The Rural Entrepreneur Stream is an economic immigration program. Entrepreneurs who want to start a business or buy an existing business in a rural Alberta community can submit an Expression of Interest.
Age
Language
Have a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 4 for each English language skill or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) of 4 for each French language skill: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Official test results must be less than 2 years old at the time your Expression of Interest is submitted.
Education Outside Canada
Completed a minimum of high school equivalent to the Canadian standard with an Education Credential Assessment (ECA)
Work/Business Experience
Have either a minimum 3 years of experience as an active business owner/manager or a minimum of 4 years of experience as a senior manager within the past 10 years.
Adaptability / Accompanying members
Relatives in Province
Relatives are defined as father, step-father, mother, step-mother, child, step-child, sister, step-sister, brother, step-brother of candidate or spouse or common-law partner
Ineligibility
You are not eligible to apply under the Rural 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 Program for a specified period of time. You will be declined under the Rural Entrepreneur Stream if you apply during the specified period.
- You have a removal order issued against you by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) or Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
- 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.
Ineligible Businesses
- Any business in contravention of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations, for example, immigration-linked investment schemes or passive investment.
- Businesses without a value-add economic component, including:
- Pay day loan, cheque cashing and related businesses.
- Businesses trading in used goods.
- Businesses that would be considered passive investment or lack active management, including:
- Property rental, investment, and leasing activities.
- Real estate development/brokerage, insurance brokerage, or business brokerage.
- Coin-operated businesses, including laundromats and car wash operations.
- Project-based or seasonal businesses.
- Home-based businesses, including:
- Businesses that are not zoned for commercial or industrial operations.
- Bed-and-breakfasts and lodging houses.
- Businesses that are part of a succession plan and:
- Are owned or operated by a relative of the candidate.
- Were previously owned/operated by a current or former AAIP entrepreneur stream candidate/nominee within the past 4 years.
- Have changed ownership within the past 3 years prior to the Rural Entrepreneur Stream Business 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, in the opinion of and as determined by the AAIP.
Net Worth
Minimum net worth of $300,000. All assets must be candidate’s own personal holdings or spouse’s or common-law partner’s.
Business Investment
Minimum investment of $100,000 from candidate’s own (and/or spouse/common-law partner) equity. Higher levels of investment will be awarded more points.
Business Establishment
Minimum ownership of 51% for a new business. Business Partners must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents.
OR
100% ownership for business succession (the succession buy-out must result in a complete change in ownership where the candidate will assume full control of the business).
Business must not be on the list of ineligible businesses.
Resources on how to establish a business in Alberta, including supports and services related to business plan development, business start-up, and business loans are available on the Small business resource page.
Job Creation
New businesses must create at least one full-time job for Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents (not including relatives).
More job creation will be awarded more points. Jobs must be created for Canadian citizens or permanent residents (not including relatives) for a period of at least 6 months.
For business succession, job creation is not required.
Application Period
Rural 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
- Exploratory visit in a rural community with their business contact.
- Obtain Community Support Letter.
- Register an Expression of Interest (EOI).
- If selected by the AAIP, submit a Business Application to the AAIP. A draft of the Business Application will be created in the AAIP portal with the information you provided during your EOI. Make sure you update this information, and upload all the required forms and supporting documents in the AAIP portal and pay the $3,500 non-refundable fee.
- If the processing of the candidate’s application is successful, they must sign a Business Performance Agreement.
- AAIP will provide a Business Application Approval Letter and a 205(a) Letter of Support.
- The candidate must submit their application for a work permit to IRCC within 3 months. The candidate must arrive in Alberta within 12 months of receiving the Business Application Approval Letter and is required to reside in Alberta and meet the conditions of the Business Performance Agreement.
- Must submit an Arrival Report to the AAIP within 30 days and Business Progress Report every 6 months.
- If successful, candidates will be issued a provincial nomination by the AAIP.
-
Apply for permanent residence to IRCC within 6 months of receiving the nomination. The candidate needs to apply on paper to IRCC and include documents received by the AAIP.
International entrepreneurs who currently own and operate a business in Alberta and are eligible for this stream can still apply, but the established business must have operated in Alberta for at least one year.
Instead of being issued a Business Performance Agreement, the AAIP will directly issue the candidate a nomination certificate. They are only required to operate their business in Alberta while they go through the permanent residence application process with IRCC.
Link to portal to submit application
Maximum points required
Total maximum points – 175