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Alberta’s AAIP Accelerated Tech Pathway is a stream of the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) for Express Entry candidates who are currently working for an Alberta employer or hold an Alberta job offer in one of 38 in-demand tech occupations.

Candidates who are selected through the AAIP Accelerated Tech Pathway receive expedited processing on their applications.

The AAIP Accelerated Tech Pathway is an initiative launched in 2022 in an effort to strengthen Alberta’s workforce by providing a fast-track to permanent residence to highly skilled tech workers who want to live and work in Alberta.

Check your eligibility for the AAIP Accelerated Tech Pathway

In order to be eligible for the AAIP Accelerated Tech Pathway, candidates must meet the criteria listed below.

Notably, the AAIP Accelerated Tech Pathway does not list any requirements for language proficiency or education. However, all candidates must have active Express Entry profiles which include their own minimum requirements for language and education.

Active Express Entry Profile

Candidates must have an active profile in the federal Express Entry pool with a minimum CRS score of 300 points. Candidates with Express Entry profiles that expire within the next three months may be less likely to be asked to submit an application.

Alberta employment or job offer

Candidates must meet one of the following two criteria:

  1. Current employment in Alberta: Be working full-time in Alberta in an eligible tech occupation for an employer in an eligible industry (see below).
  2. Alberta job offer: Have a job offer for full-time employment based in Alberta in an eligible tech occupation for an employer in an eligible industry (see below).

To meet the employment requirement, candidates must submit a current Alberta employment contract or job offer signed by the Alberta employer that provides:

  • Continuous paid full-time employment (at least 30 hours per week) for a period of at least 12 months;
  • For work located in Alberta;
  • A base monetary wage or salary that either:
    1. Meets Alberta’s provincial minimum wage; or
    2. Meets or exceeds the requirements set out in the candidate’s LMIA. LMIA exempt workers must meet or exceed the lowest starting wage for their occupation across all industries in Alberta;
  • The candidate must not hold more than 10 percent of the overall voting shares for the business; and
  • Both the occupation and the employer’s industry must be in eligible tech fields — full lists included below.

Primary occupation matches Alberta employment/job offer

The National Occupational Classification code (NOC code) listed as the primary NOC code in a candidate’s Express Entry profile must be the same as the NOC code of the candidate’s current employment in Alberta or Alberta job offer.

Valid immigration status (if applicable)

If a candidate is currently employed in Alberta at the time of their AAIP application, they must have valid immigration status in Alberta (work permit or implied status).

Intention to reside in Alberta

Candidates must have the intention to live and work in Alberta.

Ineligible types of applicants

The following individuals are not eligible to be nominated through the AAIP Accelerated Tech Pathway, even if they meet the criteria listed above. Ineligible types of applicants include:

  • Part-time, casual, or seasonal employees, regardless of their working hours;
  • Independent contractors or temporary agency workers; and
  • Employees who do not work in Alberta, like those who work online from a location outside Alberta or at a premises outside Alberta.

Which occupations are eligible for the AAIP Accelerated Tech Pathway?

In order to be eligible for the AAIP Accelerated Tech Pathway, a candidate’s Alberta occupation must be on the eligible tech occupation list and their Alberta employer must be part of an eligible tech industry.

Check these lists to ensure that your Alberta occupation and employer are both eligible for the AAIP Accelerated Tech Pathway:

Eligible Occupations List — AAIP Accelerated Tech Pathway

AINP Accelerated Tech Pathway — Eligible Occupations List
00012 - Senior managers - financial, communications and other business services
10011 - Human resources managers
10022 - Advertising, marketing and public relations manager
10030 - Telecommunication carriers manager
11200 - Human resources professionals
11202 - Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations
12101 - Human resources and recruitment officers
20010 - Engineering managers
20011 - Architecture and science managers
20012 - Computer and information systems managers
21210 - Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries
21211 - Data scientists
21220 - Cybersecurity specialists
21221 - Business system specialists
21222 - Information systems specialists
21233 - Web designers
21223 - Database analysts and data administrators
21231 - Software engineers and designers
21230 - Computer systems developers and programmers
21232 - Software developers and programmers
21234 - Web developers and programmers
21300 - Civil engineers
21301 - Mechanical engineers
21310 - Electrical and electronics engineers
21311 - Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
22110 - Biological technologists and technicians
22212 - Drafting technologists and technicians
22220 - Computer network and web technicians
22221 - User support technicians
22222 - Information systems testing technicians
22301 - Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
22302 - Industrial engineering and manufacturing technologists and technicians
22310 - Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians
32120 - Medical laboratory technologists
32129 - Other medical technologists and technicians
33101 - Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations
41402 - Business development officers and market researchers and analysts
50011 - Managers – publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts
51120 - Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations
52120 - Graphic designers and illustrators
60010 - Corporate sales managers
72200 - Electricians (except industrial and power system)
72201 - Industrial electricians 72205 Telecommunications equipment installation and cable television service technicians

Eligible Employer Industries — AAIP Accelerated Tech Pathway

Eligible NAICS industry codes: To determine the NAICS code, speak to your Alberta employer and/or do a search by keyword(s) using the search bar on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) website.
AINP Accelerated Tech Pathway — Eligible Employer Industries
2211 Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution
3251 Basic Chemical Manufacturing
3254 Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing
3333 Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing
3341 Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing
3342 Communications Equipment Manufacturing
3343 Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing
3344 Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing
3345 Navigational, Medical and Control Instruments Manufacturing
3346 Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media
3364 Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing
4173 Computer and Communications Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
5112 Software Publishers
5121 Motion Picture and Video Industries
5171 Wired Telecommunications Carrier
5172 Wireless Telecommunications Carrier (except satellite)
5174 Satellite Telecommunications
5179 Other Telecommunications
5182 Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services
5191 Other Information Services
5413 Architectural, Engineering and Related services
5414 Specialized Design Services
5415 Computer Systems Design and Related Services
5417 Scientific Research and Development Services
5419 Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
7115 Independent Artists, Writers and Performers
8112 Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance

How to apply for the AAIP Accelerated Tech Pathway

In order to apply to the AAIP Accelerated Tech Pathway, candidates must begin by filling out the Accelerated Tech Pathway form. This form can be accessed here.

Filling out the form does not guarantee that a candidate will be able to submit an official application for provincial nomination. Rather, the AAIP will review the information submitted in the form and will contact candidates by email if they are deemed eligible to submit an application.

Application details and next steps will be included in the AAIP email.

The AAIP Accelerated Tech Pathway is aligned with the federal Express Entry system. This means that applicants who successfully receive a provincial nomination through this stream will be awarded 600 additional points for their Express Entry CRS score.

A 600-point boost virtually guarantees that an applicant will receive an Express Entry invitation to apply allowing them to apply for Canadian permanent residence through the expedited Express Entry system. IRCC aims to process 80 percent of Express Entry applications in less than 6 months.

If you want to receive the latest news about Canada’s PNPs and other important immigration updates — register for a free Moving2Canada account and sign up for our newsletter!

About the author

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Rebecca Major

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Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant
Rebecca Major is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (R511564) with nearly 15 years of licenced Canadian Immigration experience, gained after graduating with a Bachelor of Laws in the UK. She specializes in Canadian immigration at Moving2Canada.
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