Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)

The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) is an immigration program through which a broad range of workers, graduates, and entrepreneurs can settle in Alberta permanently. The AINP is one of Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs).

Successful applicants to the AINP receive a provincial nomination certificate. With this nomination, the applicant, as well as his or her accompanying family members, if applicable, may apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for Canadian permanent residence.

Alberta has been a hugely attractive destination for newcomers to Canada over recent years, with the government data from Canada’s most recent census in 2016 showing that Alberta rivals British Columbia for position as the second most popular immigration destination in Canada, after Ontario. Alberta’s share of recent immigrants — defined as people who first obtained permanent resident status in Canada in the five years prior to a census — increased from 6.9 per cent in 2001 to 17.1 per cent in 2016.

Immigrants to Alberta are attracted by the wealth of job opportunities across the province and high living standards. The provincial capital, Edmonton, as well as the slightly larger Calgary and a host of smaller communities across the province, have experienced economic growth over recent years.

Immigration Programs

PNP Programs

AINP Streams

The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program offers three streams — the Opportunity Stream, the Express Entry Stream, and the Self-Employed Farmer stream.
The Opportunity stream provides a pathway to Canadian permanent residence for foreign workers working in Alberta, who will require a job offer from an employer in Alberta in order to be eligible.
The Express Entry stream provides a pathway for Express Entry candidates who Alberta invites to apply to the province. Candidates are invited through their Express Entry accounts with the exact selection criteria not available to the public.
Express Entry candidates who receive a provincial nomination through an Express Entry-aligned stream receive 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points and an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence at a subsequent draw from the pool.
The AINP also offers the Self-Employed Farmer stream for experienced farmers with the demonstrated capacity to operate a farm in Alberta.

Four top tips when applying for AINP

Like any application, it pays to be as prepared as possible when it comes time to submit your AINP application. With that in mind, here are four top tips that you should focus on: