The AINP is a program created by the government of Alberta in collaboration with Citizenship and Immigration Canada in order to boost Alberta’s economy by inviting people to come and settles as well as maintaining foreign immigrant who are already working in the country.
Once they have been nominated the nominee along with his spouse and dependents will be allowed to apply for permanent residence to the CIC, it is in the Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s hands to accept the nomination and grant them a resident visa to settle in Canada.
You can apply on your own or along with your employer as well as applying as a skilled or semi-skilled worker.
This program does not work for people trying to extend their work permit or certain people who are not eligible (refugee claimants, live-in caregiver living in Alberta, Clergy).
Under the AINP there are three different streams:
- Employer-Driven Stream (You apply with your employer)
- Strategic Recruitment Stream (You apply on your own)
- Self-Employed Farmer Stream (You may apply if you have the resources and experience to buy and manage a farm in Alberta)
Under the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program there are a few people who do not qualify to apply:
- Clergy, Professional Athletes , Primary and Secondary school teacher, and dental laboratory and Bench workers
- Refugee claimants or anyone who has an order of removal against them or is on an appeal process
- Live-in care givers, living in Canada
- Temporary workers living in another province
* Please note that meeting all the requirements does not guarantee nomination to the CIC
Employer –Driven Stream (You apply with your employer)
This stream is for Canadian employer who wishes to keep a foreign worker on a temporary basis, and who has a hard time finding a Canadian employee for the position.
This stream is also for candidates that have a full -time job offer in Alberta who wishes to live a settle there.
Under this stream there are three different categories:
- Skilled worker
- International Graduates
- Semi-skilled worker
Skilled worker
You as the employer
- You must have an actual legitimate business, one that is incorporated or registered and one that has a plant or its operations in Alberta
- You must Provide a full time job offer under the National Occupational Classification under the categories of O, A and B. (O = management related jobs , A= Jobs that require university education and B = Jobs that require a college education)
- You must provide authorization for hiring a foreign worker including the Labor Market Impact Assessment LMIA or the exemption to it if that is the case.
- You have to show the need for the position to be filled by a foreign worker, as well as your efforts to find a Canadian worker
You as the applicant
- You need to clearly demonstrate your intentions to settle and work in Alberta
- You have to provide proof of your education and work experience
- If you are already working in Alberta you have to provide copy of your work permit
- If you live abroad, you need to provide proof of your legal status in the country or residence
International Graduate
You as the employer:
- Your business must be incorporated or registered
- You need to provide a full-time job offer under the NOC’s criteria O, A,B and C (O = management related jobs , A= Jobs that require university education and B = Jobs that require a college education and C = Jobs that are training specific)
- Provide an offer that meets the Alberta’s employment standards
You as the applicant:
- You must demonstrate your intentions of staying indefinitely in Alberta
- You have to be working full-time for the employer who is backing up your application
- Show that the job you are doing is the job you will be doing for the employer once you are accepted and that if falls under the NOC’s criteria O, A,B and C (O = management related jobs , A= Jobs that require university education and B = Jobs that require a college education and C = Jobs that are training specific)
- You need proof that you have a degree/diploma from the approved Secondary and Post secondary school in Alberta or any other Canadian college or university
- You must be able to show the program you graduated from was minimum of two semester (1 year)
- You must submit your Language test results
Semi-Skilled Worker
You as the employer:
- You must have a registered or incorporated business
- Your business must be under one of the 5 industries in which semi-skill workers are eligible ( Food and Beverage Processing, Hotel and Lodging, Manufacturing, Trucking and Foodservices)
- Need to provide a job offer
- You need to have a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) confirmation for the applicant
- Once you have an applicant that meets all the requirements , you must submit them the AINP
- You must draft a plan for the accommodation , and settlement of the applicant
- You need to make sure you meet the requirements for each special industry (http://www.albertacanada.com/opportunity/immigrating/ainp-eds-semi-skilled-criteria.aspx
)
You as the Applicant:
- You must be working in Alberta on a work permit
- You need to be able to show you finished Secondary School
- You need to have your language test results
Strategic Recruitment Stream (You apply on your own)
Under this stream you may apply on your own , without having an employer backing up your application.
Under this stream there are three categories:
- Compulsory and Optional Trades category
- Engineering Occupations Category
- Post-Graduate Worker Category
Under this section those who are not eligible are:
- Refugee Claimants or people who are going to a process of appeal or removal orders.
- Live-in care givers living in Canada
- Temporary Foreign working, working in other provinces
Compulsory and Optional Trades category
This option is available to all managers, foremen and trades people who work in a Compulsory and Optional Trades category in Alberta. Here you will find the occupations that fall under this category
http://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/SOURCES/PDFS/designated_trades_certification.pdf
You as the Applicant:
- You have to try and be capable of living and working in Alberta
- You MUST have a valid Alberta qualification certificate or a Recognized Trade certificate in a Compulsory or Optional Trade
- You have to live in Alberta at the time of your applications and have a valid work permit
- At the time of your application you need to show that are working in your area of expertise or have previously worked for an Alberta employer, for minimum of 6 moths in the last 2 years
Engineering Occupations Category
You as the Applicant:
- You must live in Alberta, and you must have the intention of living and working in Alberta permanently.
- You have to provide proof of your education as an engineer, designer or drafter
- You need to have worked or be working with or in a contract with an Alberta employer in the past two years
- Your occupation has to be listed un the AINP strategic recruitment stream occupation list (http://www.albertacanada.com/files/albertacanada/SRS_Engineering_NOC_List_Managers_Added_Comms.pdf)