Investment in Alberta

One of the ways to immigrate to Alberta, Canada, is through investment and entrepreneurship. The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) has four entrepreneurship streams, each designed with a specific goal for immigrants and entrepreneurs.

Below, we introduce these four Alberta entrepreneurship programs:

1. Graduate Entrepreneur Stream

2. Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream

3. Farm Stream

4. Rural Entrepreneur Stream

The entrepreneurship programs in Alberta (except for the Farm Stream) are based on a points system, and applicants who score higher during the Express of Interest (EOI) stage are allowed to submit their final application for the province’s entrepreneurship program. These programs provide eligible applicants with a pathway to permanent residency in Canada.

Alberta is a lush province rich in natural beauty and various resources. Located in western Canada, it is home to Calgary and Edmonton, two of Canada’s largest cities.

Benefits of the investment method in Alberta:

– Alberta’s economic and banking system is stable.

– Business policies in Alberta are favorable and supportive of investors.

– Low tax rates, fewer administrative procedures, and access to a skilled workforce make investing in this province attractive.

– Alberta has international connections and is export-oriented.

– The cost of living in Alberta is affordable.

– There is a possibility for investors and their spouses and children under 22 to obtain permanent residency in Canada.

Alberta Investment Programs

Alberta Graduate Entrepreneur Program

The Alberta Graduate Entrepreneur Program is designed for international students who have graduated from one of Alberta’s reputable universities and wish to establish or start a business in the province. Applicants must have a valid work permit and, after meeting the necessary conditions and steps, can apply for permanent residency in Canada.

The Alberta Graduate Entrepreneur Program is based on a points system, and applicants earn points based on factors such as age, education, language proficiency, work experience, and adaptability factors. Some point factors are mandatory, while others are optional.

Requirements for the Alberta Graduate Entrepreneur Program

To immigrate to Alberta, Canada, through the Graduate Entrepreneur Stream, the following conditions must be met:

Education: You must have studied full-time for at least two years at one of the post-secondary institutions in Alberta and obtained a degree or diploma.

Work Permit: When submitting your Expression of Interest (EOI), you must have a valid Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).

Language Skills: A minimum CLB 7 score in English or French, or its equivalent in all four language skills: speaking, writing, listening, and reading is required.

For English, IELTS and CELPIP tests are acceptable.

For French, TEF and TCF tests are acceptable.

Business Establishment: You must either start a new business or purchase an existing one in Alberta, with at least 34% ownership in your name. If you have business partners, they must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Program

This program is for entrepreneurs who have graduated from universities outside of Canada and wish to establish innovative startup businesses in Alberta.

To apply for this program, you need to work with one of the designated agencies called Empowered Startups or Platform Calgary. If these agencies approve your business plan and other preliminary conditions for the program, they will issue a letter of recommendation that you must submit with your EOI application.

Requirements for the Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Program

Having at least 6 months of full-time work experience in management and/or business ownership

Submitting a business plan with projected financial costs

Having a university degree obtained within the last 10 years.

Presenting a 10-minute presentation detailing the proposed business

Achieving a minimum CLB 5 language score in English or French

If the business is located in urban centers, having at least 34% ownership of the proposed business, and if the business is outside Calgary and Edmonton, having at least 51% ownership is required.

An investment amount of $100,000 for urban areas and $50,000 for investment in areas outside the cities

Having a recommendation letter from Alberta-approved agencies

Having sufficient funds to start the business and cover living expenses for the family in Alberta

Agriculture Entrepreneur Program

The Agriculture Program in Alberta aims to attract entrepreneurs who want to immigrate to Alberta and establish, start, or buy a farm.

For this program, you first need to submit your business plan to the province of Alberta. If it is feasible to implement and meets Alberta’s agricultural needs, it will be approved. Once the business plan is approved, you must send the required program documents to both the province of Alberta and the Canadian immigration office.

Requirements for the Agriculture Program

Having skills and work experience in farm management

Minimum investment amount: $500,000 and minimum net worth: $500,000

Documenting investment plans in the business plan

Rural Entrepreneurial Program

This program is for applicants who intend to establish or purchase a business in rural Alberta communities.

To apply for this program, you first need to engage with one of Alberta’s communities (with a population under 100,000) and take an exploratory trip to that area.

After the exploratory trip, you must present your business plan to the relevant community, explaining your business and its benefits for the target community. If approved, the community will provide you with a support letter, which you need to submit alongside your EOI application for the AAIP.

Requirements for the Rural Entrepreneurial Program

Having at least 3 years of work experience as an active business owner/manager or at least 4 years of work experience as a senior manager in the last 10 years

Minimum diploma qualification

Achieving a CLB 4 score in English or French

Having a net worth of $300,000

Submitting an investment amount of $100,000

Getting a support letter from one of Alberta’s rural communities

Ages 21 to 49

Steps to apply for the Alberta investment program

To obtain the Alberta provincial entrepreneur visa and ultimately receive Canadian permanent residency, you need to go through the following steps:

Step 1: Submit your EOI application to the Alberta Immigration Office

If you meet the program requirements, submit your expression of interest (EOI) on the AAIP portal for the Alberta immigration program. AAIP will review your application and calculate your score within 30 days.

