Alberta pauses processing for Alberta Opportunity Stream applications will launch stream for tourism and hospitality
As of February 15, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) has temporarily halted processing applications for the Alberta Opportunity Stream until further notice.
The AAIP claims that the delay would allow the province for it to “address its current inventory and focus its limited immigration nominations on priorities, such as filling labour shortages in healthcare, technology, construction, agriculture, tourism and hospitality and other in-demand sectors.”
The government will continue to evaluate any Alberta Opportunity Stream applications filed before February 15 and says it will take steps to “manage future application volumes against program priorities and maintain reasonable service standards across its streams.”
The Alberta Opportunity Stream of the AAIP focuses on temporary foreign workers who are currently working full-time in the province on a valid Canadian work visa and have a full-time employment offer from an Alberta company. Post-graduate work permit holders may also be eligible.
The province opens a new PNP stream for tourism and hospitality.
On March 1, the AAIP will launch a new stream aimed at “individuals who have already been working for a tourism and hospitality business for at least six months and who have met criteria to establish themselves in Alberta permanently.”
Additionally, candidates must possess a “valid full-time, non-seasonal job offer from an approved employer operating within the appropriate industry.”
According to a recent announcement from the Alberta government, the stream will help with shortages in the field and assist companies around the province, especially those in remote regions, in retaining personnel and the economy.
The government has said that it will accept a limited number of applications for the stream and accelerate their processing alongside other priority processing efforts. More information is scheduled to be revealed on March 1.
Alberta is among Canada’s most popular tourist locations. According to provincial official figures, 32 million visitors visited the province in 2022, totaling $10.7 billion in spending.
Immigrate to Alberta
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program is a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) that the Alberta government utilizes to identify economic immigration applicants who are likely to succeed economically in the province.
Like other PNPs, there are many streams that choose individuals with various in-demand characteristics. For example, the province offers PNP streams aimed at qualified individuals in specialized industries like healthcare or agriculture. It also provides PNP streams for persons who labour in rural areas of the province, as well as businesses.
The PNP assigns provinces a set amount of nominations to issue throughout the year. In 2023, Alberta nominated 9,750 AAIP candidates. The province has not yet verified the amount of nominations given for 2024, but according to the federal Immigration Levels Plan 2024-2026, Canada will accept 110,000 newcomers via the PNP by the end of this year.
