Immigration to Canada
Alberta Opportunity Stream
The Alberta Opportunity Stream is one of Alberta's provincial programs. It is designed for people who have temporary resident status in Canada with the opportunity to work in this state.
Eligible applicants
You must have a valid offer of employment in a suitable occupation at the time your application is submitted, and when it is reviewed by Immigration Alberta.

A valid job offer is based on one of the following points:

  • the employer received a positive Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA);
  • аn LMIA is not required for an employee in one of the following cases:
1) international trade agreements;
2) transferred within the company;
3) participation in International Experience Canada;
4) participation in Mobilité Francophone.

  • the candidate has a work permit after graduating from a Canadian educational institution (Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)). In this case, LMIA is also not required.
PGWP holders must also meet the following requirements:

1) graduate level diploma;
2) undergraduate bachelor's degree;
3) certificate or post-graduate certificate (minimum one year in length);
4) graduate level degree;
5) graduate level certificate;
6) diploma program (minimum 2 years in length).

This information is provided in English specifically so that you can navigate in Canadian terms.

  • If you are enrolled in an Alberta study program on or after April 1, 2019, your educational credentials must meet one of these lists (Alberta Opportunity Stream List of Alberta Advanced Education Approved Post-Secondary Credentials);
  • If you began studying in Alberta under the one year post-graduate certificate program on or after April 1, 2019, then after receiving the certificate of education, your profession must be related to previous educational activity outside Canada.
These are the basic requirements for the PGWP, but not all. More details below.
Ineligible applicants
The following are not eligible to participate in the Alberta Opportunity Stream:

  • refugees;
  • temporary residents who study, work or live in any other province;
  • citizens who work in Canada without valid temporary resident status.
Requirements for the profession
  • Once your application has been submitted and Alberta has assessed it, you must:

  • work in Alberta in one of the eligible professions for this stream;
  • work in a profession that matches your previous work experience. This is not about all the experience you have gained in your life, but about the experience you are going to provide as evidence of your compliance with the program requirements.
Suitable
Almost all occupations corresponding to levels 0, A, B, C and D in the NOC are eligible to participate in the AOS. Therefore, it is more correct to focus on those that are not suitable for Alberta. The list will be below.
Unsuitable
In the table below, NOC codes that include both eligible and ineligible occupations are highlighted with an asterisk. The profession column shows exactly those that are not suitable. Therefore, to make it easier for you to navigate the NOC, we did not translate them.
List of irrelevant professions
When working after studying in Canada
If you are working under a PGWP after completing your studies in Canada, your occupation must be related to your education. The PGWP must also meet the requirements described above.
In addition to the ineligible occupations listed above, you will not be able to apply to the program if your occupation is one of these occupations. It includes occupations that are not in demand in Alberta and could be filled by local residents.

Therefore, if you are planning to move to Canada through study, check both lists of irrelevant professions.
Language requirements
In order to find out your level, you need to pass one of the two tests below, which are listed below (there are others, but these are the most popular):

  • IELTS for English;
  • TEF Canada or TEF for French.
And then transfer the results to CLB.
Minimum level of language knowledge
If you are applying with an occupation in NOC 3413 (Nurse Aides, Aides, and Patient Attendants), your CLB or NCLC level must be 7 or higher.
From January 1, 2020, for NOC 0, A or B specialties, the minimum CLB level has increased to 5.
Education Requirements
It is necessary to obtain at least a secondary education - finish the 11th grade of school, if translated into Russian terms.
As of January 1, 2021, applicants must have completed a high school education equivalent to an Alberta high school education. Irrelevant for those who work there due to the presence of PGWP.
Work experience requirements
At the time of sending the application, you must have experience corresponding to one of the following points:

  • 1 year in Alberta in the last 18 months;
  • 2 years in Canada and/or abroad within the last 2.5 years. This experience can be combined: in Canada, Alberta and abroad;
  • six months in Alberta in the last 18 months. This is relevant for those who work after studying in the provinces.
Work experience must be:

  • received after working full time (from 30 hours per week);
  • for the same profession as your current one;
  • received after permission from Immigration Canada to become a temporary resident and carry out work activities. The paragraph is relevant to confirm experience gained in Canada;
  • received NOT while studying in Canada or as part of a study program.

There is an exception to this last point if you have a PGWP. Work experience gained through paid co-op work that was part of an Alberta institution's program may be counted in the following cases:

  • paid work full-time (from 30 hours per week);
  • the experience gained is directly related to the current profession;
  • work experience gained in Alberta.

A suitable job offer

At the time of application, you must have a valid full-time job offer or employment contract from the Alberta employer you currently work for.
A job offer or employment contract must be:

  • with permanent pay;
  • full-time (from 30 hours per week);
  • for at least 12 months;
  • the job matches your current profession;
  • to work in an eligible Alberta Opportunity Stream occupation. Also, to work you must have a work permit that meets the requirements of Alberta (we wrote about this at the beginning);
  • salary and fringe benefits are in line with the provincial minimum wage and:
1) meets or exceeds the requirements specified in your LMIA;
2) If your activity does not require an LMIA, then meets or exceeds the minimum starting wage for your occupation in all industries in Alberta.
Document submission process
If, after reviewing the minimum requirements, you decide that you are suitable, then you can begin preparing documents for sending. Information about this is on the official website. In short:

1. Read the terms and conditions of the program.

It contains general provisions that are relevant for all areas. For example: Alberta Immigration is not required to process all applications; meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee anything; the candidate must be of real benefit to improving Alberta's economic situation. If not, then they have the right to reject such an application.

2. Study the requirements.

Read everything we wrote above again. Read the information on the official website, checklist of required documents, etc.

3. Prepare documents.

You need to download the checklist of all documents that need to be prepared. It is also better to do this on the official website, as it has the latest and most relevant information.

4. Submit your application.

Make a copy of the application, and then send the completed originals by registered mail or courier to the following address:

Alberta Opportunity Stream
Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program
Government of Alberta
Suite 940, ATB Place North Tower
10025 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 1S6

Applications are accepted only in paper form. You should not count on sending via e-mail or fax.
After submitting documents
All emails will come from the @gov.ab.ca account. The Government of Alberta does not use Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc. accounts.
1. Receive notifications

If your application is complete (contains all necessary documents), you will receive an email confirming that your package has been received and accepted for processing. Your case number will also be listed.
If your application is incomplete, you will receive an email indicating that your package was not accepted for processing. A list of missing documents and required information will also be listed. The package of documents will not be returned.

2. Updating application information

If an Alberta program staff member requires additional information, they will email or contact you by phone. It will also tell you in detail what is needed and how to send it.

It is your responsibility to submit updated information in the following cases:

  • address, e-mail, phone changed;
  • your employment or family situation has changed;
  • an updated work permit and, accordingly, an LMIA or a certificate of exemption from LMIA have been received.

All new information must be sent by registered mail or courier. You also need to indicate the case number, which was received by e-mail when confirming the application.
Alberta Immigration does not provide notification of additional information.

3. Application decision

Also sent by email. If the application is approved, you will receive a package of relevant nomination documents by e-mail.
The package will contain all the information necessary to submit your application to Immigration Canada for permanent residence.
Still have questions?
To select a program or assess your chances of immigration, and if you still have any questions about immigration, write to us using this form.
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