A New Immigration Pathway
The province of Alberta is introducing a new fast track to permanent residence for highly skilled tech professionals who want to live and work in the province.
The province had already began accepting applications to the new program in December. Alberta’s immigration minister, Tyler Shandro, announced the Accelerated Tech Pathway on January 13, 2022.
“Under this new pathway, tech professionals from across Canada and overseas can become permanent residents in as little as six months if they have a job offer in an in-demand tech industry occupation,” – Tyler Shandro, Minister of Labour and Immigration
Eligibility and Assessment Criteria
You have to first be eligible for the Alberta Express Entry Stream in order to be selected for expedited processing under the Accelerated Tech Pathway. This Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) has three steps:
1. Candidates must have an Active Express Entry profile with the Government of Canada
The first step is to get into the Express Entry pool of candidates. You need to be eligible for one of the following three immigration programs: the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
If you believe you meet the assessment criteria, you must first complete and submit the Accelerated Tech Pathway form. This form includes information on your Alberta-based job offer or employment, as well as your federal Express Entry profile.
In order to be eligible for the tech pathway, Express Entry candidates need to have a job offer or be currently working for an Alberta-based company in an eligible occupation. The 23 eligible occupations are listed below in order of their National Occupational Classification (NOC) code:
- 0013 Senior managers – financial, communications and other business services
- 0112 Human resources managers
- 0131 Telecommunication carriers manager
- 0211 Engineering managers
- 0212 Architecture and science managers
- 0213 Computer and information systems managers
- 0512 Managers – publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts
- 0601 Corporate sales managers
- 1123 Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations
- 1121 Human resources professionals
- 1223 Human resources and recruitment officers
- 2131 Civil engineers
- 2132 Mechanical engineers
- 2133 Electrical and electronics engineers
- 2147 Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
- 2161 Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries
- 2171 Information systems analysts and consultants
- 2172 Database analysts and data administrators
- 2173 Software engineers and designers
- 2174 Computer programmers and interactive media developers
- 2175 Web designers and developers
- 2221 Biological technologists and technicians
- 2232 Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- 2233 Industrial engineering and manufacturing technologists and technicians
- 2241 Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians
- 2253 Drafting technologists and technicians 2281 Computer network technicians
- 2282 User support technicians
- 2283 Information systems testing technicians
- 3211 Medical laboratory technologists
- 3212 Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists’ assistants
- 3219 Other medical technologists and technicians (except dental health)
- 4163 Business development officers and marketing researchers and consultants
- 5131 Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations
- 5241 Graphic designers and illustrators
- 7241 Electricians (except industrial and power system)
- 7242 Industrial electricians
- 7246 Telecommunications installation and repair workers
2. The AINP determines if candidates meet the minimum eligibility criteria to apply.
The AINP checks that you meet the minimum eligibility criteria for the Alberta Express Entry Stream. If so, the AINP will send you an email inviting you to apply for a provincial nomination. You cannot apply without this invitation, and you cannot use a nomination under a different AINP stream to apply.
3. Candidates determine if they meet assessment criteria and submit an application.
Once you receive the email invitation from Alberta, you determine if you meet the assessment criteria. If the AINP discovers fraud or misrepresentation in an application, they could ban you from reapplying for up to five years.
Completed applications go into a pool of eligible applications. The AINP considers these applications for a provincial nomination.
If Alberta offers you a nomination you have 30 days to accept using your online Express Entry profile. You will then get 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points added to your Express Entry score.
NOTE:
The following individuals are not eligible to apply for or be nominated under the Accelerated Tech Pathway, even if they are working for an eligible Alberta employer in an eligible tech occupation or have a job offer to work 30 hours a week or more in a 12-month or greater period:
- part-time, casual or seasonal employees, regardless of their working hours
- independent contractors or temporary agency workers
- employees who do not work in Alberta, such as those who work online from a location outside Alberta or who work at a premises outside of Alberta
You may be less likely to be asked to submit an application if your Express Entry profile expires in 3 months or less.
It is recommended you keep your Express Entry profile up to date so that you remain eligible for consideration under the Accelerated Tech Pathway in the future.