The eligibility criteria for the Alberta Opportunity Stream may apply at the time of submitting your application or when it is assessed by the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), or both.
Residency and Work Permit Requirements At the time of application submission and assessment by the AAIP, you must have a valid temporary resident status in Canada that allows you to work, such as a temporary foreign worker permit.
Regarding the NOC 2021 update, the AAIP continues to accept Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) based work permits issued under the NOC 2016 version.
Eligible Applicants At the time of application submission and assessment by the AAIP, you must hold a valid work permit, excluding status maintained during processing or restoration status.
Valid work permits are based on the following:
- Positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
- LMIA exemption for workers, as determined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which includes international trade agreements, workers transferred within a company, International Experience Canada, Mobilité Francophone, R205(d) for religious work
- Open work permits issued by IRCC to vulnerable workers who have experienced abuse or are at risk of abuse, or to family members of a vulnerable worker under the Vulnerable Workers Open Work Permit (VWOWP) exemption
- Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) for graduates of an Alberta Advanced Education publicly funded post-secondary institution. PGWP holders must also meet specific occupation, education, and work experience requirements.
- Open work permits issued under IRCC's open work permit public policies, including temporary policy changes to the PGWP Program in 2022 or 2023
- Open work permit issued under the public policy for Hong Kong recent graduates
- Open work permit issued under IRCC's Ukraine immigration measures (also known as the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel - CUAET)
Ineligible Applicants The following individuals are not eligible to apply or be nominated under the Alberta Opportunity Stream:
- Refugee claimants or individuals involved in a federal appeal or removal process
- Temporary residents living or working in a province or territory other than Alberta
- Foreign nationals living or working in Canada without valid temporary resident status
Occupation Requirements Eligible Occupations At the time of application submission and assessment by the AAIP, you must be working in an eligible occupation in Alberta. Occupation requirements also apply to your work experience and job offer.
Most occupations under National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill levels 0, A, B, C, and D are eligible under the AAIP. Please note that the NOC has been updated to the NOC 2021 version. Use IRCC's Find your NOC tool to find the NOC 2021 version of your occupation and understand how it may be impacted by the change. If you submitted your application on or before November 15, 2022, refer to the NOC 2016 version of the occupation requirements.
The list of ineligible occupations has been updated with the NOC 2021 version. Review the updated list to determine your eligibility for this stream.
Most occupations under NOC TEER Categories 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
Individuals working in the occupations listed below at the time of submission and assessment are not eligible to apply for or be nominated under the Alberta Opportunity Stream.
*The following National Occupation Classification (NOC) codes consist of both eligible and ineligible occupations. The 'Occupation' column specifies the ineligible occupations for each NOC code listed.
NOC Code (2021) NOC TEER category Occupation 00010 0 Legislators 40021 0 School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education 40030 0 Managers in social, community and correctional services 40041 0 Fire chiefs and senior firefighting officers 60040* 0 Escort agency managers, massage parlour managers 41100 1 Judges 41220 1 Secondary school teachers 41221 1 Elementary school and kindergarten teachers 51111 1 Authors and writers (except technical) 51122 1 Musicians and singers 42200* 2 Justices of the peace 42202* 2 Early childhood educators without certification through Alberta Children's Services – Child Care Staff Certification Office or with Level 1 Early Childhood Educator certification (formerly Child Development Assistant) 43100 3 Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants 43109 3 Other instructors 53121 3 Actors, comedians, and circus performers 53122 3 Painters, sculptors, and other visual artists 53124 3 Artisans and craftspersons 53200 3 Athletes 63101 3 Real estate agents and salespersons 33100* 3 Dental laboratory assistants/bench workers 44100 4 Home child care providers 44101 4 Home support workers, caregivers, and related occupations 64321 4 Casino occupations 55109 5 Other performers 65109 5 Other sales-related occupations 65211 5 Operators and attendants in amusement, recreation, and sport 65229 5 Other support occupations in personal services 65329 5 Other service support occupations 75200 5 Taxi and limousine drivers and chauffeurs 85101 5 Harvesting labourers 85102 5 Aquaculture and marine harvest labourers 85104 5 Trappers and hunters 85110 5 Mine labourers 85121 5 Landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers
Language Requirements:
You must demonstrate that you meet the following language test score in English or French at the time of submitting your application. The scores must be based on a single test result.
NOC TEER category Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) test score required Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) test score required NOC 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation Minimum of 5 for each English language skill Minimum of 5 for each French language skill NOC 4 or 5 occupation Minimum of 4 for each English language skill Minimum of 4 for each French language skill If applying under NOC code 33102 (nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates), a minimum language test score of CLB 7 for each English language skill or NCLC 7 for each French language skill is required by the AAIP.
You must provide official test results from one of the following language tests with your AAIP application:
Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) General Test International English Language Testing System (IELTS) General Training Test Test d'évaluation de français Canada (TEF Canada) Test de connaissance du français Canada (TCF Canada)
The official test results must be less than 2 years old at the time of your application submission. The date of your test is used to determine the age of the test results, not the date the results were released. The AAIP does not accept confirmation of registration for a language test in place of test results.
Refer to the federal guideline on CLB/NCLC equivalency for each test.
You must provide an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) issued by an IRCC-designated organization for your highest level of education. If the ECA report indicates that your credential is not equivalent to completion of Canadian high school or if the foreign educational institution is not recognized, you do not meet the education requirement.
You do not need to provide an ECA if:
- You have a Canadian degree, diploma, or certificate from a recognized Canadian post-secondary, technical college, or secondary institution.
- You have a valid Alberta Qualification Certificate or a trade certificate recognized by Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT).
Eligible Job Offers At the time of application submission and assessment, all applicants must have a genuine full-time job offer or employment contract from an Alberta employer to work in their current occupation in Alberta.
The Alberta employer must be incorporated or registered under the legislation of a province, territory, or the Parliament of Canada, and operate a business with an established production capability, plant, or place of business in Alberta.
The job offer or employment contract must meet the following criteria:
- Continuous, paid work.
- Full-time work, defined as a minimum of 30 hours per week.
- Employment for 12 months or more.
- Work in your current occupation.
- Wages and benefits that meet provincial minimum wage and either:
- Meet or exceed the requirements specified in your Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), or
- If you are LMIA exempt, meet or exceed the lowest starting wage for your occupation across all industries in Alberta, as outlined on the Alis website.
Changes to Alberta Opportunity Stream Requirements The Alberta Opportunity Stream has undergone changes to the selection criteria for language and education over time. These changes are communicated by the AAIP and may happen without notice. Please refer to the official sources for the most up-to-date information on these changes.
if you need a detailed review of you application book a consultation at visaform.ca