PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

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 PERSONAL NET WORTH: $500,000

WORK EXPERIENCE:

All candidates must demonstrate that they possess the farm management skills necessary to operate a farm successfully in Alberta. To this end, AINP requires all applicants to submit financial records for their existing farming business and documentation of their education, training, and work experience in farm management. Additionally, candidates for this stream must submit a comprehensive business plan outlining their proposed Alberta farm. This plan must include documentation demonstrating that a Canadian financial institution can finance the proposed farming operation.

INVESTMENT REQUIREMENT:

Candidates must demonstrate that they possess the financial means necessary to establish a sustainable farming operation. All applicants must be willing to invest a minimum of $500,000 in an Alberta primary production farming business. Candidates must demonstrate that they have a minimum net worth of at least $500,000 or access these funds through other sources.

Please keep in mind that the $500,000 requirement is a minimum. Alberta reserves the right to require applicants to demonstrate their ability to invest more than the minimum investment amount.

All applicants must develop and submit a detailed business plan outlining their plans to invest in Alberta’s primary production farming business. This business plan must detail the applicant’s intended use of the funds. The province will prioritize applications that demonstrate the most significant potential for growth concerning Alberta’s agri-food needs.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

Alberta Self-Employed Farmer applications are always accepted. Candidates who meet the eligibility requirements may apply at any time, and applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Before completing their application, candidates interested in applying should contact Alberta Immigration and Nominee Program (AINP) and Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AAF). Before applying, candidates must be evaluated by Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development.

Candidates may wish to arrange an exploratory visit to Alberta prior to applying, as the application requires applicants to demonstrate they have researched the farming environment in Alberta and Canada.

Interested candidates must complete a paper-based application in its entirety. In a single envelope, all documents must be prepared in hard copy and mailed to the Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AAF) office, not the AINP office. The application requires extensive documentation as well as forms attesting to the applicant’s eligibility for the stream. Documentation demonstrating the applicant’s farm management abilities, financial resources, and proposed business plan is required with the application. If AAF approves the application, it will be forwarded to AINP for further review.

If AINP also approves the application, Alberta will notify the applicant that they have been chosen for provincial nomination. AINP will mail the successful applicants an official nomination package.

An applicant has six months from receipt of a provincial nomination to submit a federal application for Canadian permanent residence. Applicants in this programme must complete and submit a paper application for permanent residence to the right application centre via mail. Permanent residence applications submitted on paper are typically processed within 18 months.

ALBERTA EXPRESS ENTRY STREAM

Alberta may use the Express Entry stream to nominate individuals who already have an Express Entry profile with the federal government. Individuals with ties to Alberta and the necessary skills to contribute to the province’s economic growth may be invited to apply by the province.

Successful candidates nominated through the Alberta Express Entry stream will be invited to submit an official application for permanent residence in Canada.

This stream is designed to work in conjunction with the federal Express Entry system. To qualify for the stream, candidates must have an active profile in one of the three Express Entry programmes listed below:

• Federal Skilled Worker (FSW), or
• Federal Skilled Trades (FST), or
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

HOW IT WORKS?

Alberta’s Express Entry Stream is an invitation-only programme. Candidates with Express Entry profiles may receive a Notification of Interest (NOI) directly in the federal system from the Alberta government. Invited candidates then have a limited time to indicate their interest in being considered for selection under this stream to the province.

If selected, candidates will receive an invitation from the AINP to submit all required documents via the AINP online portal to apply for provincial nomination.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

REQUIREMENT
EXPRESS ENTRY PROFILE	YES
CONNECTION TO PROVINCE	NO
JOB OFFER	NO
LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY	EXPRESS ENTRY REQUIREMENT
LEVEL OF EDUCATION	EXPRESS ENTRY REQUIREMENT
WORK EXPERIENCE	EXPRESS ENTRY REQUIREMENT
INVESTMENT REQUIREMENT	NO

Minimum Requirements:

• Must be in the Express Entry pool;
• Must have expressed interest in immigrating to Alberta permanently;
• Must be working in an occupation that supports Alberta’s economic development and diversification;
• A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 300.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Alberta Express Entry is an invitation-only programme. Candidates who meet the stream’s minimum eligibility requirements must first create an Express Entry profile. They must then wait for the province of Alberta to issue a Notification of Interest (NOI).

It is important to note that meeting the minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee that a candidate will be invited to apply by Alberta. Alberta reviews Express Entry profiles and contacts only those candidates it may wish to nominate. Only candidates who Alberta has contacted are eligible to submit a provincial nomination application to the AINP.

Once a candidate receives an NOI, a strict deadline for submitting a complete application to AINP will be established. Alberta will notify the applicant if their application is approved for provincial nomination. This notification will be delivered to the applicant’s online IRCC account. Accepting the provincial nomination increases the applicant’s CRS score by 600 points, virtually ensuring they will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence in the next Express Entry draw.

The applicant must prepare and submit an official application for Canadian permanent residence within the specified timeframe after receiving an ITA. Permanent residence applications submitted through Express Entry are typically processed within six months.