www.alberta.ca/aaip-updates
Alberta Opportunity Stream and Rural Renewal Stream nominee applicants may be eligible to receive a letter of support to seek a maximum 2-year, open work permit from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The ‘Temporary Public Policy to Facilitate Work Permits for Prospective Provincial Nominee Program Candidates’ signed with the Federal government applies to Alberta Opportunity Stream and Rural Renewal Stream nominee applicants who:
- were waiting for a final decision on their application as of August 26, 2024, and who held a valid work permit with an expiry date between May 7 and December 31, 2024, at the time of application
- had their application declined between May 7 and August 26, 2024, on the sole basis that their work permit had expired in 2024
Applicants cannot apply to participate in this initiative. The AAIP will complete an initial assessment to determine which nominee candidates are eligible. Applicants will need to demonstrate they are likely to meet minimum requirements for their stream and have a valid Alberta job offer.
Applicants whose work permits have expired will also need to demonstrate they have maintained status during processing or are eligible for restoration of temporary resident status.
Applicants who may benefit from this initiative will be contacted directly by the AAIP. We will email applicants based on the date of work permit expiry declared at the time of application.
Applicants who receive the letter of support from AAIP will be eligible to receive an open work permit valid for up to 2 years. The maximum 2-year work permit extension granted under this policy will help these applicants continue to work and maintain their eligibility for nomination over time. As these nominee applicants will benefit from access to extended employment, the full and final assessment of their eligibility for a nomination will not occur until 2025, at the earliest.
This new policy will allow us to focus on making final decisions on AAIP applications with work permits that expired between January 1, 2024 and May 6, 2024, and applications with work permits expiring in early 2025. We will prioritize this work for the rest of the 2024 calendar year within remaining allocation spaces.
