Alberta E & I

Alberta

The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program - AAIP has 4 streams for entrepreneurs who plan to live in Alberta and buy or start a business in the province:

Rural Entrepreneur Stream
Entrepreneurs who want to start a business or buy an existing business in a rural Alberta community can submit an Expression of Interest (EOI).
- Set up Exploratory Visit and obtain visa if required
- Communities with population lower than 100,000
- Supply Exploratory Visit Report with Business Proposal Summary
- Submit EOI

To be eligible for this stream, candidates must meet the following criteria:

Table 1. Requirements for the Rural Entrepreneur Stream

Area	Requirements
Work experience	Have either a minimum 3 years of experience as an active business owner/manager or a minimum of 4 years of experience as a senior manager within the past 10 years.
Education	Completed a minimum of high school equivalent to the Canadian standard with an Education Credential Assessment (ECA). The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website lists the designated organizations for ECAs
Language	Have a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 4 for each English language skill or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) of 4 for each French language skill: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Official test results must be less than 2 years old at the time your Expression of Interest is submitted. The AAIP only accepts the following language tests: ● Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) General Test ● International English Language Testing System (IELTS) General Training Test ● Test d'évaluation de français (TEF) Canada ● Test de connaissance du français (TCF) Canada Check the IRCC website on CLB/NCLC equivalency for each of the tests.
Net worth	Minimum net worth of $300,000. All assets must be candidate’s own personal holdings or spouse's or common-law partner’s.
Business investment	Minimum investment of $200,000 from candidate’s own (and/or spouse/common-law partner) equity. Higher levels of investment will be awarded more points.
Business establishment	Minimum ownership of 51% for a new business. Business Partners must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents. OR 100% ownership for business succession (the succession buy-out must result in a complete change in ownership where the candidate will assume full control of the business). Business must not be on the list of ineligible businesses. Resources on how to establish a business in Alberta, including supports and services related to business plan development, business start-up, and business loans are available on the Small business resource page.
Job creation	New businesses must create at least one full-time job for Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents (not including relatives). More job creation will be awarded more points. Jobs must be created for Canadian citizens or permanent residents (not including relatives) for a period of at least 6 months. For business succession, job creation is not required.
Community support letter	Candidates must have a Community Support Letter from a participating rural Alberta community.

Table 2. Factors that increase your chances

Economic Benefit	Business succession
Age	21 to 49
Spouse	Your spouse/common-law partner has one of the following: ● completed at least one year of full-time post-secondary education (Certificate, Associate Degree, Diploma, Bachelor’s Degree or higher) or ● a minimum level Canadian Language Benchmark 4 in English or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens 4 in French in all four language abilities (Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking). Language test results must be less than 2 years old at the time the Expression of Interest is submitted.
Alberta relative	Relatives are defined as father, step-father, mother, step-mother, child, step-child, sister, step-sister, brother, step-brother of candidate or spouse or common-law partner

Selection from EOI pool

The AAIP is currently accepting EOIs under the Rural Entrepreneur Stream. The information provided in the EOI, Business Proposal Summary, Net Worth Worksheet and Community Support Letter will be assessed and points will be awarded by the AAIP based on the Rural Entrepreneur Stream Points Grid. Alberta may select candidates with the highest-ranking points and request they submit a Business Application.

Table 3. Rural Entrepreneur Stream Points Grid

Criteria	Descriptions	Points
Rural Factor (25 points)
Business Location (Maximum of 25 points) Mandatory requirement	Rural Community Community outside the Edmonton and Calgary Census Metropolitan Areas and under 100,000 population size (mandatory minimum)
	Tier 1: Less than 10,000 population	25
	Tier 2: 10,001 to 50,000 population	17
	Tier 3: 50,001 to 99,999 population	10

Business Experience Factor (20 points)
Business owner-manager or senior management experience within the past 10 years (Maximum of 20 points) Mandatory requirement	Business owner-manager
	3 to less than 4 years (mandatory minimum)	12
	4 to less than 5 years	16
	5 or more years	20
	or Senior manager
	4 to less than 5 years (mandatory minimum)	12
	5 to less than 6 years	16
	6 or more years	20

Business Establishment Factors (60 points)
Total Business Investment (Maximum of 20 points) Mandatory requirement	$200,000 to $399,999 (mandatory minimum)	5
	$400,000 to $599,999	10
	$600,000 to $799,999	15
	$800,000 or more	20
Net Worth (Maximum of 10 points) Mandatory requirement	$300,000 to $399,999 (mandatory minimum)	6
	$400,000 to $499,999	8
	$500,000 or more	10
Job Creation Jobs must be created for Canadian Citizens or Permanent residents (not including relatives) for a period of at least 6 months. (Maximum of 20 points) Mandatory requirement For business succession, job creation is not mandatory; however, candidates will be awarded points for job creation.	1 job (mandatory minimum)	4
	2 jobs	8
	3 jobs	12
	4 jobs	16
	5 jobs or more	20
Business Successions (Maximum of 10 points) Not a Mandatory requirement	Investment to takeover an existing business	10

