Alberta Employer-Driven Stream
NOTE: This stream was terminated on June 14, 2018. Applications to it postmarked on or before this date will be processed, however, in accordance with the eligibility criteria that was in place for this stream at the time of application.
The Employer-Driven Stream is composed of three different categories with eligibility criteria for both the employer and the applicant.
Skilled Worker Category
Minimum Requirements for Employers
In order to be eligible under the Alberta Skilled Worker Category, employers must:
- Be incorporated or registered in Canada and operating in Alberta;
- Offer a job that is in an occupation classified as skill level NOC 0, A, or B;
- Provide a job offer to the candidate that meets Alberta's employment and wage standards;
- Provide a job offer to the candidate that does not conflict with existing collective bargaining agreements. The AINP will not approve an application if there is a labour dispute in progress that may involve, directly or indirectly, either the employer or the candidate;
- Receive a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) for the job they are offering to the applicant. Some occupations or candidates may be exempt from the LMIA requirement;
- If the worker is not currently working in Alberta, must demonstrate that efforts have been made to recruit in Canada before offering job to the applicant; and,
- Meet additional requirements if the applicant is an Early Childhood Educator or Childcare Staff.
Minimum Requirements for Applicants
In addition, applicants must:
- Intend to live and work in Alberta permanently;
- Have related training, work experience, and any necessary licensing to perform the job in Alberta;
- Show valid work permit if already working in Alberta;
- Show proof of legal status if living abroad; and,
- Meet additional requirements if they are Early Childhood Educators or Childcare Staff.
Additional Criteria for Early Childhood Educators and Childcare Staff
In addition to the minimum requirements listed above, employers of early childhood educators and childcare staff must:
- Be accredited with the Alberta Association for the Accreditation of Early Learning and Care Service; and,
- Be approved for funding under the Alberta Child Care Accreditation Funding Program.
Early childhood educator and childcare staff applicants must also:
- Have a valid work permit under the NOC code 4214;
- Be currently residing in Alberta;
- Have completed a minimum of high school education;
- Be a certified Child Development Worker (Level 2) or Child Development Supervisor (Level 3) through the Alberta Human Services Child Care Staff Certification Office; and,
- Be employed by a pre/accredited daycare program or family day home agency for a minimum of six months.
Preference is given to candidates who have completed a first aid course.
When Not to Apply
Candidates should not apply if they are:
- Supervisors, foremen and tradespeople, working in a Compulsory or Optional Trade in Alberta (candidates in these occupations may be eligible to apply under the Alberta Strategic Recruitment Stream: Compulsory and Optional Trades category);
- Clergy, Elementary and Secondary School Teachers, Professional Athletes and Dental Laboratory Bench Workers;
- Refugee claimants, or individuals involved in a federal appeal or removal process;
- Live-in Caregivers currently living in Canada;
- Temporary Foreign Workers working and residing in a province other than Alberta; or,
- International students studying in Canada and doing co-op work placements or internships as part of their study program.
International Graduate Category
This category was created for individuals who graduated from a Canadian post-secondary institution and have received a full-time, permanent job offer from an Alberta employer. Both the employer and the targeted employee must be deemed eligible in order to submit an application.
Minimum Requirements for Employers
To be eligible under the Alberta International Graduate category, employers must:
- Be incorporated or registered in Canada and operating in Alberta;
- Offer a job to the applicant that meets provincial employment standards;
- In addition, the job offer must not conflict with collective bargaining (union) agreements.
- Offer a job that is in an occupation classified as NOC 0, A, B or C level. Ineligible occupations can be viewed here; and,
- Demonstrate that wages being offered are consistent with industry standards.
Minimum Requirements for Applicants
Additionally, applicants must:
- Intend to live and work in Alberta permanently;
- Be working in Alberta full-time for the employer supporting their application;
- The current occupation must be the same as the occupation listed on the AINP application. It must fall into an NOC 0, A, B, or C level.
- Have completed a certificate, diploma, or degree, or completed a graduate level program from an AINP-approved Alberta public and private post-secondary institution (see below) or a publicly funded community college, trade/technical school or university in another Canadian province or territory;
- Hold a valid Post-Graduation Work Permit.
- If working in an NOC C level occupation, must submit language test score results.
- University of Calgary
- The Banff Centre
- CollegeRed Deer College
- Northern Lakes College
- Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)
- Medicine Hat College
- Lethbridge College
- Grande Prairie Regional College
- Athabasca University
- Alberta College of Art and Design
- Bow Valley College
- Keyano College Lakeland College
- Grant MacEwan University (MacEwan University)
- Mount Royal University
- NorQuest College
- Olds College Portage
- Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT Polytechnic)
- University of Alberta
- University of Lethbridge
- The King's University (formerly The King's University College)
- Burman University (formerly Canadian University College)
- Ambrose University (formerly Ambrose University College)
- Concordia University of Edmonton (formerly Concordia University College of Alberta)
- St. Mary's University (formerly St. Mary's University College)
When Not to Apply
Candidates should not apply if they are:
- Working in an ineligible occupation;
- Refugee claimants, or individuals involved in a federal appeal or removal process;
- Live-in Caregivers currently living in Canada;
- Temporary Foreign Workers working and residing in a province other than Alberta; or,
- International students studying in Canada and doing co-op work placements or internships as part of their study program.
