Compulsory and Optional Trades Category
This category is open to supervisors, foremen and tradespersons who are working in a compulsory or optional trade in the province of Alberta.
Minimum Requirements
Applicants may be eligible if they meet the following requirements:

• Intend to live and work in Alberta permanently;
• Have one of the following:
  • An Alberta Qualification Certificate in a compulsory or optional trade, or
  • An Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) Recognized Trade Certificate in a compulsory or optional trade.
• Be residing in Alberta at the time of application on a valid work permit
• Show, at time of application, that they are either:
  • Currently working in their trade for an Alberta employer, or
  • Have been working in their trade for an Alberta employer for minimum 6 months in past 3 years.

Engineering Occupations Category
This category is open to engineers, designers, and drafters in a variety of fields. In order to apply, an individual’s occupation must among the following:

• NOC 0211 (Engineering Managers)
• NOC 2131 (Civil Engineers)
• NOC 2132 (Mechanical Engineers)
• NOC 2133 (Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
• NOC 2134 (Chemical Engineers)
• NOC 2141 (Industrial and Manufacturing Engineers)
• NOC 2143 (Mining Engineers)
• NOC 2144 (Geological Engineers)
• NOC 2145 (Petroleum Engineers)
• NOC 2231 (Civil Engineering Technologists/Technicians)
• NOC 2232 (Mechanical Engineering Technologists/Technicians)
• NOC 2241 (Electrical/Electronics Engineering Technologists/Technicians)
• NOC 2253 (Drafting Technologists/Technicians)

Minimum Requirements
Applicants may be eligible if they meet the following requirements:

• Intend to live and work in Alberta permanently;
• Be currently residing in Alberta;
• Have evidence of education/training and experience as an engineer, designer or drafter; and
• Currently be working or have worked in last two years in Alberta for an Alberta employer.

Applicants with credentials who are working in one of the following occupations must provide a ‘Letter of No Objection’ from the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA), or show that they are registered with APEGA.

• NOCs: 0211, 2131, 2132, 2133, 2134, 2141, 2143, 2144, and 2145

Professionals working in the following occupations do not need a ‘Letter of No Objection’:

• NOCs 2231, 2232, 2241, and 2253

Engineers whose occupation is not on the list may be eligible to submit an application through the AINP Skilled Worker Category.
Post-Graduate Worker Category
Students who graduated from an eligible post-secondary educational institution in Alberta, and who are residing in the province on a Post-Graduation Work Permit, may apply to this program.
Minimum Requirements
Applicants may be eligible if they meet the following requirements:

• Intend to live and work in Alberta permanently;
• Be working full-time in Alberta for an Alberta employer at the time of application;
• Have obtained a certificate, diploma, degree or graduate level program from an approved institution. The completed program of study in Alberta must be at least one year long; and
• Hold a valid Post-Graduation Work Permit.

Skilled Worker Category
Minimum Requirements for Employers
In order to be eligible under the Alberta Skilled Worker Category, employers must:

• Be incorporated or registered in Canada and operating in Alberta;
• Offer a job that is in an occupation classified as skill level NOC 0, A, or B;
• Provide a job offer to the candidate that meets Alberta's employment and wage standards;
• Provide a job offer to the candidate that does not conflict with existing collective bargaining agreements. The AINP will not approve an application if there is a labour dispute in progress that may involve, directly or indirectly, either the employer or the candidate;
• Receive a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) for the job they are offering to the applicant. Some occupations or candidates may be exempt from the LMIA requirement;
• If the worker is not currently working in Alberta, must demonstrate that efforts have been made to recruit in Canada before offering job to the applicant;
• Meet additional requirements if the applicant is an Early Childhood Educator or Childcare Staff

Minimum Requirements for Applicants
In addition, applicants must:

• Intend to live and work in Alberta permanently;
• Have related training, work experience, and any necessary licensing to perform the job in Alberta;
• Show valid work permit if already working in Alberta;
• Show proof of legal status if living abroad;
• Meet additional requirements if they are Early Childhood Educators or Childcare Staff

