Alberta Provincial Nominee Program was established to assist employers in filling positions for skilled workers from outside of Canada.

Employers unable to fill skilled positions with Canadian residents may present their Business case to the Alberta Provincial Nominee Program and apply for approval to recruit a specified number of foreign candidates to fill these positions.

An Employer's application under the Provincial Nominee Program will be considered where the position:

• Cannot be filled by a Canadian resident
• Is for permanent, full-time employment in Alberta;
• Meets provincial employment and wage standards;
• Is offered to an individual who meets the requisite qualifications
• Is not in variance with existing collective bargaining agreements.

Employers must first apply for Pre-approval to sponsor candidates for PNP. After the employer receives it’s pre-approval and presents the candidate with a guaranteed job offer, the candidate then submits the PNP application.

Skilled Worker Eligibility Criteria:

• Nominees are skilled workers - in occupational levels O, A or B as defined by the National Occupational Classification Code (NOC).
• Job offer is for permanent, full-time employment from Pre approved employer in Alberta
• Offered to an individual who has the required qualifications and certifications
• Employees should meet all licensing & regulatory requirements of their occupation
• Possess relevant qualifications, work experience, certification and work permit
• Has a positive Labour Market Opinion (HRSDC)
• Have met the employer's probationary requirements

AINP Assessment:

Employee candidates may be considered for PN Program nomination if:

• They are recruited by a pre-approved Alberta employer
• They have a valid job offer.

An applicant must have a guaranteed job offer from an approved Alberta employer in order to be considered by the AINP. If these requirements are met, the Program Unit considers several other factors in the decision to nominate or decline an applicant. The focus is mainly on the applicant's ability to fill critical skill shortages in Alberta.

The applicant's assessment factors include:

• Related work experience
• Qualifications as required by the employer and industry standards
• Applicant's ability to settle in Alberta

Alberta PNP is intended for skilled occupations for which formal education and/or specialized training in the intended occupation is embarked on by International students. These occupations are defined as Skill Level 0, A, or B under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) Code.

Criteria for Provincial Nominee Candidates:
An international graduate must have obtained a diploma, degree, or have completed a graduate level program from a publicly funded community college, trade/technical school or university, or at a private institution authorized by provincial statute to confer degrees in Alberta.
Education program must have been a minimum of two years in duration at the undergraduate level or a minimum of one year at the graduate level.
International graduate must have obtained permanent full time employment for a minimum of 6 months related to their field of study and hold a valid work permit prior to the employer filing an application with the Alberta PNP.

International Graduate Provincial Nominee must also ensure they meet the following:

• Obtain Offer of permanent, full-time employment from an Alberta employer.
• Employer has been approved for an allocation by APNP
• Ensure their employer has submitted a Guaranteed Job Offer to the APNP, which identifies the Candidate.
• Provide proof of current status in Canada.
• Provincial Nominee Candidates may apply from outside of Canada if they are able to provide proof of their legal status in their country of residence.

The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) will consider an employer’s business case for selected occupations defined as National Occupation Classification (NOC) C and D occupations.

Occupations in the following industries may be considered:

• Food and beverage processing industry
• Hotel and lodging industry
• Food and beverage servers and room attendants
• Front desk agents and clerks
• Manufacturing industry
• Trucking industry
• Foodservices industry (pilot project)

Semi-skilled worker category steps

1. Alberta Employers must apply to the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) for an allocation  (Employer Approval) 
   
   
   • Employers must ensure they meet the Employer Eligibility - Semi-Skilled Worker prior to applying to the AINP. Employers must also meet the specific criteria for the industry under which they are applying.
     
     
   • Employers must complete the Employer-Driven Application - Semi-Skilled Worker Category (AINP 001). All required supporting documents as indicated in the Instructions Checklist of the application form must also be submitted.
     
     
   • If the Employer has already selected a qualified Provincial Nominee Candidate when submitting the Employer-Driven Application - Semi-Skilled Worker Category (AINP 001), the Employer-Driven Application for a Skilled Occupation (AINP 002) and the Employer-Driven Application for Nomination (AINP 003) may also be submitted with that application (see Step 2 below)
     
     
2. The Semi-Skilled Worker Candidate must apply to the AINP for an AINP Nomination either with the Employer-Driven Application - Semi-Skilled Worker Category, or once the employer is approved
   
   
   • The Semi-Skilled Worker candidate must meet the Provincial Nominee Program Candidate Eligibility prior to applying to the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program. Candidates must also meet the specific criteria for their industry.
     
     
   • The employer and the candidate must complete the Employer-Driven Application for a Semi-Skilled Occupation (AINP 002) together. All required supporting documents as indicated in the Instructions Checklist of the application form must also be submitted.
     
     
   • A candidate must complete the Employer-Driven Application for Nomination (AINP 003). All required supporting documents as indicated in the Instructions Checklist of the application form must also be submitted.
     
     
3. All forms and supporting documents regarding the employer and candidate should be submitted at the same time to the AINP under the Semi-skilled Worker Category as this facilitates processing of both applications. The Employer-Driven Application for a Semi-Skilled Occupation (AINP 002), the Employer-Driven Application for Nomination (AINP 003), and the photocopied CIC forms may be submitted to the AINP after the employer is approved for an allocation.
   
   
4. If the Candidate is approved by the AINP, they become a Provincial Nominee. The AINP will advise the nominee how to proceed with their permanent residence application. The nominee will be directed to forward a federal permanent residence application to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Visa Office abroad.
   
   
5. If the Provincial Nominee and their dependents meet the federal statutory requirements, including health, criminality and security checks, CIC may issue the permanent resident visa(s) for immigration to Alberta.