Foreign Graduate Entrepreneurs are nominated for permanent residence in Alberta through an immigration program when they start innovative businesses in the province.
Requirements:
Work Experience
- Minimum 6 months of full-time work experience in actively managing or owning a business or equivalent experience with a business incubator or business accelerator.
Education
- Degree Completion: A degree from a post-secondary institution outside Canada with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) equivalent to a Canadian degree.
- The degree must have been completed within the last 10 years at the time of Expression of Interest (EOI) submission.
Business Plan
- A business plan with projected financials. Refer to the Business Plan Guidelines.
Pitch Deck
- A 10-minute presentation (slides only) outlining the proposed business venture.
Language Proficiency
- Minimum CLB 5 for each English language skill or NCLC 5 for each French language skill.
- Acceptable tests include:
- Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) General Test
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) General Training Test
- Test d’évaluation de français (TEF) Canada
- Test de connaissance du français (TCF) Canada
- Official test results must be less than two years old at the time of EOI submission.
Business Establishment
- Ownership: Minimum 34% ownership if the business is in an urban centre; minimum 51% ownership if in a regional area outside Calgary and Edmonton.
- Business partners must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents.
- Business must not be on the list of ineligible businesses.
Business Investment
- Minimum $100,000 from the candidate’s (or spouse/common-law partner’s) own equity or recognized Canadian financial institution, venture capital, or angel investment firm for urban centres.
- Minimum $50,000 for regional areas outside Calgary and Edmonton.
- Higher levels of investment will be awarded more points.
Letter of Recommendation
- Must have a letter of recommendation from an AAIP-approved designated agency.
Settlement Funds
- Candidates must demonstrate they have sufficient funds to set up their business and support themselves while on a work permit and launching their start-up.
- Minimum settlement funds are based on the Low-Income Cut-Offs (LICOs) and the number of family members.
Process:
- Assess eligibility.
- Prepare supporting documents, including a business plan, financial documents, and other necessary documents.
- Connect with approved designated agencies and receive a letter of recommendation.
- Submit EOI to AAIP and wait for the request for a 10-minute presentation.
- Submit Business Application upon request by AAIP.
- AAIP reviews the application based on eligibility criteria and EOI points. If nominated, you can apply for an open work permit (if applicable) and/or PR application.
- Start or continue the business while waiting for IRCC to process the PR application.
FAQs:
What are approved designated agencies?Designated agencies promote the Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream and evaluate the entrepreneurial readiness of candidates. They support the development of business plans and recommend suitable graduates for the AAIP. Additionally, they connect graduates to networks and provide ongoing business counselling and guidance as they establish their businesses in Alberta. The approved designated agencies are Elite Global Group Ltd., Empowered Startups, Platform Calgary.
What kind of business can I start?The business plan or pitch deck must indicate the proposed business is connected to one of the following sectors: technology, aerospace, financial services, energy, agriculture, tourism, life sciences, and pharmaceuticals.
If you’re an entrepreneur looking to apply for PR in Alberta, there may be other streams that better fit your situation. Check out our comparison of the three Alberta entrepreneur streams or contact us. We’re dedicated to helping you every step of the way to make sure your application process goes smoothly.
