Alberta Advantage Immigration Program – Rural Renewal Stream

At a Glance

Item	Details
Visa / Stream Name	AAIP Rural Renewal Stream
Program Type	Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Stay / Status Outcome	Permanent Residence nomination
Nomination Validity	6 months
Costs	$135 WEOI; $1,500 application
Additional Fees	$150 extension; $150 204(c) letter
Work Rights	Valid work permit required
Study Rights	Not stated in the source
Medicare	Not stated in the source
Travel Facility	Not stated in the source
Citizenship Pathway	Federal Permanent Residence stage
Family Sponsorship	Spouse and dependants included
Qualifying Work Experience	12 months in past 18 months
Language Minimum	CLB/NCLC 4 or 5
Education Minimum	High school equivalent (ECA required)

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Purpose

The Rural Renewal Stream is a community-driven economic immigration pathway under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP). It allows designated rural Alberta communities to recruit and endorse foreign workers to meet local labour shortages and support economic development, leading to provincial nomination for Canadian permanent residence.

Eligibility Requirements

Candidates must meet all criteria at the time of Expression of Interest (EOI) submission, application submission, and AAIP assessment.

1. Community Residency & Endorsement

• Intent: You must intend to live and work in the Designated Community, or already be living and working there.
• Endorsement Letter: Must hold a valid Endorsement of Candidate Letter issued by the Economic Development Organization (EDO) of your Designated Community (valid for 1 year from issuance).

2. Job Offer Requirements

Must hold a bona fide, full-time (minimum 30 hours/week), non-seasonal job offer or employment contract from an Alberta employer for an established business operation located within the Designated Community.

Ineligible employment situations:

• Part-time, casual, or seasonal workers.
• Independent contractors, business owners, temporary agency workers, or corporate directors/shareholders.
• Businesses not zoned for commercial or industrial operations (e.g., home-based businesses).
• Telecommuting, virtual locations, or work outside Alberta.
• Foreign nationals in Canada without a valid work permit.
• Refugee claimants in Canada.

3. Eligible Occupations

• In Alberta with valid work permit: Eligible across NOC TEER Categories 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 (unless listed on the Ineligible Occupations list).
• Outside Alberta (in Canada) or Abroad: Eligible for NOC TEER Categories 0, 1, 2, and 3 only.

Ineligible Occupations List:

• 00010 (Legislators)
• 60040 (Escort agency managers, massage parlour managers)
• 41100 (Judges)
• 51111 (Authors and writers, except technical)
• 51122 (Musicians and singers)
• 42200 (Justices of the peace)
• 53121 (Actors, comedians, circus performers)
• 53122 (Painters, sculptors, visual artists)
• 53124 (Artisans and craftspersons)
• 53200 (Athletes)
• 33100 (Dental laboratory bench workers)
• 44100 (Home child care providers)
• 44101 (Home support workers, caregivers, related occupations)
• 64321 (Casino occupations)
• 55109 (Other performers)
• 65229 (Other support occupations in personal services)
• 85101 (Harvesting labourers)

4. Qualifying Work Experience

• Must have at least 12 months of full-time (minimum 30 hours/week) paid work experience in an eligible occupation within the last 18 months.
• Can be gained in Alberta, elsewhere in Canada (with valid status), or abroad.
• TEER category alignment:
  • Job offer TEER 0: Experience in TEER 0 or 1.
  • Job offer TEER 1: Experience in TEER 0, 1, or 2.
  • Job offer TEER 2 or 3: Experience in TEER 1, 2, 3, or 4.
  • Job offer TEER 4: Experience in TEER 2, 3, 4, or 5.
  • Job offer TEER 5: Experience in TEER 5 in the exact same NOC code.
• Exemptions / Co-op rules:
  • Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holders who completed a 2-year post-secondary program at an IRCC-designated learning institution in their Designated Community are exempt from the 12-month work experience rule.
  • Canadian co-op placements do not count unless completed as paid, full-time terms in Alberta under an eligible Alberta post-secondary program.

5. Licensing and Certification

• Must hold all required professional licensing, registration, or certifications for the occupation in Alberta.
• Compulsory trades require an Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) recognized trade certificate.
• Childcare workers must hold Level 2 or Level 3 Early Childhood Educator certification prior to applying.

