The Alberta Self-Employed Farmer Stream aims to attract farm owners/operators who plan to live in Alberta in order to purchase and manage their farming business.
The Alberta Self-Employed Farmer Stream of Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) under one of Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) is designed to bring immigrants to the province with extensive farm management experience. Through the AINP, Alberta has the ability to welcome new permanent residents who have the proven skills and experience to benefit Alberta’s labour market. Successful applicants to the Alberta Self-Employed Farmer Stream receive a provincial nomination certificate, which may then be used to apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for Canadian permanent residence.
Eligibility Requirement
| Requirement | |
|---|---|
| Express Entry Profile | No |
| Connection to Province | No |
| Job Offer | No |
| Language Proficiency | No minimum |
| Level of Education | No minimum |
| Work Experience | Farm Management Experience |
| Investment Requirement | Investment: $500,000 CAD Personal Net Worth: $500,000 CAD |
Self-employed farmers must meet the following minimum requirements in order to be eligible to apply to this stream:
- Prove that they have farm management skills with:
- Financial documentation of existing farm business;
- Proof of education, training, and work experience;
- A proposed business plan that describes the Alberta farming business the applicant plans to operate; and
- Proof that a Canadian financial institution is willing to finance the applicant’s farming business operations in Alberta.
- Prove that they have sufficient financial resources for this venture:
- Must be able to invest a minimum of CAD $500,000 of equity in a primary production farming business in Alberta; and
- Show a minimum net worth of CAD $500,000 or confirmation of access to similar funds from other sources. Please note $500,000 is a minimum investment amount. A larger amount may be required to demonstrate investment ability.
- Prove that they will invest in a primary production farming business in Alberta:
- Document investment intentions in the proposed business plan; and
- The Government of Alberta prioritizes applications that show the greatest opportunity for growth based on Alberta’s agri-food targets.
- Attend an in-person interview with a Government of Alberta representative who determines the applicant’s eligibility under the AINP.
Candidates are not eligible to apply if they are:
- Refugee claimants, or individuals involved in a federal appeal or removal process;
- Live-in caregivers currently residing in Canada;
- Temporary Foreign Workers working and residing in a province other than Alberta; and
- International students studying in Canada, including students doing co-op work placements or internships as part of their study program.
Application Process
The Alberta Self-Employed Farmer 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. Candidates interested in applying should first contact the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) and Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AAF) prior to preparing their application. Candidates must be assessed by Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development before they can submit an application.
As the application requires applicants to provide evidence they have researched the farming environment in Alberta and Canada, candidates may wish to arrange an exploratory visit to Alberta prior to submitting an application.
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 Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AAF) office, not the AINP office. The application requires significant documentation as well as forms proving that the applicant meets the stream requirements. The application requires documents proving the applicants’ farm management skills, financial resources, and proposed business plan. If AAF approves the application, the application will be forwarded to AINP for further assessment.
If AINP also 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.
