Staying on Top of What's New with IRCC
Staying on Top of What's New with IRCC
Alberta Advantage Immigration Program – Updates
Date modified: June 3, 2024
The Alberta Opportunity Stream will resume accepting applications on June 11, under new guidelines. This new approach will result in better processing times and also offer applicants multiple opportunities to apply to the program for the limited number of available provincial nomination certificates.
Important facts
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Applications will be accepted on 7 dates for the remainder of 2024, one per month:
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Each month a specific number of applications will be accepted.
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When that target is reached, no further applications will be accepted until the next date. The target is subject to change.
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Applications acceptance dates, application targets, estimates and processing times are posted on AAIP processing times and application levels. They are subject to change.
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Applicants and prospective applicants should visit regularly for the most current information.
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Note: Alberta received 9,750 nominations from the federal government which is the maximum number of provincial nomination certificates that can be issued in 2024.
Canada improves fairness for applicants by ending post-graduation work permit “flagpoling”
News release
June 21, 2024
2024 Wildfires in Canada: Temporary immigration, passport and citizenship measures
Due to the recent wildfires across Canada, we’ve introduced temporary special measures to help those directly affected by these wildfires.
If you’re directly affected by the wildfires, you can apply for free to
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replace citizenship, immigration or travel documents (including passports) that have been lost, damaged or destroyed
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extend or restore your temporary resident status
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transition from an employer-specific work permit to an open work permit if you’re unable to work for your current employer
These special measures start July 19, 2024 and end November 30, 2024.
If you were affected by wildfires in 2023, and replaced documents, extended your stay or restored your status, learn more about last year’s temporary measures.
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Immigration News
Immigration News
News release
June 21, 2024—Ottawa—A safe and secure flow of goods and people across the Canada–United States border is critical to North America’s economy and the close person-to-person ties that Canadians and Americans enjoy. That’s why we continue to look for ways to make it easier and faster to cross the border without compromising the integrity of our immigration system.
Today, the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced that foreign nationals can no longer apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) at the border, effective immediately. This measure will help reduce what is known as “flagpoling.” Flagpoling occurs when temporary residents of Canada bypass the normal wait times involved in applying for a work or study permit online by leaving the country and then immediately re-entering to receive same-day immigration services.
Flagpoling uses significant resources at the border, taking officers away from enforcement activities, causing delays for travellers and slowing down the movement of goods. From March 1, 2023, to February 29, 2024, PGWP applicants represented about one fifth of the foreign nationals who attempted to flagpole.
The Government of Canada is taking measures to encourage applicants to apply in Canada rather than flagpole. We continue to improve processing times, and are moving toward a more integrated, modernized and centralized working environment to help speed up application processing globally.
The change announced today increases fairness amongst applicants and is another step that the Government of Canada is taking to reduce flagpoling. We’ll continue to look for ways to reduce flagpoling so our shared border with the US runs smoothly and efficiently, benefitting both our nations.
Alberta Advantage Immigration Program
Eligible individuals can apply to be nominated to work and live in Alberta permanently.
As of Date modified: June 25, 2024
Program streams
Choose a stream to find out how to get nominated:
Streams for workers
The AAIP has 4 streams for foreign workers who are living and working in Alberta, or plan to live and work here:
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Tourism and Hospitality Stream
Qualified candidates who live and work in Alberta and have a full-time job offer to continue working with an Alberta tourism and hospitality sector employer.
Note: New guidelines in place
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Qualified candidates who live and work in Alberta and have a job offer from an Alberta employer can apply for an AAIP nomination.
Note: New guidelines in place
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Qualified candidates may be invited to apply for nomination who have profiles in the federal Express Entry pool that are aligned with minimum requirements, factors that increase the chances of selection, and provincial economic, sector and occupational priorities. There are also dedicated pathways operated in this stream for health care professionals and technology workers.
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Communities must apply for and become designated before they can recruit and endorse qualified candidates. Temporary foreign workers who have a job offer from an Alberta employer in a designated community, and an endorsement letter from a designated community, can then apply for an AAIP nomination. Communities can also endorse refugees who qualify under the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) with the support of a non-governmental referral partner. Referral partners help EMPP candidates with the AAIP application process.
Note: New guidelines in place
Streams for entrepreneurs
The AAIP has 4 streams for entrepreneurs who plan to live in Alberta and buy or start a business in the province:
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Entrepreneurs who want to start a business or buy an existing business in a rural Alberta community can submit an Expression of Interest.
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International graduates of approved Alberta post-secondary institutions who want to start a business or buy an existing business can submit an Expression of Interest.
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Experienced farmers who plan to buy or start a farm in Alberta can apply for nomination.
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Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream
Foreign graduates who have a degree from a post-secondary institution outside of Canada and want to launch a start-up enterprise and innovative business can work with a designated agency to submit an Expression of Interest.
Canada announces new pilot programs to support caregivers and Canadian families, intends to make the caregivers program permanent
Date modified: June 3, 2024—Toronto
Caregivers from abroad are invaluable to Canadian families. Their hard work makes a difference in the lives of those they care for, including children, seniors and persons with disabilities.
As the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and the Home Support Worker Pilot come to a close later this month, the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, today announced new, enhanced caregiver pilots. This will allow caregivers to continue to come to Canada, as we work toward making the caregiver pilot programs permanent.
The new pilot programs will provide home care workers with permanent residence (PR) on arrival in Canada. They will also be allowed to work for organizations that provide temporary or parttime care for people who are semi-independent or recovering from an injury or illness. This new pathway means that caregivers can more easily find proper work with reliable employers and have clear, straightforward access to permanent resident status as soon as they arrive in Canada.
Through these new pilot programs, candidates interested in working in Canada’s home care sector will be eligible to apply if they meet the following criteria:
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attain a minimum of level 4 based on the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB)
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hold the equivalent of a Canadian high school diploma
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have recent and relevant work experience
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receive an offer for a full-time home care job
These new PR on arrival pilot programs mark an important step forward in Canada’s efforts to meet the evolving home care needs of its diverse population. More information will be available before the full launch of the pilots, including full eligibility criteria and details on how to apply.