Alberta Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream

What are the eligibility requirements for the Alberta Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream?

• Education Requirements: To be eligible for the Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream, applicants must have completed a post-secondary degree and obtained an Education Credential Assessment (ECA) report demonstrating its equivalence to a Canadian credential. The foreign degree must have been obtained within the last ten years from the time of Expression of Interest (EOI) submission.
• Work Experience: Applicants must possess at least six months of full-time relevant work experience. This can be demonstrated through experience as an active business owner/manager, manager, or through experience with a business incubator or accelerator.
• Business Establishment: To qualify for this stream, applicants must establish a new business or purchase an existing business in Alberta. If the business is located in an urban area, the candidate must have at least 34% ownership, while businesses located outside of Calgary or Edmonton require at least 51% ownership.
• Key Sectors: The business must operate in one of the following key or priority sectors: technology, aerospace, financial services, energy, agriculture, tourism, life sciences, or pharmaceuticals.

Alberta Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream Application Procedure

The Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream operates on a Points-based Expression of Interest (EOI) system. Eligible candidates can register their profile on the AINP online portal, following which their score will be assessed and ranked against other applicants using the FGES Points Grid. Only the highest-ranking candidates will be invited to submit a complete Business Application within 90 days of being notified by AINP.

The Business Application must be reviewed by a designated agency and Qualified Service Provider as part of the evaluation process and is subject to a non-refundable CAD 3,500 application fee. Upon approval of the Business Application, candidates must sign a legally binding Business Performance Agreement with the province of Alberta, which outlines the conditions for receiving a nomination for permanent residence.

Once all parties have signed the agreement, Alberta will issue a Business Application Approval Letter, which requires the candidate to reside and operate their business in the province for at least 12 months before submitting a final report for AINP nomination. Upon receiving a provincial nomination, the applicant has a six-month period to submit their federal application for Canadian permanent residence, which must be completed using a paper-based application process and submitted by mail to the relevant application center. The processing time for paper-based PNP applications for permanent residence is typically 18 months.