Semi-Skilled Worker Category
Minimum Requirements for Employers
In order to be eligible under the Alberta Semi-Skilled Worker category, employers must:
- Be incorporated or registered in Canada and operating in Alberta;
- Operate in one of the five industries currently eligible under this category:
- Food and Beverage Processing;
- Hotel and Lodging;
- Manufacturing;
- Long-Haul Trucking;
- Food Services;
- Provide a permanent, full-time job offer in an eligible occupation (see below);
- Job offer must meet Alberta employment and wage standards;
- Job offer must not conflict with collective bargaining (union) agreements;
- Receive a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) for the position being offered to the applicant;
- For the occupation of Front Desk Agent/Clerk (NOC 6525), if the applicant is working for the employer on a Post-Graduation Work Permit, no LMIA is required;
- Provide a settlement and retention plan for the individual applicant.
Minimum Requirements for Applicants
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Be currently working in Alberta on a valid work permit in an eligible occupation (see below);
- Demonstrate that they have at least a high school level education;
- Submit language test results; and,
- Meet additional criteria for the specific industry (see below).
Industry-Specific Criteria
Food and Beverage Processing
In addition to the requirements listed above, employers must:
- Operate an agricultural-based industrial food processing plant. Retail establishments are not eligible; and,
- Must demonstrate satisfactory recruitment, employment policies, and retention/settlement plans.
Additionally, applicants must:
- Complete an interview with a staff member of the Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (AARD);
- Have a total of three years full-time industry work experience in home country; and,
- Be employed in Alberta for a minimum of six months before applying to the AINP.
| Job title | NOC |
|---|---|
| Food and Beverage Production Worker | 9617 |
| Bakery Production Worker | 9617 |
| Food and Beverage Processing Equipment Cleaner | 9617 |
| Industrial Butchers and Meat Cutters | 9462 |
| Poultry Production Workers | 9462 |
Hotel and Lodging
Employers must also:
- Be a member in good standing with the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA);
- Be aware of the maximum number of allocations per calendar year for Food and Beverage Servers and Room Attendants, which is based on the total number of rooms at a property. Allocations are as follows:
- 1 - 50 rooms: 2 allocations per year
- 51 - 100 rooms: 4 per year
- 101 - 150 rooms: 6 per year
- 151 - 200 rooms: 8 per year
- 201- 250 rooms: 10 per year
- 251 - 350 rooms: 12 per year
- 351 - 400 rooms: 14 per year
- 401 - 450 rooms: 16 per year
- 451+ rooms: 18 per year
- Be aware of the maximum of one allocation per property, per calendar year for the occupation of Front Desk Agent/Clerk; and,
- Demonstrate satisfactory recruitment strategies, employment policies, and retention/settlement plans to qualify for allocations.
In addition, applicants must:
- Have a total of three years of work experience in the hotel and lodging industry;
- Be employed in Alberta for a minimum of six months before applying to the AINP.
| Job title | NOC |
|---|---|
| Food and Beverage Servers | 6513 |
| Room Attendants | 6731 |
| Front Desk Agent/Clerk | 6525 |
Manufacturing
Employers must:
- Demonstrate satisfactory recruitment, employment policies and retention/settlement plans.
- Applicants must:
- Have a minimum of two years industry work experience;
- At least one of two years must have been completed in Canada; and,
- Be employed in Alberta for a minimum of six months before applying to the AINP.
