The Graduate Entrepreneur Stream allows the AAIP to nominate qualified international graduates from Alberta post-secondary institutions who want to establish or operate a business in Alberta to apply for permanent residence.
Age
Language
Have a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 7 for each English language skill or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) of 7 for each French language skill: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Official test results must be less than 2 years old at the time your EOI is submitted.
Education in Canada
Have 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.
Work/Business Experience
Have a minimum of 6 months of full-time work experience that can be a combination of actively managing or owning the business or equivalencies. Equivalencies include experience with a business incubator or business accelerator, or completion of entrepreneurship program courses.*
Work experience can be acquired:
- from outside Canada or within Canada
- before or after completing Alberta education
- Alberta education credential used to meet both education and work experience criteria must cover the minimum required duration for both education and work experience.
Work Permit / Temporary Permits
Have a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which is valid at the time of your Expression of Interest (EOI) submission.
Adaptability / Accompanying members
Relatives in Province
You, or your spouse or common-law partner, have one or more of the following relatives living full-time in Alberta: father, step-father, mother, step-mother, child, step-child, sister, step-sister, brother, step-brother
Ineligibility
You Are Not Eligible to Apply Under the Graduate Entrepreneur Stream If:
- You have an active nomination which has not expired and/or is eligible for extension under another AAIP stream. Candidates are only eligible for one AAIP Nomination Certificate.
- You have been issued a letter on a previous AAIP application that stated you are not eligible to re-apply to the AAIP for a specified period of time. If you apply during the specified period, it will be declined.
- You have a removal order issued against you by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) or Canada Border Services Agency.
- You are a refugee claimant or an individual involved in a federal appeal or removal process. The AAIP does not intervene in the federal refugee claim, appeal, or removal process.
- You are a foreign national living or working in Canada with no valid temporary resident status.
- Your business is on the list of ineligible businesses below.
Ineligible Businesses
- Any business in contravention of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations (for example, immigration-linked investment schemes or passive investment).
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Businesses without a value-add economic component, including:
- Pay day loan, cheque cashing, and related businesses.
- Businesses trading in used goods.
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Businesses that would be considered passive investment and/or lack active management, including:
- Property rental, investment, and leasing activities.
- Real estate development or brokerage, insurance brokerage, or business brokerage.
- Coin-operated businesses, including laundromats and car wash operations.
- Project-based or seasonal businesses.
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Home-based businesses, including:
- Businesses that are not zoned for commercial or industrial operations.
- Bed-and-breakfasts and lodging houses.
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Businesses that are part of a succession plan. This includes businesses that:
- Are owned or operated by a close relative of the candidate.
- Were previously owned or operated by a current or former AAIP entrepreneur stream candidates/nominees within the past 4 years.
- Have changed ownership in the past 3 years prior to Graduate Entrepreneur Stream application.
- Businesses involved in producing, distributing, or selling pornography or sexually explicit products or services, or providing sexually oriented services.
- Any other type of business that by association would tend to bring the AAIP and the Government of Alberta into disrepute.
Business Establishment
Must establish a new business or buy an existing business in Alberta with a minimum 34% ownership. The proposed business type must not be on the list of ineligible businesses.
Candidates are not required to establish a business in Alberta until their Business Application is approved by the AAIP. Find resources on how to establish a business in Alberta, including supports and services related to business plan development, business start-up, and business loans.
Business Partners must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents.
Application Period
Graduate Entrepreneur Stream approximate average processing times:
- Expression of Interest scoring (between submitting the EOI and scoring is completed) : 1 month
- Business Application decision (between submitting the full Business Application and receiving the approval) : 5 months
- Final report and nomination (between submitting the final report and receiving a final decision on nomination) : 4 months
Application Fee
The fee for this stream is set at 3,500 CAD
Submission of Application
Step 1
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All candidates must review the eligibility criteria and ensure the criteria has been met, and then register an Expression of Interest (EOI). This involves filling in forms and uploading supporting documentation, such as:
- GE Business Proposal Summary
- Net Worth Worksheet
This allows them to be included in the pool of candidates and be assigned a score out of 125 points based on their specific factors. The AAIP will review and score the EOI within 30 days.
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If selected by the AAIP, the candidate must submit a Business Application, which includes:
- A Business Plan Evaluation Report
- Possibly a Qualified Service Provider Report to assess the candidate’s net worth and business investment by an approved service provider
Deadlines can be found in the Required Supporting Documents section.
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If the processing of the application is successful, the candidate must sign a Business Performance Agreement, committing to:
- Investment amounts and timelines for commitments
- Number and types of jobs created for Canadian citizens or permanent residents
- Mandatory business milestones and achievements
The candidate must sign, scan, and email the Business Performance Agreement to the AAIP within 14 days.
If the Business Application is declined:
- The candidate will receive an email decision letter explaining the reasons for the decline.
- If an error in the assessment can be demonstrated, the candidate may appeal by submitting a Request for Reconsideration.
- Once all parties have signed the Business Performance Agreement, the AAIP will provide a Business Application Approval Letter.
Step 2
Upon receiving the Business Application Approval Letter, candidates are required to:
- Reside in Alberta
- Actively own and operate an eligible business in Alberta with at least 34% ownership for at least 12 months
- Meet the conditions of the Business Performance Agreement signed with the Government of Alberta
- Demonstrate that the business is operating successfully by generating products or services after one year of operation
Once the conditions of the Business Performance Agreement are met, candidates must:
- Submit a Start-up Report to the AAIP within 30 days of the Business Application Approval Letter issuance.
- Submit a Business Progress Report every 6 months after the Business Application Approval Letter issuance. If more time is needed to meet the conditions, candidates must request changes to the Business Performance Agreement.
Additional Notes:
- The AAIP may request evidence to confirm conditions are being met, and there is no guarantee that requests for changes to the Business Performance Agreement will be approved.
- If the candidate needs to extend their work permit, they must submit a Request for a 205(a) Letter of Support to the AAIP within 90 days of the work permit expiry. This request is subject to a $100 service fee and will be reviewed case by case.
Step 3
If the Final Report for Nomination is approved:
- The candidate will receive an email copy of the nomination certificate.
- The AAIP will send:
- A nomination certificate to IRCC
- A nomination letter to the candidate, explaining how to apply for permanent residency through the IRCC Centralized Intake Office (CIO)
- The candidate must continue to meet the conditions of the Business Performance Agreement during the AAIP nomination assessment.
- Candidates can use their nomination to renew their work permit or request a one-time nomination extension if the requirements are met. This request is subject to a $100 service fee.
If the Final Report for Nomination is declined:
- The candidate will receive an email decision letter explaining the reasons for the decline.
- If an error in the assessment can be demonstrated, the candidate may appeal by submitting a Request for Reconsideration.
Link to portal to submit application
Maximum points required
Total maximum points – 125