Alberta AAIP Accelerated Tech Pathway

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: