Graduate Entrepreneur Stream (Alberta)

Qualified international graduates from Alberta post-secondary institutions who want to start or operate a business can apply for PR.

Requirements:

  1. Education: Completed at least two years of full-time education resulting in a degree or diploma from an Alberta Advanced Education publicly funded post-secondary institution.
  2. Work Permit: Possess a valid PGWP from IRCC at the time of Expression of Interest (EOI) submission.
  3. Language: Minimum CLB level 7 for each English skill or NCLC level 7 for each French skill.
  4. Business Establishment: Establish or buy a business in Alberta with at least 34% ownership. The business type must not be on the ineligible list. Business partners must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents.

Factors that Increase Chances:

  1. Work Experience: Minimum of 6 months of full-time experience in managing or owning a business or equivalent experiences (incubators, accelerators, entrepreneurship programs). Can be acquired in or outside Canada, before or after Alberta education.
  2. Economic Benefit: Providing economic benefits to Alberta through job creation, economic sector contributions, rural business location, business succession, investment, developed intellectual property, or partnerships/supports from incubators, accelerators, venture capital, or angel investors.
  3. Age: Between 21 to 49 years old.
  4. Spouse: Your spouse or common-law partner must have at least one of the following:
    • 1 year of continuous full-time employment in Alberta
    • 2 years of full-time study at an Alberta post-secondary institution
    • Minimum CLB 5 in English or NCLC 5 in French in all language abilities
  5. Alberta Relative: You or your spouse/common-law partner have a relative living full-time in Alberta (parent, child, sibling, step-parent, step-sibling, step-child).

Process:

  1. Assess eligibility.
  2. Submit EOI.
  3. If requested by the AAIP, submit a Business Application.
  4. Receive a nomination certificate.
  5. Keep operating the business in Alberta while waiting for the PR application.

FAQs:

How much should I invest?

You can invest CAD 25,000. The more you invest, the higher your score will be. 

I meet the minimum requirement; will I receive a nomination certificate?

Meeting the minimum requirements is just the beginning. While it might give you a lower chance of selection, it’s important to start your application as soon as you qualify. As you manage your business in Alberta, you can accumulate points and improve your chances of being selected for nomination.

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