Additional Criteria for Early Childhood Educators and Childcare Staff
In addition to the minimum requirements listed above, employers of early childhood educators and childcare staff must:

• Be accredited with the Alberta Association for the Accreditation of Early Learning and Care Service;
• Be approved for funding under the Alberta Child Care Accreditation Funding Program

Early childhood educator and childcare staff applicants must also:

• Have a valid work permit under the NOC code 4214;
• Be currently residing in Alberta;
• Have completed a minimum of high school education
• Be a certified Child Development Worker (Level 2) or Child Development Supervisor (Level 3) through the Alberta Human Services Child Care Staff Certification Office;
• Be employed by a pre/accredited daycare program or family day home agency for a minimum of six months.

International Graduate Category
This category was created for individuals who graduated from a Canadian post-secondary institution and have received a full-time, permanent job offer from an Alberta employer. Both the employer and the targeted employee must be deemed eligible in order to submit an application.
Minimum Requirements for Employers
To be eligible under the Alberta International Graduate category, employers must:

• Be incorporated or registered in Canada and operating in Alberta;
• Offer a job to the applicant that meets provincial employment standards;
  • In addition, the job offer must not conflict with collective bargaining (union) agreements
• Offer a job that is in an occupation classified as NOC 0, A, B or C level. Ineligible occupations can be viewed here.
• Demonstrate that wages being offered are consistent with industry standards

Minimum Requirements for Applicants
Additionally, applicants must:

• Intend to live and work in Alberta permanently;
• Be working in Alberta full-time for the employer supporting their application;
  • The current occupation must be the same as the occupation listed on the AINP application. It must fall into an NOC 0, A, B, or C level.
• Have completed a certificate, diploma, degree or graduate level program from an eligible institution in Alberta or Canada;
  • The completed program of study must have been at least one year long.
• Hold a valid Post-Graduation Work Permit.
• If working in an NOC C level occupation, must submit language test score results.

Semi-Skilled Worker Category
Minimum Requirements for Employers
In order to be eligible under the Alberta Semi-Skilled Worker category, employers must:

• Be incorporated or registered in Canada and operating in Alberta;
• Operate in one of the five industries currently eligible under this category:
  • Food and Beverage Processing,
  • Hotel and Lodging,
  • Manufacturing,
  • Long-Haul Trucking,
  • Food Services.
• Provide a permanent, full-time job offer in an eligible occupation (see below);
• Job offer must meet Alberta employment and wage standards
• Job offer must not conflict with collective bargaining (union) agreements
• Receive a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) for the position being offered to the applicant;
• For the occupation of Front Desk Agent/Clerk (NOC 6525), if the applicant is working for the employer on a Post-Graduation Work Permit, no LMIA is required;
• Provide a settlement and retention plan for the individual applicant.

Minimum Requirements for Applicants
To be eligible, applicants must: 

• Be currently working in Alberta on a valid work permit in an eligible occupation (see below);
• Demonstrate that they have at least a high school level education;
• Submit language test results;
• Meet additional criteria for the specific industry (see below).

Industry-Specific Criteria
Food and Beverage Processing
In addition to the requirements listed above, employers must:

• Operate an agricultural-based industrial food processing plant. Retail establishments are not eligible;
• Must demonstrate satisfactory recruitment, employment policies, and retention/settlement plans.

Additionally, applicants must:

• Complete an interview with a staff member of the Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (AARD);
• Have a total of three years full-time industry work experience in home country;
• Be employed in Alberta for a minimum of six months before applying to the AINP.

