It will be mandatory for Alberta Express Entry applicants to have relatives living in the province as of January 18, according to Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), which administers Alberta’s provincial nomination program.
A Stream Updates to Include Family Ties Selection Criteria
In response, candidates in the federal Express Entry pool with immediate family members in the province will now have to meet additional selection factor criteria (effective immediately) if they have a Canadian citizen or permanent resident parent, child, brother, or sister in the province. The notification of interest may also make it more likely that applicants will receive a permanent residence invitation from Alberta Express Entry. In their federal Express Entry pool profiles, applicants provide data that determines eligibility.
To effectively integrate new immigrants into the province, Alberta believes these close family relationships are essential.
A basic addition to existing selection criteria has been made to the Alberta Express Entry stream by this program update. All of the selection criteria for the AAIP streams have remained unchanged (such as being a graduate of an Albertan post-secondary institution, having a job offer from an Albertan company, etc.).
A spokesperson from Alberta’s Ministry of Trade, Immigration, and Multiculturalism said this is not a plan to bring families together. By modifying the Express Entry program, the Alberta Express Entry stream is now allowed to devote 25% of its NOIs to applicants that have close familial ties to Alberta and experience in professions that are in demand in Alberta.
Employers in Alberta can get assistance from the AAIP in addressing the labor shortage. The province saw rapid expansion in the previous month alone. Generating about 41,000 new employees in December 2022, with the majority of them in the private sector. Although there are currently close to 100,000 open positions in Alberta. It is anticipated that there will be a total of over 33,000 unfilled positions across a variety of industries and occupations by 2025. More immigrants are needed to fill the province’s workforce for these reasons.
AAIP and Alberta Express Entry stream – What are they?
To attract foreign immigrants to Alberta, the AAIP is the official government immigration program. Eight streams are now incorporated into the program, which can be broadly classified as worker streams and entrepreneur streams.
Workers can choose from the following streams:
- The Rural Renewal Stream;
- The Alberta opportunity stream and;
- Alberta Express Entry, which includes the Alberta Accelerated Tech Pathway (AATP).
To qualify for the Alberta Express Entry stream, candidates must meet the following requirements:
- The applicant must be an active member of the federal Express Entry pool (preferably with a validity period of more than five months).
- I am interested in permanently relocating to Alberta.
- A passion for the development and diversification of Alberta’s economy. And the ability to work in an in-demand occupation that supports economic growth and diversification.
- Minimum 300 CRS score.
Now, candidates have a greater probability of getting an application invitation if they also:
- Possess a legitimate employment offer and/or work history in Alberta.
- Graduated from an Alberta post-secondary institution.
- Possess a citizen or permanent resident parent, child, sibling, or another relative presently residing in Alberta.
The federal express entry pool requires candidates to submit a profile before they can be considered. Furthermore, An NOI must be emailed to the AAIP by candidates who have been selected and have been given an NOI.
If the AAIP determines that the applicant meets the minimum eligibility requirements. And send an email inviting them to apply will be sent to them. A candidate must apply from here on out in order to be considered for an enhanced provincial nomination. Complete applications are then added to the pool of eligible applicants.
In conclusion, Minister Sawhney noted that the changes to the Alberta Express Entry stream announced today are one of many measures that the government will take to ensure that the province gets qualified and experienced workers.