Human Capital Factors (35 points)
Language Proficiency (Maximum of 25 points) Mandatory requirement	Proficiency in English or French:
	CLB/NCLC 4 (4 for each Reading, Writing, Learning and Speaking) (mandatory minimum)	15
	CLB/NCLC 5 (5 for each Reading, Writing, Learning and Speaking)	20
	CLB/NCLC 6 or higher (6 for each Reading, Writing, Learning and Speaking)	25
Education (Maximum of 10 points) Mandatory requirement	High-school Diploma equivalent to Canadian standards (mandatory minimum)	4
	Associate Degree or Diploma (at least one year)	7
	Bachelor’s degree or higher	10

Adaptability Factors (35 points)
Canada/Alberta experience from work or studies within the past 10 years (Maximum of 15 points) Not a mandatory requirement	In rural Alberta
	12 to 24 months	10
	More than 24 months	15
	And / Or In non-rural Alberta (Calgary and Edmonton Census Metropolitan Area)
	18 to 30 months	6
	More than 30 months	10
	And / Or In Canada
	24 to 36 months	3
	More than 36 months	5
Relative(s) in the community or Alberta (Maximum of 10 points) Not a mandatory requirement	Relatives are defined as father, step-father, mother, step-mother, child, step-child, sister, step-sister, brother, step-brother of candidate or spouse/common-law partner
	Relative(s) living in Alberta	5
	or
	Relative(s) living in the community where you intend to reside and operate a business	10
Spouse’s/Common-law partner’s Language Proficiency or Education (Maximum of 5 points) Not a mandatory requirement	Proficiency in English or French:
	CLB/NCLC 4 (4 for each Reading, Writing, Learning and Speaking)	3
	CLB/NCLC 5 (5 for each Reading, Writing, Learning and Speaking)	4
	CLB/NCLC 6 or higher (6 or higher for each Reading, Writing, Learning and Speaking)	5
	and / or Education:
	Certificate, Associate Degree or Diploma (at least one year)	3
	Bachelor’s degree or higher	5
Age (Maximum of 5 points) Not a mandatory requirement	21 to 49	5
Maximum Points		175

Graduate Entrepreneur Stream
International graduates of approved Alberta post-secondary institutions who want to start a business or buy an existing business can submit an Expression of Interest (EOI).

To be eligible for this stream, candidates must meet the following criteria:

Table 1. Requirements for Graduate Entrepreneur Stream

Area	Requirement
Education	Have completed at least two years of full-time education, resulting in a degree or diploma from an Alberta Advanced Education publicly funded post-secondary institution.
Work permit	Have a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which is valid at the time of your Expression of Interest (EOI) submission.
Language	Have a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 7 for each English language skill or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) of 7 for each French language skill: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Official test results must be less than 2 years old at the time your EOI is submitted. Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) only accepts the following language tests: ● Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) General Test ● International English Language Testing System (IELTS) General Training Test ● Test d'évaluation de français (TEF) Canada ● Test de connaissance du français (TCF) Canada Check the federal guideline on CLB/NCLC equivalency for each of the tests.
Business establishment	Must establish a new business or buy an existing business in Alberta with a minimum 34% ownership. The proposed business type must not be on the list of ineligible businesses. Candidates are not required to establish a business in Alberta until their Business Application is approved by the AAIP. Find resources on how to establish a business in Alberta, including supports and services related to business plan development, business start-up, and business loans. Business Partners must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents.

Table 2. Factors that increase your chances

Criteria	Adaptability factors
Work experience	Have a minimum of 6 months of full-time work experience that can be a combination of actively managing or owning the business or equivalencies. Equivalencies include experience with a business incubator or business accelerator, or completion of entrepreneurship program courses.* Work experience can be acquired: ● from outside Canada or within Canada ● before or after completing Alberta education Alberta education credential used to meet both education and work experience criteria must cover the minimum required duration for both education and work experience.
Economic benefit	Can provide economic benefit to Alberta through: ● job creation ● economic sector ● business location (for example, rural) ● business succession ● investment ● developed intellectual property ● partnership or support from business incubator/accelerator, venture capital or angel investor
Age	21 to 49 years
Spouse	Your spouse or common-law partner has at least one of the following: ● at least 1 year of continuous full-time employment in Alberta ● completed at least 2 years of full-time study at a post-secondary institution in Alberta ● a minimum level CLB 5 in English or NCLC 5 in French in all 4 language abilities (Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking)
Alberta relative	You, or your spouse or common-law partner, have one or more of the following relatives living full-time in Alberta: father, step-father, mother, step-mother, child, step-child, sister, step-sister, brother, step-brother

