Applicants must have valid status as a temporary resident in Canada which authorizes them to work. The candidate must be residing and working in the province of Alberta. Applicants must have a valid work permit for an eligible occupation based on one of the following scenarios:

• A positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
• A valid LMIA-exemption (including International Experience Canada)
• A Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holder must meet additional criteria.
• The applicant’s occupation must be related to their field of study in Alberta

At the time of application and at the time the application is assessed, the applicant must be working in an eligible occupation in Alberta which matches their previous work experience. Post-Graduation Work Permit holders must also be working in an occupation related to their field of study in Alberta

Applicants must have a bona fide full-time job offer from their current Alberta employer to continue work in their current occupation. The job offer must be signed by the applicant and the employer and must offer continuous, full-time, paid work in the applicant’s current occupation in Alberta

All applicants must demonstrate proficiency in either English or French, equivalent to the Canadian Language Benchmark of Level 5 in either English or French for applicants applying under NOC Skill Levels 0, A, or B. Candidates applying under NOC Skill Levels C or D will only require CLB 4 on their language tests. This must be demonstrated by providing valid results from one of Canada’s approved language tests. The results must be no more than two years old at the time the application is postmarked.

All applicants must have completed a minimum of high school education in their country of origin.

At the time of application and at the time AINP assesses the application, the applicant must be working in an occupation in Alberta which matches their previous work experience. PGWP holders must also be working in an occupation which matches their Alberta educational credential. The applicant must meet one of the three following scenarios for work experience:

• A minimum of 12-months full-time work experience in their current occupation in Alberta within the last 18 months; or
• A minimum of 24-months full-time work experience in their current occupation in the last 30 months (can be obtained in Canada and/or abroad); or
• For Post-Graduation Work Permit holders: A minimum of 6 months of full-time work experience in their current occupation in Alberta within the last 18 months. This occupation must be related to their Alberta education.
• Experience must have been full-time (30 hours/week) – part-time experience will not be considered. As well, applicants must have the proper regulation, licensing, and/or status in Canada to perform the occupation legally.

Eligible candidates can submit an application at any time and applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested candidates must prepare a complete paper-based application. All documents must be prepared in hard copy and submitted in a single envelope, by mail, to the AINP office.

If the province approves the application, Alberta will notify the applicant they have been selected for provincial nomination. Successful applicants will receive an official nomination package in the mail from AINP.

After receiving a provincial nomination, an applicant has six months to submit a federal application for Canadian permanent residence. Applicants in this program must complete and submit a paper-based application for permanent residence and submit it by mail to the appropriate application centre. Paper-based PNP applications for permanent residence are generally processed within 18 months.