Alberta launches new tech immigration pathway
Due to record growth in the technology sector and resulting need for skilled labour, the Canadian province of Alberta has introduced a new immigration program to recruit technology workers.
The program, called Accelerated Tech Pathway, was announced by Alberta's Minister of Labour and Immigration Tyler Shandro on January 13. However, the province had already began application intake for this new program in December.
The new pathway falls under the Alberta Express Entry Stream of the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP), one of Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs).
In order to be eligible, tech professionals need to have a profile in the federal government’s Express Entry system with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 300, meet requirements for the Alberta Express Entry Stream, and have a job offer in an in-demand tech occupation.
To apply to this program, candidates who believe they meet the above requirements are invited to submit information to the AINP about their Express Entry profile and their employment in Alberta or their job offer with an Alberta technology employer by completing an online form.
The AINP then assesses their eligibility and invites them by email to submit a complete application for a provincial nomination. Complete applications are placed in a pool of eligible applications to be considered for processing. Applicants who receive a nomination can then use it to obtain Canadian permanent resident status.
Alberta has stated that the objective of the program is to give priority to applications from highly skilled technology professionals who wish to live and work in Alberta. The program is intended for technology professionals from Canada and abroad.
“The faster we can fill these jobs with skilled and qualified workers, the stronger our overall recovery will be – and that helps all Albertans, no matter where they live or what they do. With our low taxes, amazing quality of life and reasonable cost of living, Alberta is already becoming a magnet for people seeking opportunity. We’re taking action to make Alberta even more attractive for tech workers,” Shandro said in a press release.
Alberta is home to more than 3,000 technology companies, according to the Alberta Enterprise Corporation. Alberta's technology sector has grown 233 per cent since 2012, and the proportion of firms with 25 or more employees has increased by 12 percentage points to 25 per cent between 2018 and 2020, according to the 2021 Alberta Technology Deal Flow Study. At the same time, technology companies are struggling to find workers, particularly for sales and technical jobs, according to the same study.
Eligible Occupations for the Accelerated Tech Pathway
- 0013 Senior managers – financial, communications and other business services
- 0112 Human resources managers
- 0131 Telecommunication carriers manager
- 0211 Engineering managers
- 0212 Architecture and science managers
- 0213 Computer and information systems managers
- 0512 Managers – publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts
- 0601 Corporate sales managers
- 1123 Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations
- 1121 Human resources professionals
- 1223 Human resources and recruitment officers
- 2131 Civil engineers
- 2132 Mechanical engineers
- 2133 Electrical and electronics engineers
- 2147 Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
- 2161 Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries
- 2171 Information systems analysts and consultants
- 2172 Database analysts and data administrators
- 2173 Software engineers and designers
- 2174 Computer programmers and interactive media developers
- 2175 Web designers and developers
- 2221 Biological technologists and technicians
- 2232 Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- 2233 Industrial engineering and manufacturing technologists and technicians
- 2241 Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians
- 2253 Drafting technologists and technicians
- 2281 Computer network technicians
- 2282 User support technicians
- 2283 Information systems testing technicians
- 3211 Medical laboratory technologists
- 3212 Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists' assistants
- 3219 Other medical technologists and technicians (except dental health)
- 4163 Business development officers and marketing researchers and consultants
- 5131 Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations
- 5241 Graphic designers and illustrators
- 7241 Electricians (except industrial and power system)
- 7242 Industrial electricians
- 7246 Telecommunications installation and repair workers