* Education being used in lieu of work experience must be from an Alberta post-secondary institution. Approved post-secondary institution entrepreneur programs and suggestions for work experience equivalencies may include:

Aboriginal Entrepreneurship
Artisan Entrepreneurship
Culinary Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
Bachelor of Commerce – Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Bachelor of Commerce – Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Master of Business Administration – Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Note: There are several entrepreneurship courses and programs available through different post-secondary institutions in Alberta but not all courses will be considered for work experience equivalencies. In general, courses that are extracurricular and not part of a formal academic program may not be eligible for consideration as work experience equivalencies.

Selection from EOI pool

The AAIP is currently accepting EOIs under the Graduate Entrepreneur Stream. The information provided in the EOI, the Business Proposal Summary and Net Worth Worksheet will be assessed and points will be awarded by the AAIP based on the Graduate Entrepreneur Stream Points Grid. Alberta may select candidates with the highest-ranking points and invite them to submit a Business Application.

Table 3. Graduate Entrepreneur Stream points grid

Business establishment factors (75 points)
Criteria	Descriptions	Points
Business management or ownership experience or equivalent (equivalencies include work experience with a business incubator or business accelerator or completion of entrepreneurship program courses) (Maximum of 15 points) Not a mandatory requirement	6 months	5
	More than 6 months to 1 year	10
	More than 1 year	15
Economic benefit (Maximum of 40 points) Not a mandatory requirement	Economic benefits ● Economic development sector (for example, energy, agriculture; technology, data, telecom, aviation, aerospace, financial services, fintech	15
	Succession	5
	Job Creation (max 15 points): Jobs must be created for Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents (not including relatives) for a period of at least 6 months.
	● 1 job	5
	● 2 jobs	10
	● 3 or more jobs	15
	Rural (outside Edmonton and Calgary Census Metropolitan Areas)	5
Total business investment (Maximum of 20 points) Not a mandatory requirement	$25,000 or less	5
	$25,001 to $50,000	10
	$50,001 to $75,000	15
	$75,001 or more	20

Human capital factors (25 points)
Language proficiency (Maximum of 15 points) Mandatory requirement	Proficiency in English or French:
	● CLB 7/NCLC 7 (7 for each Reading, Writing, Learning and Speaking) (mandatory minimum)	5
	● CLB 8/NCLC 8 (8 for each Reading, Writing, Learning and Speaking)	12
	● CLB 9/NCLC 9 or higher (9 for each Reading, Writing, Learning and Speaking)	15
Alberta education (Maximum of 10 points) Mandatory requirement	Bachelor’s degree or a 2-year Diploma (mandatory minimum)	5
	2 or more degrees or diplomas	7
	Master’s degree or higher	10

Adaptability factors (25 points)
Age (Maximum of 5 points) Not a mandatory requirement	21 to 49 years	5
Spouse/common-law characteristics (Maximum of 10 points) Not a mandatory requirement	Your spouse/common-law partner has one or more of the following: ● at least 1 year of continuous full-time employment in Alberta ● completed at least 2 years of full-time study at a post-secondary institution in Alberta ● a minimum level CLB 5 in English or NCLC 5 in French in all 4 language abilities	10 (if one or more characteristics are met)
Alberta relatives (Maximum of 10 points) Not a mandatory requirement	Relatives are defined as father, step-father, mother, step-mother, child, step-child, sister, step-sister, brother, step-brother of candidate or spouse/common-law partner	10
Maximum points		125

Farm Stream
Experienced farmers who plan to buy or start a farm in Alberta can apply for permanent residence.

To be eligible for this stream, candidates must meet the following criterion at the time their application is mailed to the AAIP and at the time of assessment by the AAIP. Meeting these criteria does not guarantee a nomination or permanent residence.

Candidates must prove that they have farm management skills.

Proof of this may include, but is not limited to:

financial documentation of an existing farm business
documentation of education, training and work experience
a proposed business plan for the farming enterprise you are considering in Alberta
proof that a Canadian financial institution is willing to finance your proposed farming business

Sufficient financial resources

Candidates must be able to invest a minimum of CDN $500,000 of equity in a primary production farming business in Alberta.
Documents must be provided that show a minimum net worth of CDN $500,000, or confirmation of the ability to access a similar amount of funds from other sources.
Candidates may be required to show the ability to invest more than the minimum.

