Residency Status and Work Permit Requirements

From the time of AAIP application submission through assessment completion, you must reside in Alberta and hold a valid work permit. ※Applicants on “Maintained status” (formerly “Implied status”) waiting for a new permit after their previous permit expires are not eligible.

Eligible Work Permits

• Work permit based on a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
• LMIA-exempt work permits under the following categories:
  • International trade agreements (e.g., CPTPP, GATS)
  • Intra-company transferees
  • International Experience Canada (e.g., Working Holiday, RO Visa)
  • Mobilité Francophone
  • R205(d) for religious work
  • Open Work Permit for Vulnerable Workers
  • Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) issued following graduation from an eligible Alberta public post-secondary institution ※The field of study must be directly related to the current occupation
  • Work permits issued under Temporary Public Policies (e.g., measures for Ukraine)

Ineligible Applicants

• Refugee claimants, individuals involved in a federal appeal or removal order process
• Individuals residing or working outside of Alberta
• Individuals working in Canada without valid temporary resident status

Job Offer

• Must be full-time employment of at least 30 hours per week
• Must be for continuous employment of 12 months or more
• Must already be working full-time in Alberta and hold a full-time job offer in an eligible occupation from an Alberta employer
• Must hold a positive LMIA or an LMIA-exempt work permit
• Must receive a wage offer that meets or exceeds the provincial minimum wage requirement

• The employer’s head office and business operations must be physically located in Alberta
• The employer must provide the applicant with a full-time, paid position in their current occupation for at least 12 months
• The applicant’s work location (company facility) must be within Alberta. Home offices and virtual offices are not eligible
• The employer must have been in continuous and active operation in Alberta for a minimum of 2 complete fiscal years prior to application submission
• Demonstrate the need for the position by providing the applicant’s valid work permit or evidence the employer made reasonable efforts to fill the position with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident if the applicant is not working in Alberta
• The employer must have a minimum total gross annual revenue of $400,000 for the most recent fiscal year
• The employer must have employment of a minimum of 3 full-time (or full-time equivalent) employees in Alberta
  • Independent contractors are not considered as indeterminate employees and do not count
  • Two part-time employees may be considered as 1 full-time equivalent position, as long as the total hours add up to at least an average of 30 hours per week

NOTE: Employers who don’t meet the criteria mentioned above can still qualify, but the number of nominees they can support will be limited based on their years in operation in Alberta.