Alberta Immigration Lawyer
Alberta’s Advantage Immigration Program (Formerly known as the AAIP)
Alberta, a part of Western Canada, is the fourth largest province in the country and has become one of the most popular destinations for foreign nationals to study, work and immigrate. While Calgary is the largest city in Alberta, the province’s capital is Edmonton. The province borders the Rocky Mountains.
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), which functions as Alberta’s Provincial Nominee Program, was formerly referred to as the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP). The AAIP is a Provincial Economic Immigration program aimed at providing nominations to foreign nationals who have the skills to fill skilled labour shortage or those willing to start or purchase a business in Alberta.
For the last several years, Alberta has introduced several changes to its Provincial Nominee program, such as:
- October 1, 2020 – Launch of Online Portal
- October 1, 2020 – Implementation of $500 Processing Fee
- October 26, 2020 – Launch of new pathways to encourage international graduates to open businesses in Alberta
- February 16, 2022 – AINP renamed to AAIP
- February 16, 2022 – Introduction of two new streams: (1) the Rural Renewal Stream and (2) the Rural Entrepreneur Stream
- March 4, 2022 – Assistance is being provided to Ukrainian nationals to apply to the AAIP as a result of the crisis and prioritizing the assessment of applications for permanent residency made by Ukrainian nationals through the AAIP, so long as candidates must meet all program criteria.
Application and post-decision service fees for the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program are also being temporarily waived for new applications and requests made by Ukrainian nationals. These measures are reviewed quarterly.
- May 1, 2022 – Lifting restrictions on hiring new temporary foreign workers by removing all occupations placed on the “refusal to process” list that was implemented during the pandemic and opening invitations to candidates who have not worked or studied in Alberta. The restrictive invitations were implemented in 2020, when Alberta limited invitations
- September 18, 2022 – Religious worker and clergy occupations eligible to apply for the AAIP three streams (Alberta Opportunity Stream, Express Entry and Rural Renewal Stream) for workers, so long as they meet existing stream eligibility requirements
- November 16, 2022 – Update to Federal NOC Codes
- January 18, 2023 – Nominations increasing for occupations in demand and introduction of family relatives to eligibility criteria
- February 13, 2024 – Effective March 1, 2024 a new immigration stream will be introduced to help the province’s tourism and hospitality industry address labour gaps and challenges.
- February 15, 2024 – Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) temporarily paused Alberta Opportunity Stream application intake until further notice.
What is the AAIP?
The AAIP is a provincial economic immigration program managed by the province of Alberta to welcome foreign nationals into the province. There are currently seven official streams (Express Entry also has a Tech pathway), which are divided into two categories: (1) Streams for Temporary Foreign Workers: Express Entry (includes priority sectors, accelerated tech program, and dedicated healthcare program); Alberta Opportunity Stream; Rural Renewal Stream, and (2) Streams for Entrepreneurs: Rural Entrepreneur Stream; Graduate Entrepreneur Stream; Farm Stream; and Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – FAQ
Yes, an immigration lawyer can assist with provincial nominee programs (PNPs) in Ontario. They can guide you through the specific requirements of Ontario’s PNP, helping you understand the criteria, preparing your application, and maximizing your chances of nomination for permanent residency.
It’s essential to consult with an immigration lawyer in Ontario for personalized guidance on your specific immigration needs and circumstances.
Immigration lawyers in Ontario offer various services, including evaluating your eligibility, preparing and submitting applications, representing you in immigration hearings or appeals, and providing legal advice throughout your immigration journey.
When selecting an immigration lawyer in Ontario, consider their experience, specialization in immigration law, and track record of successful cases. It’s also essential to ensure they are licensed and in good standing with the relevant legal authorities.
Hiring an immigration lawyer in Ontario is beneficial because they possess in-depth knowledge of Canadian immigration laws, policies, and procedures. They can help you understand your options, prepare your applications correctly, and navigate the complex immigration system, increasing your chances of success.
An immigration lawyer in Ontario specializes in Canadian immigration law and provides legal assistance to individuals and families seeking to navigate the immigration process. They offer guidance on various immigration matters, including visa applications, permanent residency, work permits, family sponsorships, and legal representation in immigration proceedings.
There are several categories for which you can apply to work in the U.S. This is dependent on your skills, education and work experience. For example, there are several non-immigrant, temporary visas, such as H-1B Specialty Occupation, or L-1 Intra-company transferee. There are even immigrant work visas that can be obtained through a labor certification, or if you are a individual who has extraordinary ability.
The minimum investment amount depends on whether you are investing in a targeted employment area (TEA) or not. For TEA investment, the amount is $900,000 and if you invest in non-TEA, the minimum investment amount is $1.8 million
Yes. Marriage Based sponsorship is available to both U.S. citizens and U.S. green card holders; however, the processing times may be longer if your spouse is not a U.S. citizen.
No. K-1 visas are specifically for fiancés who are residing outside of the U.S. and eventually come to the U.S. to get married. The fiancé enters the U.S. on a temporary visa and then the couple has 90 days to get married.
A “Green Card” is the other term for permanent resident card. It allows you to live, work and study in the U.S. permanently. There are multiple ways you can receive a green card, some of which include family sponsorship, employment, diversity visa or asylee
No. Express Entry is an online management system that Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses to rank potential candidates against one another
Technically, there is no minimum threshold. However, by looking at scores for 2020, CRS scores have ranged from 471-478 for FSW, FST average is 450 and CEC is 415. In addition, there are Provinces who actively pick candidates from the Express Entry pool (Nova Scotia, Ontario) and if they are within the parameters being targeted, the CRS score is much lower.
Anyone with a bachelor’s degree or higher should consider applying; however, those between the ages of 20-29, with a master’s degree / PhD, plus 3+ years of work experience will generally be the most competitive
PNP Nominations are issued by the Province to candidates who have the required skills and experience targeted by the Province. PNP nominations add 600 points to your overall CRS score and will give you enough points to guarantee that you will be picked from the Express Entry pool and receive an Invitation to Apply
Alberta has typically been one of the easiest Provinces because the minimum CRS score was around 300. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, they are only choosing candidates who already reside (work, school) in the Province. Saskatchewan also has a PNP program where candidates do not require a job offer, but candidates must score high enough on the Province’s score criteria. Ontario is the most active PNP and has targeted occupations where the CRS score is around 450 and a job offer is not required. We may explore other Province’s depending on your specific skills and experience.
Most, if not all Pathways require language testing, with their own requirements. Generally, Federal Programs have higher minimum language score requirements, while Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) and Pilot Programs are lower. For example, each of the (3) Federal Express Entry programs do require language tests and each has its own Canadian language benchmark (CLB) requirement. Once you determine which program you are eligible for, you determine if you have the minimum language scores. Under the FSWP = NOC 0, A, or B, with a CLB 7 (6 in each area), CEC = NOC 0, A, with a CLB 7, NOC B, with a CLB 5, and, FST = Speaking/Listening = CLB 5, Reading Writing = CLB 4. On the other hand, non-Express Entry PNP’s typically require a minimum CLB of 4 (Saskatchewan, Alberta, etc). The higher the language scores, more competitive you will be in the pool.
Yes. So long as your Express Entry CRS scores are high enough, you do not need a job offer. A job offer may be difficult to obtain if you are not in Country. Essentially, a job offer is recommended if your CRS scores are too low to qualify you for the Federal Skilled Worker program.
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