Primary production investment

Candidates must document their investment plans in a proposed business plan and submit this with their application to the AAIP. The proposed business plan will be reviewed by Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation to ensure the farming operation aligns with Alberta farming industry requirements.
Applications representing the best opportunity for growth relevant to Alberta's agri-food targets will be given priority.

Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream
Foreign graduates from outside of Canada can apply for permanent residence.

Foreign graduates who are interested in applying to the Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream should contact the following approved designated agencies:

Empowered Startups

420-744 West Hastings

Vancouver, British Columbia

V6C 1A5

Phone: 604-229-1052

Fax: 604-229-2037

Email: info@empoweredstartups.com

Platform Calgary

429 8 Avenue SE

Calgary, Alberta

T2G 0L6

Phone: 403-284-6400

Email: fgsp@platformcalgary.com

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for this stream, candidates must meet the following criteria:

Table 1. Requirements for Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream

Area	Requirements
Work experience	Minimum of 6 months full-time work experience that can be a combination of actively managing or owning the business or equivalent (equivalencies are work experience with business incubator or business accelerator).
Education	Completion of a degree from a post-secondary institution outside of Canada with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). This degree must: ● have been completed within the last 10 years at the time of EOI submission, and ● must be equivalent to a Canadian degree. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website lists the designated organizations for ECAs
Business plan	A business plan with projected financials. Refer to the Business Plan Guidelines.
Pitch deck	A 10-minute presentation (slides only) that outlines the proposed business venture and focuses on what an investor would want to see.
Language	Minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 5 for each English language skill or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) of 5 for each French language skill: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Official test results must be less than two years old at the time of EOI submission. The AAIP only accepts the following language tests: ● Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) General Test ● International English Language Testing System (IELTS) General Training Test ● Test d'évaluation de français (TEF) Canada ● Test de connaissance du français (TCF) Canada Check the IRCC website on CLB/NCLC equivalency for each of the tests.
Business establishment	Must have a minimum of 34% ownership if the business is located in an urban centre or a minimum of 51% ownership if located in regional area outside Calgary and Edmonton Census Metropolitan Areas. Business Partners must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents. Business must not be on the list of ineligible businesses.
Business investment	A minimum level of investment from candidate’s (or spouse or common-law partner) own equity or from a recognized Canadian financial institution, venture capital, or angel investment firm prior to coming to Alberta. The mandatory minimum investment for an urban centre is $100,000 while the mandatory minimum investment for a regional area is $50,000. Higher levels of investment prior to coming to Alberta will be awarded more points. Points are awarded for urban centre or regional area, not both.
Letter of recommendation	Must have a letter of recommendation from an AAIP-approved designated agency.
Settlement funds	Candidates must demonstrate that they have the funds needed to set up their business and support themselves while they are on a work permit and launching their start-up. Minimum settlement funds requirements will be based on the Low Income Cut-Offs (LICOs). Refer to Table 2 below.

The amount of settlement funds required in Table 2 is based on the number of family members (including yourself) and the population size of the community where you intend to establish your business. The amount stated in the chart are the funds needed for at least the next 6 months to settle and support yourself (and your family, if applicable) while establishing your business venture in Alberta.

Table 2. Settlement funds requirement for Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream in Canadian dollars

	Population size of community and funds required
Number of family members	Less than 1,000	1,000 to 30,000	30,000 to 99,999	100,000 to 499,999	500,000 and over
1	$8,922	$10,151	$11,093	$12,961	$12,960
2	$11,107	$12,636	$13,810	$16,135	$16,135
3	$13,655	$15,534	$16,977	$19,836	$19,836
4	$16,579	$18,861	$20,613	$24,084	$24,083
5	$18,803	$21,392	$23,379	$27,315	$27,315
6	$21,208	$24,127	$26,367	$30,807	$30,806
7	$23,611	$26,861	$29,356	$34,299	$34,299

Selection from EOI pool

The AAIP is currently accepting EOIs under the Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream. The information provided will be assessed and points will be awarded based on the Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream points grid below. Candidates with the highest-ranking points will be invited to submit a Business Application.

