Fact: New Canadians with very strong family connections in Canada are more likely to succeed and stay back in the country than those without families.

This is what the Alberta Government has capitalized upon today by dedicating 25% of its Express entry stream nominations to potential immigrants with skills in high demand occupations and having a strong family connection such as a parent, child or sibling living in Alberta. This is a certainly a good boost to the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP).

What is the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program?

According to the Alberta Government website, the “Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), formerly the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program, is an economic immigration program that nominates people for permanent residence in Alberta. Nominees must have skills to fill job shortages or be planning to buy or start a business in Alberta. They must also be able to provide for their families. The program is run by the governments of Alberta and Canada. If you are nominated through the program, you may apply for permanent residence status together with your spouse or common-law partner, and dependent children.”

What are those In-demand Occupations?

0631 Restaurant and food service managers

2173 Software engineers and designers

2175 Web designers and developers

7245 Telecommunications line and cable workers

7511 Transport truck drivers

0112 Human resources managers

0113 Purchasing managers

0621 Retail and wholesale trade managers

0632 Accommodation service managers

0711 Construction managers

1215 Supervisors, supply chain, tracking and scheduling co-ordination occupations

1221 Administrative officers

1223 Human resources and recruitment officers

1252 Health information management occupations

1311 Accounting technicians and bookkeepers

1431 Accounting and related clerks

1521 Shippers and receivers

1525 Dispatchers

1526 Transportation route and crew schedulers

2147 Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)

2282 User support technicians

3012 Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses

3124 Allied primary health practitioners

3141 Audiologists and speech-language pathologists

3142 Physiotherapists

3214 Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists

3234 Paramedical occupations

6211 Retail sales supervisors

6311 Food service supervisors

6321 Chefs

6341 Hairstylists and barbers

6552 Other customer and information services representatives

6622 Store shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers

7205 Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers

7231 Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors

7252 Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers

7281 Bricklayers

7282 Concrete finishers

7291 Roofers and shinglers

7292 Glaziers

7295 Floor covering installers

7311 Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics

7312 Heavy-duty equipment mechanics

7522 Public works maintenance equipment operators and related workers

9432 Pulp mill machine operators

9462 Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers

What’s in it for Alberta?

Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Trade, Immigration and Multiculturalism explains:

AAIP’s change will draw workers in high-demand sectors through Express Entry who have immediate family ties in Alberta. This (new) approach will help ensure Alberta’s economy will prosper by dedicating a portion of provincial nominations towards in-demand workers who will have a great support network right from day one.

What should you do next?

Act NOW. Don’t delay. Schedule a consultation with a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant and discuss your unique situation.