Slide Option 1

Opportunity Lives Here

The AINP Employer-Driven Stream is for Alberta employers who want to retain a foreign worker on a permanent full-time basis where there is difficulty finding an Albertan or Canadian to fill the position in question. This stream is also for foreign workers with a permanent, full-time job offer from an Alberta Employer and want to live and work in Alberta permanently.

In order to qualify under the Employer Driven Stream, the applicant must have a valid job offer from an employer in Alberta and the applicant must qualify under one of the following three subcategories:

1)    Skilled Worker Category;

2)    International Graduate Category

3)    Semi-skilled Worker Category

1) Skilled Worker Category

Candidate requirements for this category are as follows:

  • Candidate must intend to live permanently in Alberta;
  • The candidate must have a job offer in a skilled occupation that is either managerial, professional, technical or a skilled trade (occupations listed NOC skill levels 0, A or B).
  • The candidate must have the necessary education, training, work experience and licensing necessary to work in the desired occupation in Alberta;
  • The candidate must provide a copy of a valid work permit if he or she is already working in Alberta.
  • The candidate must provide proof of their legal status in the country which they currently reside, if they are not already working in Alberta.

Applicants must meet additional requirements if their occupation is one of the following:

    • Early childhood educators and child care staff
    • Plasterers, Drywallers, and Upholsterers
    • Managers/Supervisors in the Service, Retail and Foodservice Industries

NOTE: Supervisors, foremen, and tradespeople working in occupations designated as a Compulsory or Optional Trade in Alberta (including Chefs, Cooks, and Line Cooks) are not eligible under the Employer-Driven Stream and must apply under Compulsory and Optional Trades Category, found within the Strategic Recruitment Stream.

2) International Graduate Category

This category is for foreign nationals who have graduated from a Canadian post-secondary institution and have a permanent, full-time job offer from their Alberta Employer in a skilled occupation (NOC skill level 0, A, B). The requirements for this category are as follows:

  • The candidate must demonstrate that they are able and intend to live permanently in Alberta;
  • The candidate must have obtained a diploma, degree, or have completed a graduate level program from an approved Canadian post secondary educational institution;
  • The completed educational program the candidate attended in Canada must have been a minimum of two years in length at the undergraduate level, or a minimum of one year at the graduate level;
  • The job offer must be in a skilled profession (NOC skill levels 0, A, C);
  • The candidate must hold a current and valid post-graduation work permit issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada;
  • The candidate must show that the job with Alberta employer is related to his or her field of study;
  • The candidate must have six months of full-time work experience with the same Alberta Employer on a post-graduation work permit before they apply with the Alberta Employer to the AINP;

3) Semi-Skilled Worker Category

This category is for foreign nationals who have a permanent, full-time job offer from an Alberta Employer in a semi-skilled occupation (NOC skill levels C ad D) that is eligible under the AINP. It is important to note that only some and not all occupations under NOC skill levels C and D are eligible. A list of eligible occupations can be viewed below the general requirements.

Applicants under this category must meet the following general requirements:

  • Applicants must currently be working in Alberta on a work permit for an eligible AINP Semi-Skilled Occupation (see list below);
  • The applicant must possess the qualifications necessary for the job being offered.
  • Applicants must be able to demonstrate they have completed a minimum of high school education. The high school education must be equivalent to Alberta standards, if the applicant is applying for the Foodservices Industry (pilot project).
  • Applicants must submit tests resulting showing they meet the minimum language requirements. Test results cannot be older than two years old from the date the application is submitted.

To apply under the Semi-skilled Worker Category, the job being offered must be in one of the following industries:

  • Food and Beverage Processing Industry;
    • Eligible Occupations
      • Food and Beverage Production Worker (NOC 9617)
      • Bakery Production Worker (NOC 9617)
      • Food and Beverage Processing Equipment Cleaner (NOC 9617)
      • Industrial Butchers and Meat Cutters (NOC 9462)
      • Poultry Production Workers (NOC 9462)
  • Trucking / Transportation Industry
    • Eligible Occupations
      • Long-Haul and Heavy Haul Truck Driver (NOC 7411)
  • Foodservices Industry (Pilot Project)
    • Eligible Occupations
      • Food and Beverage Servers (NOC 6453)
      • Food Counter Attendants (NOC 6641)
      • Kitchen Helpers (NOC 6641)
  • Hotel and Lodging Industry
    • Eligible Occupations
      • Food and Beverage Servers (NOC 6453)
      • Room Attendants (NOC 6661)
      • Front Desk Agent/Clerk (NOC 6435)
  • Manufacturing Industry
    • Eligible Occupations
  • Over 35 different occupations are eligible under the Manufacturing industry including: Oil & Gas Well Drilling Workers & Services Operators; Machine Operator, Mineral & Metal Processing; Chemical Plant Machine Operator; Sawmill Machine Operators; Electronics Assemblers, Fabricators, Inspectors & Testers; and many more occupations.