| Job title | NOC | Training/certification required |
|---|---|---|
| Shippers and Receivers | 1521 | Completion of a forklift certificate |
| Production Logistics Co-ordinators | 1523 | None |
| Purchasing and Inventory Control Workers | 1524 | Purchasing clerks require courses in purchasing management and inventory clerks require courses in production and inventory management |
| Heavy Equipment Operator (Except Crane) | 7521 | College or industry courses in heavy equipment operation or completion of a one to two year apprenticeship program |
| Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Related Workers and Services Operators | 8412 | Certification in first aid Certification in hydrogen sulphide awareness Certification in blowout prevention Certification in Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Certification in Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Awareness in cryogenic safety |
| Machine Operators, Mineral and Metal Processing | 9411 | None |
| Foundry Workers | 9412 | None |
| Concrete, Clay and Stone Forming Operators | 9414 | Mould makers that construct and repair wooden forms require carpentry or woodworking experience |
| Inspectors and Testers, Mineral and Metal Processing | 9415 | None |
| Metalworking and Forging Machine Operators | 9416 | None |
| Machining Tool Operators | 9417 | Completion of college level courses in machining |
| Chemical Plant Machine Operators | 9421 | Certification in first aid Certification in Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Fire fighting or Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) |
| Plastics Processing Machine Operators | 9422 | Completion of Statistical Process Control (SPC) course Moulding process operators require completion of hydraulics, pneumatics and electronic systems courses |
| Rubber Processing Machine Operators and Related Workers | 9423 | None |
| Sawmill Machine Operators | 9431 | College courses in wood processing technology Certification in industrial first aid Head sawyers and planer operators usually require several years of experience in other sawmill machine operating positions |
| Pulp Mill Machine Operators | 9432 | College diploma in forest products processing or a related subject Certification in industrial first aid |
| Papermaking and Finishing Machine Operators | 9433 | None |
| Other Wood Processing Machine Operators | 9434 | Combination of college and company courses |
| Paper Converting Machine Operators | 9435 | None |
| Lumber Graders and Other Wood Processing Inspectors and Graders | 9436 | Graders and inspectors require experience as a sawmill machine operator, or other wood processing operator or as a labourer in wood processing Lumber graders require a lumber grader’s license issued by a provincial lumber association |
| Woodworking Machine Operators | 9437 | None |
| Process Control and Machine Operators, Food, Beverage and Associated Products Processing | 9461 | None |
| Aircraft Assemblers and Aircraft Assembly Inspectors | 9521 | Completion of college program in aviation or aeronautical technology with emphasis on aircraft manufacturing |
| Electronics Assemblers, Fabricators, Inspectors and Testers | 9523 | Electronic testers require post-secondary courses in basic electronic theory, testing techniques and testing equipment Electronics inspectors and testers require experience as an electronics assembler or component fabricator |
| Assemblers and Inspectors, Electrical Appliance, Apparatus and Equipment Manufacturing | 9524 | Completion of college program in electronics |
| Assemblers, Fabricators and Inspectors, Industrial Electrical Motors and Transformers | 9525 | Completion of college courses in electricity or electrotechnology Inspectors and lead-hands require experience as an assembler, fitter or wirer |
| Mechanical Assemblers and Inspectors | 9526 | Inspectors require experience as a mechanical assembler |
| Machine Operators and Inspectors, Electrical Apparatus Manufacturing | 9527 | Inspectors require experience as an assembler |
| Manufactured Housing Production Worker | 9533 | None |
| Prefabricated Housing Assembler | 9533 | None |
| Furniture Finishers and Refinishers | 9534 | Completion of college, industry or high school level courses in furniture finishing or refinishing |
| Plastic Products Assemblers, Finishers and Inspectors | 9535 | Inspectors require experience as an assembler or finisher |
| Industrial Painters, Coaters and Metal Finishing Process Operators | 9536 | Industrial painters such as aviation painters require specialized training or college courses |
Long-Haul Trucking
In addition to the requirements listed above, employers must:
- Demonstrate satisfactory recruitment strategies, employment policies, and retention/settlement plans to qualify for allocations.
- Companies will not receive an allocation larger than the number of foreign drivers for which the company has received an LMIA.
- Provide details of recruitment activity and supporting documentation demonstrating that the foreign trained driver is aware of the scope of their employment - this includes:
- duration of long-haul trips taken
- mileage
- normal amount of days away from home
- anticipated annual salary.
- Show that the applicant has received training in Alberta
- Show that the applicant has prior driving training and related professional experience.
Applicants must:
- Be currently working for the supporting employer as a long-haul truck driver;
- Have a valid Alberta Class 1 driver's license;
- Provide a copy of his/her foreign driver's license which indicates C+E certification (if from Europe);
- If not in English, the driver's license must be translated by certified translator.
- Be employed in Alberta for a minimum of six months before applying to the AINP;
- Have sufficient proof of previous professional driving experience and driving related training.
| Job title | NOC |
|---|---|
| Long-Haul Truck Driver | 7511 |
Food Services (Pilot Project)
To be eligible, employers must also:
- Demonstrate that the candidate has access to accommodations for 33 percent or less of his/her gross salary;
- Be aware of the maximum of one allocation per restaurant location for one of the three eligible occupations (see below);
- Sign an Employer Compliance Declaration Form and include it in the application;
In addition, applicants must:
- Have three years of work experience in the food services industry;
- Be employed in Alberta for a minimum of nine months before applying to the AINP.
| Job title | NOC |
|---|---|
| Food and Beverage Servers | 6513 |
| Food Counter Attendants | 6711 |
| Kitchen Helpers | 6711 |
When Not to Apply
Candidates should not apply if they are:
- Refugee claimants, or individuals involved in a federal appeal or removal process;
- Live-in Caregivers currently living in Canada;
- Temporary Foreign Workers working and residing in a province other than Alberta;
- International students studying in Canada and doing co-op work placements or internships as part of their study program;
- Supervisors, foremen and tradespersons working in a compulsory or optional trade in Alberta;
- Clergy, elementary and secondary school teachers, professional athletes and dental laboratory bench workers; or
- Semi-skilled workers who are not in an eligible AINP occupation.