Entrepreneurs and New Businesses Coming To Canada Through Start-Up Visa Program<\/a><\/p>\n
\nInternational Graduate Entrepreneur Immigration Stream<\/h3>\n
The new International Graduate Entrepreneur Stream is already open for Expressions of Interest.<\/p>\n
It is aimed at international graduates from Alberta post-secondary institutions who want to establish or operate a business in the province.<\/p>\n
Candidates must initially establish or operate their business for at least 12 months while in Alberta on a work permit, before being nominated for permanent residence once the terms of a Business Performance Agreement are met.<\/p>\n
\nSteps to Permanent Residence<\/h3>\n
1. Submit an Expression of Interest<\/b><\/p>\n
Candidates who meet eligibility criteria can submit an Expression of Interest. EOIs will be reviewed and scored within 30 days of submission. The highest-ranking candidates will be requested to submit a Business Application.<\/p>\n
2. Submit Your Business Application Package<\/b><\/p>\n
Candidates selected from the EOI pool must submit a Business Application with 90 days. A non-refundable $3,500 application fee must also be paid.<\/p>\n
3. Business Application assessment<\/b><\/p>\n
Once a candidate\u2019s Business Application and supporting documents are received, the AINP will assess the Business Application.<\/p>\n
If a candidate\u2019s Business Application is approved, they will be sent a signed Business Performance Agreement (BPA). The BPA is a legal agreement between the candidate and the province of Alberta. It must be signed and returned to the AINP in 14 days. After the AINP receives the signed BPA, candidates will be issued a Business Application Approval Letter.<\/p>\n
4. Establish Your Business in Alberta<\/b><\/p>\n
After receiving the Business Application Approval Letter, candidates can live in Alberta and actively own and operate their business for at least 12 months, with at least 34 percent ownership.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n5. Final Report for AINP Nomination<\/b><\/p>\n
Once the conditions of the Business Performance have been met, a final report for nomination is submitted to the AINP.<\/p>\n
If the final report is approved, the AINP will send a nomination certificate to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and send the candidate a nomination letter.<\/p>\n
Candidates can then apply for permanent residence to IRCC.<\/p>\n
\nRequirements<\/h3>\n
\n\n\nArea<\/b><\/td>\n | Requirement<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nWork Experience<\/td>\n | 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. For example, experience with a business incubator or business accelerator, or completion of entrepreneurship program courses.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nEducation<\/td>\n | Have completed at least two years of full-time education in Alberta, resulting in a degree or diploma from a designated post-secondary institution in Alberta. Completion of program of study must result in qualifying for a Post-Graduation Work Permit.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nWork Permit<\/td>\n | Have a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) valid for at least 2 years at the time of your Expression of Interest (EOI) submission.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nLanguage<\/td>\n | Have a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 7 for each in one of the following: Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nBusiness Establishment<\/td>\n | 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\u00a0list of ineligible businesses.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nFactors that Increase Candidate\u2019s Chances<\/h3>\n\n\n\nCriteria<\/b><\/td>\n | Adaptability factors<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nEconomic benefit<\/td>\n | Can provide economic benefit to Alberta through:<\/p>\n\n- Job creation.<\/li>\n
- Economic sector.<\/li>\n
- Business location (for example, rural).<\/li>\n
- Business succession.<\/li>\n
- Investment.<\/li>\n
- Developed intellectual property.<\/li>\n
- Partnership or support from business incubator\/accelerator, venture capital or angel investor.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\nAge<\/td>\n | 21 to 49 years<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSpouse<\/td>\n | Your spouse or common-law partner has at least one of the following:<\/p>\n\n- At least 1 year of continuous full-time employment in Alberta.<\/li>\n
- At least 2 years of full-time study at a post-secondary institution in Alberta.<\/li>\n
- Minimum level CLB 5 in English or NCLC 5 in French in all 4 language abilities (Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\nAlberta relative<\/td>\n | 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<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n \nExpression of Interest Pool<\/h3>\nCandidates who meet the above criteria must submit an Expression of Interest to the AINP.<\/p>\n The AINP will review and score your EOI within 30 days of submission. Highest-ranking candidates will be requested to submit a Business Application.<\/p>\n \nEOI Points Grid<\/h3>\nMAXIMUM AVAILABLE POINTS: 125<\/h4>\nBusiness Establishment Factors (75 points)<\/h4>\n\n\n\nCriteria<\/b><\/td>\n | Descriptions<\/b><\/td>\n | Points<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nBusiness Management or Ownership or equivalent (equivalencies include work experience with a business incubator or business accelerator or completion of entrepreneurship program courses)<\/p>\n (Maximum of 15 points)<\/p>\n Mandatory requirement<\/b><\/td>\n | 6 months (mandatory minimum)<\/td>\n | 5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n1 year<\/td>\n | 10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n> 1 year<\/td>\n | 15<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nEconomic Benefit<\/p>\n (Maximum of 40 points)<\/p>\n Not a mandatory requirement<\/b><\/td>\n | Economic benefits<\/p>\n Economic development sector (e.g. energy; agriculture; technology\/data\/telecom\/ aviation\/aerospace; financial services\/fintech<\/td>\n | 15<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSuccession<\/td>\n | 5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nJob Creation (max 15 points):<\/td>\n | <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n1 job<\/td>\n | 5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n2 jobs<\/td>\n | 10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n3 or more jobs<\/td>\n | 15<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nRural (outside Edmonton and Calgary Census Metropolitan Areas)<\/td>\n | 5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nTotal Business Investment<\/p>\n (Maximum of 20 points)<\/p>\n Not a mandatory requirement<\/b><\/td>\n | $25,000 or less<\/td>\n | 5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n$25,001 to $50,000<\/td>\n | 10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n$50,001 to $75,000<\/td>\n | 15<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n$75,001 or more<\/td>\n | 20<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nHuman Capital Factors (25 points)<\/h4>\n\n\n\nCriteria<\/b><\/td>\n | Descriptions<\/b><\/td>\n | Points<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nLanguage proficiency in English or French<\/p>\n (Maximum of 15 points)<\/p>\n Mandatory requirement<\/b><\/td>\n | CLB 7 (7 for each Reading, Writing, Learning and Speaking) (mandatory minimum)<\/td>\n | 5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nCLB 8 (8 for each Reading, Writing, Learning and Speaking)<\/td>\n | 12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nCLB 9 or higher (9 for each Reading, Writing, Learning and Speaking)<\/td>\n | 15<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nAlberta Education<\/p>\n (Maximum of 10 points)<\/p>\n Mandatory requirement<\/b><\/td>\n | Bachelor\u2019s degree or a 2-year Diploma (mandatory minimum)<\/td>\n | 5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n2 or more degrees or diplomas<\/td>\n | 7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nMaster\u2019s degree or higher<\/td>\n | 10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nAdaptability Factors (25 points)<\/h4>\n\n\n\nCriteria<\/b><\/td>\n | Descriptions<\/b><\/td>\n | Points<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nAge<\/p>\n (Maximum of 5 points)<\/p>\n Not a mandatory requirement<\/b><\/td>\n | 21 to 49 years<\/td>\n | 5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \nSpouse\/Common-law characteristics<\/p>\n (Maximum of 10 points)<\/p>\n Not a mandatory requirement<\/b><\/td>\n | Your spouse\/common-law partner has one or more of the following:<\/p>\n | | | | | | | | | | | |