Alberta PNP will give priority to candidates with immediate family ties in the province
Alberta’s government recently announced that it is making changes to the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), formerly the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program. The AAIP is an economic immigration program that nominates people to work and live in Alberta permanently. Moreover, it offers several streams for foreign workers and for entrepreneurs who plan to live in the province.
According to the province, the changes will increase opportunities for international, high-demand workers with close relatives in Alberta. “If newcomers have an established support system already in place when they accept a job in the province, they are more likely to have an easier transition to a new culture and community,” said the government of Alberta. In addition, it also helps retain these workers over the longer term.
“AAIP’s change will draw workers in high-demand sectors through Express Entry who have immediate family ties in Alberta. This approach will help ensure Alberta’s economy will prosper by dedicating a portion of provincial nominations towards in-demand workers who will have a great support network right from day one.”
Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Trade, Immigration and Multiculturalism
Please note that in-demand sectors include healthcare, construction, education, technology and engineering.
<<The Alberta immigration program and its streams>>
Addressing labour shortages in key sectors
The government of Alberta pointed out that even though the province’s economy has recovered strongly, the biggest issue they continue to face is a shortage of labour.
Currently, Alberta has 100,000 job openings in the province across all sectors. Also, industry experts predict that Alberta will experience skilled worker shortages into 2025 due to industry growth and retiring workers.
“With job vacancies high and unemployment relatively low, the labour market in Alberta is the tightest we’ve seen in years, and skilled immigration is one of the best ways we can address the labour shortages affecting the majority of Alberta employers. Maximizing the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program is a win for Alberta’s economy, addressing many of the labour gaps and attracting more people to the province.”
Adam Legge, President, Business Council of Alberta
<<Alberta: New Immigration Tech Pathway>>
Other important facts about Alberta
- In December 2022, Alberta gained more than 41,000 new full-time jobs for a total of nearly 94,000 full-time jobs in 2022. 221,000 full-time jobs have been added in Alberta since the start of 2021.
- Alberta is forecasting a cumulative job shortage of 33,100 workers by 2025 across several occupations, skill levels and sectors
- In 2022, AAIP issued the 6,500 nomination certificates that were allocated by IRCC to skilled and semi-skilled immigrants across seven immigration streams. Moreover, 3,120 certificates were allocated under the Alberta Express Entry Stream.
Related Articles
- Alberta launches new campaign to bring skilled workers from Toronto and Vancouver
- Immigration under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) to Canada
- Alberta lifts restrictions on hiring new temporary foreign workers
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