Eligible occupations:

• Food and Beverage Production Worker (NOC 9617)
• Bakery Production Worker (NOC 9617)
• Food and Beverage Processing Equipment Cleaner (NOC 9617)
• Industrial Butchers and Meat Cutters (NOC 9462)
• Poultry Production Workers (NOC 9462)

Hotel and Lodging
Employers must also:

• Be a member in good standing with the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA);
• Be aware of the maximum number of allocations per calendar year for Food and Beverage Servers and Room Attendants, which is based on the total number of rooms at a property. Allocations are as follows:
  • 1 - 50 rooms: 2 allocations per year
  • 51 - 100 rooms: 4 per year
  • 101 - 150 rooms: 6 per year
  • 151 - 200 rooms: 8 per year
  • 201- 250 rooms: 10 per year
  • 251 - 350 rooms: 12 per year
  • 351 - 400 rooms: 14 per year
  • 401 - 450 rooms: 16 per year
  • 451+ rooms: 18 per year
• Be aware of the maximum of one allocation per property, per calendar year for the occupation of Front Desk Agent/Clerk.
• Demonstrate satisfactory recruitment strategies, employment policies, and retention/settlement plans to qualify for allocations.

In addition, applicants must:

• Have a total of three years of work experience in the hotel and lodging industry;
• Be employed in Alberta for a minimum of six months before applying to the AINP.

Eligible occupations:

• Food and Beverage Servers (NOC 6513)
• Room Attendants (NOC 6731)
• Front Desk Agent/Clerk (NOC 6525)

Manufacturing
Employers must:

• Demonstrate satisfactory recruitment, employment policies and retention/settlement plans.
• Applicants must:
• Have a minimum of two years industry work experience;
• At least one of two years must have been completed in Canada
• Be employed in Alberta for a minimum of six months before applying to the AINP.

Long-Haul Trucking
In addition to the requirements listed above, employers must:

• Demonstrate satisfactory recruitment strategies, employment policies, and retention/settlement plans to qualify for allocations.
  • Companies will not receive an allocation larger than the number of foreign drivers for which the company has received an LMIA.
• Provide details of recruitment activity and supporting documentation demonstrating that the foreign trained driver is aware of the scope of their employment - this includes:
  • duration of long-haul trips taken
  • mileage
  • normal amount of days away from home
  • anticipated annual salary.
• Show that the applicant has received training in Alberta
• Show that the applicant has prior driving training and related professional experience.

Applicants must:

• Be currently working for the supporting employer as a long-haul truck driver;
• Have a valid Alberta Class 1 driver's license;
• Provide a copy of his/her foreign driver's license which indicates C+E certification (if from Europe);
  •  If not in English, the driver's license must be translated by certified translator.
• Be employed in Alberta for a minimum of six months before applying to the AINP;
• Have sufficient proof of previous professional driving experience and driving related training. 

Eligible occupation:

• Long-Haul Truck Driver (NOC 7511)

Food Services (Pilot Project)
To be eligible, employers must also:

• Demonstrate that the candidate has access to accommodations for 33 percent or less of his/her gross salary;
• Be aware of the maximum of one allocation per restaurant location for one of the three eligible occupations (see below); 
• Sign an Employer Compliance Declaration Form and include it in the application;

In addition, applicants must:

• Have three years of work experience in the food services industry;
• Be employed in Alberta for a minimum of nine months before applying to the AINP.

Eligible occupations:

• Food and Beverage Servers (NOC 6513)
• Food Counter Attendants (NOC 6711)
• Kitchen Helpers (NOC 6711)

Minimum Requirements
Self-employed farmers must meet the following minimum requirements in order to be eligible to apply to this stream:

• Prove that they have farm management skills with:
  • Financial documentation of existing farm business;
  • Proof of education, training, and/or work experience;
  • A proposed business plan for Alberta farm; and
  • Proof that a Canadian financial institution will finance farming venture in Alberta.
• Prove that they have sufficient financial resources for this venture:
  • Show ability to invest a minimum of $500,000 of equity in primary production farming business in Alberta;
  • Show a minimum net worth of $500,000 or confirmation of access to similar funds; and
  • $500,000 is a minimum amount. A larger amount may be required to demonstrate investment ability.
• Prove that they will invest in a primary production farming business in Alberta:
  • Document investment intentions with proposed business plan; and
  • Be aware that applications that show greatest opportunity for growth of Alberta's agri-food targets will be given priority.