How to apply for Alberta’s new immigration program for tech workers?

Tyler Shandro, Alberta’s immigration minister, announced the Accelerated Tech Pathway on January 13. In December, the province began accepting applications for the new program.

According to the Alberta Enterprise Corporation, there are over 3,000 technology companies in Alberta. As per the 2021 Alberta Technology Deal Flow Study, Alberta’s tech sector has grown 233 percent since 2012.

Steps to Apply for the Accelerated Tech Pathway

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. Get a profile in the Express Entry system

The first step is to get into the Express Entry pool of candidates. You can apply for one of the following three immigration programs: the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program, or the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

To apply for the Accelerated Pathway, you fill out and submit an online form for the AINP. Fill the form by providing your Express Entry profile and information about your tech-related job in Alberta.

Express Entry candidates must have a job offer or be currently working for an Alberta-based company in one of the 23 eligible occupations listed below in order to be eligible for the tech pathway:

• 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. AINP determines your eligibility

The AINP checks that you meet the minimum eligibility criteria for the Alberta Express Entry Stream. If you do, 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. Apply

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.

You must determine whether you meet the assessment criteria after receiving the email invitation from Alberta. If the AINP discovers fraud or misrepresentation in your application, you may be suspended from reapplying for up to five years.

Completed applications are added to a pool of qualified applications.The AINP considers these applications for a provincial nomination.

Being nominated does not guarantee that you’ll get to stay in Canada permanently, but it does put you at the top of the Express Entry pool and brings you one step closer to getting an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence.