Overview
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Strategy is a flexible new strategy to attract and support skilled newcomers. With global skills and talent, these international entrepreneurs and skilled professionals will help diversify the provincial economy and create jobs.
The strategy includes the implementation of the Fairness for Newcomers Action Plan and key actions to enhance the immigration system – from pre-arrival to settlement and integration. It is based on extensive consultation from policy experts, employers, representatives from regional and municipal governments, post-secondary institutions, immigrant-serving organizations and newcomers.
As part of the strategy, we are renaming the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program to the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program to help promote Alberta’s reputation and benefits as an attractive place when choosing where to work and raise a family.
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Strategy supports Alberta's Recovery Plan by creating more opportunities for people to come to Alberta, start businesses and enrich our communities.
Strategy document
Alberta's opportunity
Immigration is part of the great story of Alberta. For decades, our province has welcomed tens of thousands of people from all over the world, attracted by the chance to build better lives and pursue their dreams.
Under the current immigration system, Albertans do not benefit from immigration to the largest extent possible. According to the Conference Board of Canada, some 524,000 new Canadians would earn as much as $12.7 billion more, and pay more taxes, if their learning credentials were fully recognized.
To support Alberta’s long-term economic recovery and growth, it is vital for us to continue building a diverse and skilled population with a vibrant and healthy economy. We must maximize the talents of newcomers who can support actions to put unemployed and under-employed Albertans back to work.
For this reason, we are committing to capitalize on the benefits immigration can bring to all communities in our province – including innovation, diversification and job creation. New Albertans should be able to contribute their entrepreneurial drive and unique talents to building businesses and creating new opportunities in urban and rural Alberta.
Key actions
The strategy includes the following examples of key actions from before and after a newcomer arrives in Alberta that support one or more of the strategy’s goals and outcomes.
We will determine specific actions as we work with stakeholders to implement new immigration streams and the Fairness to Newcomers Action Plan.
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Immigrant attraction and selection- Creating synergies between the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program and the International Qualification Assessment Service (IQAS).
- Launching an Alberta Advantage Immigration Program online portal to facilitate an online application process.
- Launching the Accelerated Tech Pathway to fast track permanent residence for tech professionals who want to live and work in Alberta.
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Settlement and integration supports- Helping to build capacity for small/rural communities to welcome, attract and retain newcomers.
- Supporting innovative ways of delivering settlement services and developing new knowledge or strategies for newcomer integration.
- Establishing new multicultural programming to recognize the contribution and diversity that newcomers bring to Alberta and our communities.
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Collaboration and networking- Developing communities of practice to share best practices.
- Creating new tools and resources on immigration to raise information and awareness levels in Alberta communities.
- Creating new concierge services for communities and stakeholders to identify, attract and retain new Albertans.
- Gathering, sharing and using data and information to make evidence-based decisions about the system.
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Foreign qualification recognition and assessment- Prioritizing immigrants in Alberta for credential assessment to increase the confidence of job creators.
- Expediting credential assessments for those with job offers to help job creators fill positions quickly and shorten the recognition process for those applying for professional license.
- Promoting the commencement of licensure processes to potential newcomers before arrival.
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Federal government advocacy- Pursuing greater autonomy and flexibility in operating the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program.
- Advocating for federal program alignment with provincial needs.
- Expediting federal processing of provincial nominee applications.
- Working towards a minimum target of 65% of all annual admissions to be in the economic category.
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Outreach, engagement and promotion- Providing information about programs and settlement supports that are available to enable smooth transitions and help newcomers and their new communities succeed.
- Providing profiles and data about Alberta’s regions, communities and demographics so that potential newcomers have a better understanding of our society.
- Creating opportunities for industrial and business investment, so that potential newcomers can easily identify, plan and pursue entrepreneurial activities that create jobs.
- Providing information about chronic gaps in the labour market that need to be filled in various occupations and various locations across the province.
News
- Boosting economic recovery through immigration (February 16, 2022)