6. Language Requirements

Official test results must be less than 2 years old from CELPIP (General), IELTS (General Training), PTE Core, TEF Canada, or TCF Canada.

Job Offer TEER Category	Minimum English / French Score
TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3	CLB 5 / NCLC 5 across all skills
TEER 4 or 5	CLB 4 / NCLC 4 across all skills

7. Education Requirements

• Minimum Canadian high school diploma equivalent.
• Must submit an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) less than 5 years old, unless holding a recognized Canadian post-secondary/secondary credential or valid Alberta trade certificate.

8. Settlement Funds (LICO)

Required if you reside outside Canada or are currently in Canada but not working. Funds must be unencumbered, transferable liquid funds.

Family Size	Population < 1,000	Population 1,000 – 30,000	Population 30,000 – 99,999
1	$8,922	$10,151	$11,093
2	$11,107	$12,636	$13,810
3	$13,655	$15,534	$16,977
4	$16,579	$18,861	$20,613
5	$18,803	$21,392	$23,379
6	$21,208	$24,127	$26,367
7	$23,611	$26,861	$29,356
Per additional member	$2,404	$2,735	$2,989

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Fees and Costs

• Worker Expression of Interest (WEOI) Fee: $135 (effective April 7, 2026; non-refundable).
• AAIP Application Fee: $1,500 (non-refundable; payable within 24 hours of submission).
• Nomination Extension Fee: $150.
• 204(c) Letter of Support Fee: $150 (exempt if specifically requested in writing by IRCC).
• Federal IRCC Fees: Separate processing fees, open work permit fees ($100), and employer compliance fees ($230) apply at the federal stage.

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Application Steps

[Secure Job Offer & Community Endorsement] 
                   │
                   ▼
       [Submit WEOI ($135 fee)] 
                   │
                   ▼
  [Receive Invitation to Apply (ITA)] 
                   │
                   ▼
   [Submit AAIP Application ($1,500)] 
                   │
                   ▼
     [Nomination Certificate Issued] 
                   │
                   ▼
   [Apply to IRCC for Permanent Residence]

1. Secure Community Endorsement: Obtain a job offer in a Designated Community and an official Endorsement Letter from the local EDO.
2. Submit Worker EOI (WEOI): Complete a WEOI profile via the AAIP portal and pay the $135 fee within 24 hours. The WEOI remains valid for 12 months (maximum 100 points grid).
3. Receive Invitation to Apply (ITA): If selected during a provincial draw, accept the invitation within 15 days by creating a draft application.
4. Submit Application: Complete the online application, upload all checklist documents, and pay the $1,500 application fee within 30 days of creating the draft (and within 24 hours of portal submission).
5. Nomination Decision: If approved, download your nomination certificate via the AAIP portal.

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After Nomination

Applying for Permanent Residence (IRCC)

• You must submit your permanent residence application online to IRCC within 6 months of receiving the nomination.
• Pass federal medical, security, and criminal background checks.

Maintaining Status & Extending Work Permits

You must maintain legal status to work in Alberta while your PR application processes:

• Option 1: Employer obtains a new LMIA.
• Option 2: Apply under an LMIA exemption.
• Option 3: Apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) once you have an IRCC Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR).
• Option 4 (204(c) Support Letter): Request a 204(c) Letter of Support from AAIP through the portal ($150 fee) to apply for an employer-specific work permit without an LMIA.

Extending a Nomination

• If your 6-month nomination is set to expire before you can apply to IRCC, request an extension through the AAIP portal ($150 fee).
• Requests must generally be made within 6 months of expiry. Only one extension may ever be granted.

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Candidate Obligations and Warnings

• Reporting Changes: You must immediately report any change in address, phone, email, marital status, employment, work permit, or immigration status in the AAIP portal and to IRCC.
• Non-Refundable Fees: All AAIP fees ($135 WEOI, $1,500 application, $150 service requests) are non-refundable regardless of outcome.
• Misrepresentation & Revocation: Providing false, inaccurate, or misleading information can lead to refusal, revocation of nomination, and a multi-year ban from AAIP.
• No Guarantee: AAIP nomination does not guarantee work permit issuance or federal permanent residence approval. Federal authorities (IRCC) have final jurisdiction.
• Portal Maintenance: Scheduled system maintenance occurs every Friday from 11:00 PM to Sunday at 7:00 PM.