AAIP answers for common questions

• Candidates are invited to apply based on a combination of points score, Alberta labour market needs, application volumes and available AAIP nominations.
• While important, the points grid is not the only consideration.
• Draws are conducted by occupations or sectors in demand or other aspects, regardless of an candidate's points score.

• We evaluate claimed points twice: when a candidate is invited to apply and when we assess the application for nomination. 
• Any discrepancies in claimed points may result in cancellation of an invitation or decline of an application. This is to ensure a fair process.
• There is no guarantee an invitation to apply will be issued or an application will be processed in the candidate’s preferred timeline.  
• Regardless of how points are obtained, candidates must also meet all criteria for the stream or pathway of invitation.

Education points are awarded based on the highest level of education only, whether obtained in Canada or internationally.

• Candidates do not get points for any lower credentials they also have, whether earned in Canada or outside Canada.
   

If an individual completed their highest educational credential outside Canada, they must base their education selection on their  Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report obtained from an organization designated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

• If they have lower education obtained in Canada, they cannot claim additional points for education in Alberta or elsewhere in Canada.

Candidates cannot claim education points for secondary school credentials or educational credentials that are lower than the secondary school level, regardless of where they were completed.

• This includes high school diploma, Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC), or the General Educational Development (GED) completed in Alberta or Canada.
   

To claim points for the highest level of education in Canada, the granting institution must be recognized to ensure the education meets quality standards.

• Institution must appear on Canada’s Designated Institutions List for the sole purpose of claiming points. This does not mean the institution will meet AAIP stream-specific criteria used to evaluate a full application.

• If a candidate completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctorate degree outside or inside Canada and needed it to enrol in a Canadian program, they can claim the post-graduate Canadian program as the highest level of education.
• If the Canadian credential required a: 
  • Bachelor’s degree, claim points for Bachelor’s degree
  • Master’s degree, claim points for Master’s degree
  • Doctorate degree, claim points for Doctorate degree
• The candidate can also claim additional points for completing education in Alberta or elsewhere in Canada. 

Points are provided for job offers outside greater Calgary and Edmonton to support rural economic development through immigration.

• This continues to be an important objective of Alberta’s government and is essential to balancing urban and rural needs.

To claim points, the Alberta job offer must be permanent and non-seasonal full-time employment, not a combination of occupations or seasonal, part-time or casual employment.

• If an individual is invited to apply, they must demonstrate they meet all of AAIP’s Alberta job offer requirements.

• Candidates can claim 6 extra points if they have a job offer from an employer who is a member of a required sector association under the Tourism and Hospitality Stream. 
• The points can be claimed by candidates with a work permit of any kind or without a work permit.
• If invited under the Tourism and Hospitality Stream, candidates must have a work permit for an eligible occupation issued based on:
  • a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), or
  • federal special measures in place July 19, 2024 and November 30, 2024 for those affected by 2024 wildfires