The best is yet to come
OK
Log out of UNA?
Log out
Cancel
Revolutionizing Immigration with AI
My Appointments
Welcome to UNA
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:

  1. 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 This federal policy allows provinces to opt-in; Alberta was initially one of three provinces to opt-in but has now withdrawn this decision.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.
  2. 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).
  3. 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.

Tags
PNP
《加拿大公民法》违宪条款修法:法院再延期至11月20日
Unconstitutional Clause in Canada's Citizenship Act Amendment: Court Grants Another Extension Until November 20
A clause in Canada's Citizenship Act known as the "First Generation Limit" (FGL), which restricts the automatic acquisition of Canadian citizenship for children born abroad to Canadian citizens, has been ruled unconstitutional by the court. Although the federal government is required to make amendments, the legislative process has been slow. On April 22, 2025, the Ontario Superior Court once again approved the government's request for an extension, setting the final deadline for amendment at November 20, 2025. In her ruling, the judge acknowledged the ongoing harm caused by the unconstitutional law to those affected and explicitly expressed the expectation that the incoming government, once formed, will prioritize this legislation to rectify the unconstitutional situation as quickly as possible.
04/25/2025
聚焦2025大选:自由党与保守党移民政策立场深度解读
Canada's 2025 Election Approaches: In-Depth Analysis of Liberal and Conservative Immigration Policy Stances
As Canada's 2025 federal election draws near, immigration issues are once again taking center stage in public discourse and political debate. Against the backdrop of widespread concerns about housing affordability, pressure on social services, and labour market demands, the two major political parties – the incumbent Liberal Party and the main opposition Conservative Party – have recently unveiled their campaign platforms and leaders' statements, clearly outlining their potential future immigration trajectories. This report, presented as a professional immigration news piece, aims to dissect and contrast the different policy approaches demonstrated by the two parties across key areas such as permanent resident admission targets, temporary resident management, economic immigration, refugee and asylum processing, and border security, providing readers with a clear comparison of their policy blueprints to better understand their potential impacts.
04/25/2025
爱德华王子岛PNP举行年度第四次抽签:聚焦本地高需求人才
Prince Edward Island PNP Holds Fourth Draw of the Year: Focus on High-Demand Local Talent
On April 17, 2025, Prince Edward Island (PEI) conducted its fourth draw of the year through the Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP), issuing a total of 168 Invitations to Apply (ITAs). This draw prioritized applicants who have been working in the province for at least one year, particularly those employed in healthcare, trades, and manufacturing sectors. Additional priority was given to international graduates from designated institutions. So far in 2025, PEI has issued a total of 401 invitations through its PNP, all from the Labour Impact and Express Entry streams.
04/24/2025
阿尔伯塔省4月连发三轮省提名,81名医疗人才获移民邀请
Alberta Conducts Three Targeted PNP Draws in Early April, Inviting 81 Healthcare Professionals
Between April 1st and 8th, 2025, Alberta's Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) initiated three consecutive draws, specifically targeting and inviting 81 healthcare professionals through three distinct immigration streams. This recruitment effort utilized both Express Entry and non-Express Entry pathways, featuring significantly lower minimum scores compared to regular program streams. Notably, the non-Express Entry healthcare stream saw a minimum score of just 53, reportedly the lowest for an Alberta PNP draw in nearly two years. Policy details cover 9 in-demand healthcare occupations, requiring applicants to meet both professional licensing and language proficiency standards.
04/23/2025
深度解析加拿大公民申请延误陷阱:如何高效规避三大风险
In-Depth Analysis of Canadian Citizenship Application Delay Pitfalls: How to Efficiently Avoid Three Major Risks
For many permanent residents in Canada, obtaining citizenship is the final chapter in achieving the "Canadian Dream." However, potential "minefields" in the application process cannot be ignored. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) clearly states that incomplete application materials, missed crucial appointments, and issues related to inadmissibility are the three main reasons applications shift from "routine" to "complex," encountering lengthy delays. This report will deeply analyze these common obstacles and provide professional advice on mitigating risks and accelerating the processing timeline.
04/22/2025
加拿大永久居民境外遗失枫叶卡?返加必备文件申请全攻略
Losing Your Canadian PR Card Abroad? Your Essential Document Application Guide for Returning to Canada
As a Canadian permanent resident, your PR card is the official document confirming your status, and it's crucial if you plan to return to Canada by commercial transportation after traveling abroad. If your PR card is lost or stolen while outside Canada, you will face difficulties re-entering unless you have a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD). This article provides a professional breakdown of how to apply for a PRTD through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), detailing the application process, conditions for urgent processing, and specific rules for entering via land borders, aiming to offer clear, expert guidance for permanent residents in this situation.
04/22/2025
BC省提名发布最新企业家移民抽选结果:仅5人获邀,分数线维持高位
British Columbia Issues New Entrepreneur Immigration Invitations via PNP Base Stream
On April 15, 2025, British Columbia's Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) conducted its third Entrepreneur Immigration – Base Stream draw of the year. Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for provincial nomination were issued to 5 candidates, with the minimum required score set at 115. This draw strictly adheres to the province's 2025 policy standards, requiring applicants to possess significant net worth, make substantial direct investments, and commit to creating local jobs. The concurrent Regional Entrepreneur stream, guided by policy incentives favouring specific communities, signals BC's strategic shift towards aligning immigration with regional economic goals.
04/21/2025
曼尼托巴省推特别工签政策(MPNP):保障省提名候选人合法工作身份
Manitoba Launches Special Work Permit Policy (MPNP) to Safeguard Legal Work Status of Provincial Nominee Candidates (MPNP)
The Government of Manitoba, Canada, has announced the launch of a special work permit initiative starting April 22, 2025. This initiative will allow certain candidates under the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) to continue working legally while awaiting immigration results. The policy is intended to bridge the “status gap” in current immigration procedures and prevent valuable international workers from being forced to leave due to expired permits. The application window remains open until December 31, 2025.
04/18/2025
加拿大快速通道STEM类移民职业大幅调整:新增6类职业,19类被移除
Major Adjustment to Canada’s Express Entry STEM Occupations: 6 New Jobs Added, 19 Removed
In February 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) implemented a significant update to the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) occupation list under Express Entry (EE). The new list has been reduced from 30 to 11 occupations. Traditional engineering roles (such as civil and mechanical engineers) and cybersecurity specialists have been retained, while 19 information technology (IT) related roles, including software development and data science, were removed. This shift aims to better align immigration with Canada’s real-world industrial skills gap and provide applicants with clearer pathways.
04/17/2025
加拿大移民评分机制调整:快速通道(Express Entry)候选人结构重组,CRS高分优势不再
Structural Overhaul of Express Entry Candidate Pool Diminishes CRS Score Advantages, Reshaping Competitive Landscape
Following Canada’s elimination of the "Arranged Employment" policy in the Express Entry CRS scoring system on March 25, 2025, the distribution of candidate scores has undergone seismic shifts. The 501-600 CRS bracket plummeted by 5,740 applicants, while mid-to-low score segments surged. Despite a net increase of 7,373 candidates in the total pool within three weeks of the policy change, the top 10% high-score brackets lost 8,342 profiles. This structural realignment may redefine future ITA trends, particularly impacting traditional skilled immigrants’ competitive edge.
04/16/2025
Sorry, your request failed
Please try again
OK