Information to be assessed include:

EOI
Business Plan
Pitch Deck
Net Worth Worksheet
Letter of Recommendation from a Designated Agency
and if applicable:
- Authorization to Collect and Disclose Personal Information for Spouse, Common-Law Partners and Dependents

Table 3. Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream Points Grid

Human Capital
Criteria	Description	Points
Language Proficiency ● (Maximum of 30 points) ● Mandatory requirement	First official language
	CLB 5 (5 for each reading, writing, listening and speaking) (mandatory minimum)	10
	CLB 6 (6 for each reading, writing, listening and speaking)	15
	CLB 7 (7 for each reading, writing, listening and speaking)	20
	CLB 8 or higher (8 for each reading, writing, listening and speaking)	30
Education ● Maximum of 35 points ● Mandatory requirement	Minimum requirement is the completion of a degree from a post-secondary institution outside of Canada within the last 10 years with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). Education credential must be equivalent to Canadian standards.
	Bachelor’s degree or a 2-year Diploma (mandatory minimum)	5
	Master’s degree	10
	Doctoral degree	15
	Preference given to candidates with the following degrees:
	Completed a degree within the last 5 years at the time of EOI submission	10
	Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics	5
	Business	5
Business management, ownership or equivalent ● Equivalencies are work experience with business incubator or business accelerator ● Maximum of 35 bonus points ● Mandatory requirement	Business ownership or management experience (more points allocated for additional years of experience)
	6 months (mandatory minimum)	5
	more than 6 months to less than 1 year	10
	1 to 2 years	15
	More than 2 years	20
	Preference will be given to candidates with business ownership experience.	15

Business factors
Business Plan ● Maximum of 40 points ● Mandatory requirement	A business plan with projected financial information. Business plan guidelines are available on the AAIP website.	40
Investment: prior to coming to Alberta ● Maximum 25 points ● Mandatory requirement	Be able to demonstrate the ability to make a minimum level of investment from candidate’s own equity, and/or from a recognized Canadian financial institution, venture capital, or angel investment firm before coming to Alberta. Initial investment must be made within the first 12 months of launching the start-up. (Candidates with higher levels of investment available before coming to Alberta will be awarded more points. Points will also be awarded for urban centre or regional area, not both). Urban centre: Edmonton and Calgary Census Metropolitan Areas Regional area: Communities outside the Edmonton and Calgary Census Metropolitan Areas Urban centre:
	$100,000 (mandatory minimum)	5
	$100,001 to $150,000	11
	$150,001 to $200,000	18
	Over $200,000	25
	Or, regional area:
	$50,000 (mandatory minimum)	5
	$50,001 to $100,000	11
	$100,001 to $150,000	18
	Over $150,000	25
Proposed investment: additional investment after launch ● Maximum 20 points ● Not a mandatory requirement	Additional investment after launching start-up from candidate’s own equity, or from recognized Canadian financial institution, venture capital, or angel investment firm. (Candidates with higher levels of investment after launch will be awarded more points. Points awarded for urban centre or regional area, not both.) Urban centre: Edmonton and Calgary Census Metropolitan Areas Regional area: Communities outside the Edmonton and Calgary Census Metropolitan Areas Urban centre:
	$100,000 to $150,000	5
	$150,001 to $200,000	10
	$200,001 to $250,000	15
	Over $250,000	20
	Or, regional area:
	$50,000 to $100,000	5
	$100,001 to $150,000	10
	$150,001 to $200,000	15
	Over $200,000	20
Job creation ● Maximum of 15 points ● Not a mandatory requirement	Jobs must be created for Canadian citizens or permanent residents (not including relatives) for a period of at least 6 months.
	1 job	5
	2 jobs	10
	3 jobs or more	15
Total maximum points		200

Table 4. Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream mandatory minimums, pass or fail grid.

Criteria	Description	Pass or Fail
Ownership of start-up ● Mandatory minimum	Must have a minimum of 34% ownership in an urban centre or a minimum of 51% ownership if the business is located in a regional community.	Pass or Fail
Businesses in key or priority sectors ● Mandatory minimum	Business plan or pitch deck must indicate business connected to one of the following sectors: ● technology ● aerospace ● financial services ● energy ● agriculture ● tourism ● life sciences ● pharmaceuticals	Pass or Fail
Settlement Funds ● Mandatory minimum	Candidates must demonstrate they have funds to support themselves while they are on a work permit and launching their start-up in Alberta. Minimum settlement funds required will be based on the Low Income Cut-Offs (LICOs). Refer to the Settlement Fund section.	Pass or Fail
Pitch Deck ● Mandatory minimum	A 10-minute presentation (slides only) that describes the foreign graduate and their venture focused on what an investor would want to see.	Pass or Fail
Letter of Recommendation ● Mandatory minimum	The candidate must have a letter of recommendation from an AAIP approved designated agency.	Pass or Fail

For assistance please complete a generic Pre-Qualification (Assessment) or navigate to our home page and you can choose which country you are immigrating from in the drop down.