Alberta Immigration Fees Undergo Major Adjustment; Policy Updates Signal Shift Towards Precision Immigration
Alberta recently issued a formal notice announcing fee adjustments for the Worker Streams within the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP).
Application Fees Significantly Increased, Affecting Multiple Categories
The most notable change is the increase in application fees. According to the Alberta government's announcement regarding changes effective April 1, 2025, the application fee for multiple Worker Streams under the AAIP has been uniformly increased from the previous CAD 840 to CAD 1,500. This new fee applies to applications submitted on or after April 1, 2025.
The specific categories affected by this fee adjustment include:
- Alberta Opportunity Stream
- Alberta Express Entry Stream and its associated pathways
- Rural Renewal Stream
- Tourism and Hospitality stream
In addition to the Worker Streams, two other fees have also been adjusted:
- Farm Stream: This stream aims to attract experienced farm operators to establish or purchase a farm in Alberta. Its provincial nomination application fee has increased sharply from CAD 500 to CAD 3,500. This change also takes effect on April 1, 2025, and applies to applications submitted on or after that date. It is noteworthy that fees for other entrepreneur immigration categories remain unchanged this time.
- Nomination Certificate Extension Fee: For applicants needing to request the re-issuance of an expired nomination certificate, the related fee has increased from CAD 100 to CAD 150, also effective April 1, 2025.
Multiple Immigration Policies Updated Simultaneously
Alongside the fee adjustments, the AAIP has also undergone a series of policy changes:
- Withdrawal from Federal Temporary Work Permit Facilitation Policy: On March 17, 2025, the Alberta government announced its decision not to participate in the federal government's temporary open work permit facilitation policy for provincial nominees in the 2025 calendar year. This federal policy allows provinces to opt-in; Alberta was initially one of three provinces to opt-in but has now withdrawn this decision. This means AAIP applicants hoping to obtain an open work permit while awaiting provincial nomination or federal processing will not be able to utilize this specific federal pathway.
- Suspension of Specific Invitation Pathway: Also on March 17, 2025, Alberta decided to suspend issuing invitations through the 'Family Connection and Occupation in Demand Pathway'. However, the immigration authorities clarified that applicants can still receive points in the scoring system for having eligible family members in Alberta (parents, children, or siblings who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents).
- Addition of an Approved Language Test: Effective April 1, 2025, the AAIP began accepting Pearson Test of English (PTE) Core scores as valid proof of language proficiency for all immigration stream applications (applicable to applications received on or after April 1, 2025). This provides applicants with more options. Currently, AAIP-approved language tests include: IELTS, CELPIP, PTE Core, TEF Canada (French), TCF Canada (French).
Challenges Amidst Federal Quota Reductions
These provincial policy adjustments are occurring against the backdrop of federal reductions in Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) immigration allocations. Late last year, the federal government decided to cut the total number of immigrants landing in Canada through PNPs in 2025 by 50%. Early this year, then-federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller confirmed that this reduction means the number of foreign nationals that participating provinces and territories can nominate in 2025 will be significantly lower.
Specifically for Alberta, its provincial nomination allocation was 9,750 in 2024, but this number has been reduced to 4,875 for 2025. The sharp decrease in the allocation will undoubtedly intensify application competition. Combined with the increase in application fees and the tightening of some policies, prospective applicants need to more carefully evaluate their qualifications and prepare for potentially increased costs and difficulty.
Overall, Alberta's immigration programs are undergoing a significant adjustment period. The increase in application fees directly raises the cost of immigration, while the allocation reduction implies higher application thresholds and fiercer competition. Applicants planning to immigrate to Canada through the AAIP should closely monitor the latest official information and adjust their application strategies accordingly.
