 2253 | Drafting technologists and technicians |
| 7202 | Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations |
| 7231 | Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors |
| 7237 | Welders and related machine operators |
| 7241 | Electricians (except industrial and power system) |
| 7242 | Industrial electricians |
| 7251 | Plumbers |
| 7271 | Carpenter |
| 7293 | Insulators |
| 7301 | Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades |
| 7302 | Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment |
| 7311 | Industrial mechanics |
| 7312 | Heavy-duty equipment mechanics |
| 7322 | Motor vehicle body repairers |
| 7371 | Crane operators (except all-terrain crane operators) |
| 8222 | Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services |
| 8232 | Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers |
| 8412 | Oil and gas well drilling and related workers and services operators |
| 8615 | Oil and gas drilling, servicing and related labourers |
| 9232 | Petroleum, gas and chemical process operators |
Language Proficiency
Applicants must be able to demonstrate ability in English and/or French, as determined by a formal language assessment (CELPIP, IELTS, or TEF). The test must be less than two years old when your application is postmarked.
A minimum score equivalent to the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) is required 4 in each skill. These requirements are lower than other popular immigration programs, such as the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Program.
People working in National Occupational Classification 0, A and B jobs can continue to apply with a CLB score of 4 until January 1, 2020. As of January 1, 2020, these candidates will be required to have a Canadian Language Benchmark score of 5. This change extends the transition time for the increase in language requirements for these candidates.
Education
Applicants must have completed high school or a higher level of education. Foreign credentials can be assessed through an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) firm recognized by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Canadian credentials from a recognized institution do not need an ECA. In certain instances, applicants with work experience that qualifies them in a compulsory or optional trade, and who also have a recognized valid Alberta Qualification Certificate or trade certificate, may not have to obtain an ECA, even if they did not study in Canada.
Work Experience
At the time the application is postmarked and at the time AINP assesses the application, the applicant must be working in an occupation in Alberta which matches their previous work experience. PGWP holders must also be working in an occupation that matches their Alberta educational credentials. The applicant must meet one of the three following scenarios for work experience:
- A minimum of 12-months full-time work experience in their current occupation in Alberta within the last 18 months; or
- A minimum of 24-months full-time work experience in their current occupation in the last 30 months (can be obtained in Canada and/or abroad); or
- For Post-Graduation Work Permit holders: A minimum of 6 months of full-time work experience in their current occupation in Alberta within the last 18 months. This occupation must be related to their Alberta education.
Experience must have been full-time (30 hours/week) – part-time experience will not be considered. As well, applicants must have the proper regulation, licensing, and/or status in Canada to perform the occupation legally.
Application Procedure
The Alberta Opportunity Stream is always open to new applications. Eligible candidates can submit an application at any time and applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested candidates must prepare a complete paper-based application. All documents must be prepared in hard copy and submitted in a single envelope, by mail, to the AINP office.
If the province approves the application, Alberta will notify the applicant they have been selected for provincial nomination. Successful applicants will receive an official nomination package in the mail from AINP.
After receiving a provincial nomination, an applicant has six months to submit a federal application for Canadian permanent residence. Applicants in this program must complete and submit a paper-based application for permanent residence and submit it by mail to the appropriate application centre. Paper-based PNP applications for permanent residence are generally processed within 18 months
