Starting March 1, 2024, foreign nationals who are established in Alberta and are working for a tourism and hospitality business can apply to the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP)  under the new Tourism and Hospitality Stream.

To be eligible for the stream, candidates must:

• have been employed in the industry for at least six months;
• have a valid full-time, non-seasonal job offer from an approved employer operating within the appropriate industry, and;
• already be established in Alberta.

The stream will open on March 1, 2024, for a limited number of applications. The AAIP will be expediting the processing of these applications, within other priority processing initiatives.

More details on eligibility criteria and how to apply will be released on March 1, 2024.

To learn more about the different immigration streams in Alberta, visit: https://www.alberta.ca/aaip-application-streams

Background on the Tourism and Hospitality Stream

Alberta’s tourism and hospitality sector is a key driver of economic growth and jobs throughout the province.

The Tourism and Hospitality Stream aims to attract and retain a skilled workforce to the province’s tourism and hospitality industry to support the growth of Alberta’s visitor economy.

In 2022, Alberta saw $10.7 billion in tourism spending—a $600 million increase from 2019.

Background on AAIP

The AAIP is an economic immigration program that nominates people for permanent residence in Alberta. Nominees must have skills to fill job shortages or be planning to buy or start a business in Alberta. They must also be able to provide for their families.

If nominated for the program, candidates may apply for permanent residence status, together with their spouse or common-law partner and dependent children.

Applications for permanent residence are managed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.