Canada's Express Entry Latest: Targeted Draw for Provincial Nominees as CRS Score Remains High
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06/24/2025
New Brunswick Holds Intensive June PNP Draws, Inviting Over 600 Candidates in Four Rounds Across Two Days
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06/23/2025
PEI PNP Draw Focuses on Key Sectors, Issues First Entrepreneur Invitation of 2025
On June 19, 2025, Prince Edward Island (PEI) held its sixth Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw of the year, issuing a total of 52 invitations to apply. A key highlight of this draw was the first invitation of 2025 issued under the entrepreneur stream. The draw also underscores the province's current immigration strategy, which prioritizes skilled workers in high-demand sectors such as healthcare, trades, and manufacturing to address urgent labour market needs.
06/22/2025
Canada Eases Path for Global Educators with Simplified Certification and New Immigration Stream
A new initiative, "Pathways to Teach Canada," has recently been launched to help internationally educated teachers obtain their professional certification in Canada more easily. Through a partnership with World Education Services (WES), the program provides a centralized portal for credential and language assessments, covering nine Canadian provinces and territories. This development, combined with the new education-specific category under Canada's federal Express Entry system, creates an unprecedented opportunity for education professionals worldwide to immigrate to Canada.
06/20/2025
Canada's New Immigration Policies Take Effect: Population Growth Nears Standstill as Q1 Increase Hits Recent Low
Recent data from Statistics Canada reveals that national population growth nearly stalled in the first quarter of 2025, with an increase of only about 20,000 people, or 0.0%. This significant slowdown is primarily attributed to a series of restrictive immigration policies implemented by the federal government to address domestic pressures on housing and social services, including sharp cuts to temporary resident numbers and lower targets for permanent resident admissions. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the key policy measures driving this change and their specific impacts on various visa applicants.
06/20/2025
Reversing the Trend: New Brunswick Secures Increased Immigration Allocation from Ottawa in Exchange for Welcoming Asylum Claimants
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06/18/2025
Manitoba's Latest PNP Draw Targets Overseas Skilled Workers, Highlighting Importance of 'Strategic Recruitment'
Manitoba held its latest provincial nominee draw on June 12, inviting 36 skilled workers from overseas. The draw was highly targeted, with all invitations going to candidates selected directly through the province's Strategic Recruitment Initiative and requiring a minimum score of 613. Amid potential changes to provincial nomination allocations, this move underscores the critical role of employer-linked immigration pathways for applicants.
06/17/2025
Ontario PNP Draws Resume After Four-Month Pause, Employer Job Offer Streams to Undergo Major System Overhaul
After a four-month hiatus, the Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (OINP) has recently resumed issuing invitations. Following a large-scale draw on June 3, the province held another targeted draw on June 6 for the Greater Sudbury region, inviting 72 candidates. More significantly, Ontario has announced a major reform to its Expression of Interest (EOI) system for Employer Job Offer streams, transitioning from an "applicant-led" to an "employer-led" model effective July 2. This change is expected to profoundly impact the future application process.
06/17/2025
Ontario's Immigration Policy Undergoes Major Overhaul: Employer Job Offer Streams to Become Fully Employer-Led
The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has recently announced a fundamental overhaul to its highly sought-after Employer Job Offer streams. Starting July 2, 2024, the application process for these streams will shift from the current "applicant-led" model to an "employer-led" one. This change means employers must now initiate the process by submitting job details to the province through a new online portal before a foreign national can register an Expression of Interest (EOI). This reform will have significant implications for all current and prospective applicants.
06/15/2025
Planning a Summer Trip to Canada? Beware of 'Inadmissibility' Rules—Advance Planning is Crucial for Those with a Criminal Record
As the peak summer travel season approaches, many are planning to visit Canada to see family, friends, or attend events. However, Canada's stringent entry screening system may catch some visitors with criminal records off guard. Under Canada's Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, non-citizens with a criminal record may be deemed "criminally inadmissible" and denied entry. This article will detail the conditions that lead to inadmissibility and introduce the three official pathways to overcome this barrier: the Temporary Resident Permit (TRP), Deemed Rehabilitation, and individual Criminal Rehabilitation, to help affected individuals prepare in advance.
06/14/2025
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