New Alberta Immigration Pathway Now Open For International Graduates

A new Alberta immigration pathway for eligible international graduates from outside Canada is now open to qualified candidates.

The Foreign Graduate Start-up Visa Stream was newly introduced on January 27, 2021, and the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) is accepting applications, a spokesman for Alberta’s Minister of Labor and Immigration confirmed this in an email.

In order to be qualified for the Foreign Graduate Start-Up Visa Stream (FGSVS), candidates must have finished studies from a post-secondary institution outside of Canada in the last two (2) years and have an educational credential at the same level as a Canadian degree.

Among other eligibility criteria candidates must also have:

• a minimum of six (6) months of full-time work experience in the management of a business or work experience with a business developer or business accelerator;
• a business plan with financial forecast;
• a 10-minute PowerPoint presentation of the proposed business, focusing on what investors would like to see;
• a minimum CLB level of seven (7) for each skill in English or CLB of seven (7) for each skill in French;
  the ability to show a minimum of thirty-four (34) percent ownership if their business is located in an urban center or fifty-one (51) percent if located in a regional area outside of Alberta’s two major cities, Edmonton and Calgary;
• a recognized Canadian financial institution, a minimum level of investment from the applicant’s own equity, venture capitals, or angel investment company before coming to Alberta province.
• a recommendation letter from an AINP-approved designated agency;
• the ability to show that they have the adequate investments needed to set up their businesses and support themselves while launching their start-up.

Submitting an Expression of Interest 

Basically, an Expression of Interest (EOI) is not an application but rather a means for interested candidates to notify the AINP that they wish to be considered for a provincial nomination for permanent residence under a particular immigration stream.

Candidates are invited to lodge their Expression of Interest by accessing the AINP Portal. They will be asked to answer a series of questions online that pertains to their work experience, education, and proficiency in French or English, among other factors.

Profiles will then be allotted a ranking score based on the FGSVS points grid and a specified number of highest-scoring candidates will be invited to lodge a Business Application.

The AINP says it doesn’t have a specified quota for applications and that it also “has the right to limit application intake and provincial nominations under this new Alberta immigration pathway.”

In addition to the newly launched stream, the AINP offers two other streams for entrepreneurs/businessmen interested in buying into or starting a business in Alberta :

• the Alberta Self-Employed Farmer Stream is aimed at applicants with farm management skills and sufficient funds to invest in a farming business in Alberta;
• the International Graduate Entrepreneur Immigration Stream for recent international graduates from Alberta post-secondary schools.

The province also operates the Alberta Express Entry Stream and Alberta Opportunity Stream or qualifying skilled workers and international graduates.

Get a free Express Entry assessment and discover your chances of getting invited in the next invitation round!!!