If you score high enough, you’ll enter the lottery pool. Then, applicants with the highest scores will be selected in the draw and asked to submit their business application online to AAIP.

Step Two: Submit Your Business Application to the Alberta Immigration Office

Once you win the draw, you have 90 days to submit your business application online to the AAIP. At this stage, you need to gather all the required documents for any entrepreneurial program you are applying for and upload them along with the necessary forms in your application.

Step Three: Canada’s Immigration Office Will Assess Your Application

After submitting your application to the AAIP, the evaluation process begins. If your application is approved, the AAIP will ask you to sign a performance agreement or an executive agreement with the province of Alberta. This agreement outlines the commitments required for the program, and by signing it, you agree to adhere to all its regulations.

In the foreign graduate entrepreneurship program and the rural entrepreneurship program, after signing the agreement, you will receive a letter of support from the province, and then you can apply to the federal immigration office of Canada for a two-year work visa. You have 12 months from the time your application is approved to enter Canada.

The Alberta graduate entrepreneurship program doesn’t have a work visa process since the applicant has already been residing in Alberta and holds a post-study work visa. After the AAIP approves the application, the applicant can launch their business and manage it in compliance with the agreement’s rules.

The farm entrepreneurship program also doesn’t have a work permit process. After the AAIP approves the business application, you receive a provincial nomination directly, with which you can apply for permanent residency in Canada.

Step Four: Launch Your Business in Alberta

After entering the province of Alberta, you are required to set up your business and fulfill the commitments you signed in the performance agreement with the province. You must also demonstrate that your business produces products or provides services and that it is successful in this endeavor.

You need to actively establish and manage your business for at least 12 months.

Step Five: Get Your Provincial Nomination

While you’re setting up and running your business in Alberta, you need to send regular performance reports to the AAIP every few months. Also, after a year of running your business, submit your final performance report to the AAIP to receive your provincial nomination.

If your operational performance is approved and you meet the commitments of the agreement, you’ll be selected by the province and receive a provincial nomination certificate. This certificate is your ticket to apply for permanent residency in Canada.

Step Six: Submit Your Permanent Residency Application

Once you get the provincial nomination certificate from the province, you can apply for residency in Canada through investment in Alberta. At this stage, you might need to undergo medical examinations.

Gather all the necessary documents and send them to the federal immigration office in Canada.

Investment Visa Fees in Alberta

Application review fees for Alberta’s entrepreneur programs

Entrepreneurship cases in the Alberta immigration office are reviewed and the fees are as follows:

Entrepreneurship Program	Fees (CAD)
Alberta Graduates Entrepreneurship Program	$3,500
Foreign Graduates Entrepreneurship Program	$3,500
Rural Entrepreneurship Program	$3,500
Farm Owner Program	$500

Application review fees for work visas in Alberta’s entrepreneur programs

As mentioned earlier, the two entrepreneurial programs in Alberta, the “Foreign Graduates Entrepreneurship Program” and the “Rural Entrepreneurship Program,” require a work permit or temporary work visa. Work visa applications are reviewed by the federal immigration office, and the fees are as follows:

Application Type	Fees (CAD)
Work Permit per Person	$155
Biometrics per Person	$85
Family Biometrics (Two or More People)	$170

What’s the timeline for Alberta’s investment and entrepreneurship programs?

Reviewing applications for Alberta’s entrepreneurial programs usually takes about 4 to 6 months. The process for reviewing a work permit can also take anywhere from 3 to 6 months.

Generally, the time it takes to process files at Alberta’s immigration office and the federal immigration office in Canada depends on various factors, such as the country you’re applying from, embassy conditions, the completeness of your application, and so on.

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Frequently asked questions

Do Alberta's entrepreneurial programs require a job offer?

No. For each of Alberta’s entrepreneurial programs, you need to establish and run a business, and you must own part of that business. So, there’s no need to have a job offer beforehand.

Can you change provinces after obtaining an Alberta investment visa?

No, because to get a work permit, you need a support letter from Alberta and you commit to starting your business in the province upon arrival and fulfilling the performance agreement commitments with the province.

What are the key cities for investment in Alberta?

Calgary

Edmonton

Airdrie

Red Deer

St. Albert

Fort McMurray

Lethbridge

Grande Prairie

Okotoks

Leduc

Sylvan Lake

Lacombe

What are the important sectors for investment in Alberta?

The technology, financial services, tourism, air transportation, and logistics sectors (production and distribution of materials and products) are among the most important economic sectors for investment in Alberta.

Is it easy to immigrate to Alberta?

Depending on the applicant’s situation, immigration to Alberta can be easy or difficult. To make the right decision and ensure a smoother immigration process, it’s best to carefully assess your circumstances and choose one of the investment methods that align with your situation. Any wrong decision could complicate your immigration process to Alberta.

How many immigrants come to Canada each year?

According to data from Statistics Canada, on average, over 400,000 people enter Alberta each year as immigrants.

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