The Alberta Accelerated Tech Pathway is part of the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), which is run by the province of Alberta. It’s a program that helps certain people in the Express Entry system get nominated faster if they have a job offer from a tech company in Alberta.
If you meet the requirements of the Alberta Express Entry stream and the Alberta Accelerated Tech Program, you might be able to get your application processed more quickly.
If you are chosen through the Alberta Accelerated Tech Pathway, you’ll get a letter supporting your work permit application. This allows you to apply for a temporary work permit. You’ll also be invited to apply for permanent residence in Canada.
Job Offer Requirements
For the Alberta Accelerated Tech Pathway, the job offer needs to meet specific criteria. It must be for one of the in-demand jobs or with an employer in Alberta in the tech industry.
The job offer or contract should be signed by you and your Alberta employer and include details about your job. It must be full-time, ongoing, and at least 12 months long. The salary must be at or above the provincial minimum wage and any requirements set out in an LMIA if applicable. If you don’t have an LMIA, your wage must be at or above the starting wage for your job in Alberta.
When you create your Express Entry profile, you should also choose the same main NOC as the job offer in Alberta.
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for the Alberta Accelerated Tech Pathway, you need to be eligible under the Alberta Express Entry stream. You should also be working in one of the tech jobs that AAIP says are in demand, or have a job offer from an Alberta employer in an eligible tech industry.
| NOC CODE | OCCUPATION |
| 00012 | Senior managers – financial, communications and other business services |
| 10011 | Human resources managers |
| 10022 | Advertising, marketing and public relations manager |
| 10030 | Telecommunication carriers manager |
| 11200 | Human resources professionals |
| 11202 | Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations |
| 12101 | Human resources and recruitment officers |
| 20010 | Engineering managers |
| 20011 | Architecture and science managers |
| 20012 | Computer and information systems managers |
| 21210 | Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries |
| 21211 | Data scientists |
| 21220 | Cybersecurity specialists |
| 21221 | Business system specialists |
| 21222 | Information systems specialists |
| 21233 | Web designers |
| 21223 | Database analysts and data administrators |
| 21231 | Software engineers and designers |
| 21230 | Computer systems developers and programmers |
| 21232 | Software developers and programmers |
| 21234 | Web developers and programmers |
| 21300 | Civil engineers |
| 21301 | Mechanical engineers |
| 21310 | Electrical and electronics engineers |
| 21311 | Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) |
| 22110 | Biological technologists and technicians |
| 22212 | Drafting technologists and technicians |
| 22220 | Computer network and web technicians |
| 22221 | User support technicians |
| 22222 | Information systems testing technicians |
| 22301 | Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians |
| 22302 | Industrial engineering and manufacturing technologists and technicians |
| 22310 | Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians |
| 32120 | Medical laboratory technologists |
| 32129 | Other medical technologists and technicians |
| 33101 | Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations |
| 41402 | Business development officers and market researchers and analysts |
| 50011 | Managers – publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts |
| 51120 | Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations |
| 52120 | Graphic designers and illustrators |
| 60010 | Corporate sales managers |
| 72200 | Electricians (except industrial and power system) |
| 72201 | Industrial electricians |
| 72205 | Telecommunications equipment installation and cable television service technicians |
Application Procedure
The Alberta Accelerated Tech Pathway is connected to Alberta’s Express Entry stream. To apply, check if you meet the requirements for one of the occupation in demand in Alberta – including the ones mentioned. If you do, start the application process by giving details about your Express Entry profile, job offer, and employer to the AAIP. Alberta will then review the details and invite eligible candidates to apply for nomination.
Applications through the Accelerated Tech Pathway will be processed faster. If you’re nominated, you’ll be invited to accept the provincial nomination on your Express Entry profile. This gives you 600 extra points toward your CRS score, making it more likely to get an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence through Express Entry.