Alberta Rural Renewal Stream
The Rural Renewal Stream encourages and retains newcomers to rural Alberta through a community-driven approach that addresses local economic development needs and contributes to the community’s growth. The Alberta Rural Program enables rural communities to recruit and retain foreign nationals to live, work, and settle in their area.
Communities and employers have two options for recruiting foreign workers:
1. Independently recruit foreign workers who can start working while awaiting permanent residence decisions.
2. Collaborate with approved non-governmental organizations, known as Designated Referral Partners, under the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP). These partners help identify candidates abroad who meet EMPP criteria and match them with local employers in rural Alberta communities.
The EMPP is working between Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP). Through the AAIP’s Rural Renewal Stream, refugees can be nominated for permanent residence with priority processing at the provincial level, leading them to arrive in Alberta as permanent residents under the Regional EMPP program.
List of designated communities
| Community | Designation Date |
|---|---|
| City of Brooks (including: Town of Bassano, Village of Duchess, County of Newell, Village of Rosemary) | May 13, 2022 |
| City of Grande Prairie | July 6, 2022 |
| Town of Whitecourt | July 20, 2022 |
| Town of Taber (including: Municipal District of Taber, Town of Vauxhall, Town of Coaldale, Town of Picture Butte, Lethbridge County, Town of Cardston, Town of Milk River, Town of Raymond) | July 20, 2022 |
| Town of Innisfail (including: Town of Olds, Town of Bowden) | September 9, 2022 |
| Municipal District of Smoky River (including: Town of Falher, Village of Donnelly, Village of Girouxville) | September 9, 2022 |
| County of Grande Prairie (including: Town of Sexsmith, Town of Wembley, Town of Beaverlodge, Village of Rycroft) | September 9, 2022 |
| Town of Trochu (including: Village of Acme, Town of Three Hills, Village of Linden) | September 9, 2022 |
| Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo | September 9, 2022 |
| Municipality of Jasper | September 13, 2022 |
| County of Barrhead (including: Town of Barrhead) | November 8, 2022 |
| Town of Hinton | November 8, 2022 |
| Town of Fairview (including: Village of Hines Creek) | January 13, 2023 |
| City of Medicine Hat (including: County of Forty Mile, Cypress County, Town of Bow Island, Town of Redcliff) | January 13, 2023 |
| Town of Fox Creek | February 13, 2023 |
| City of Cold Lake | March 10, 2023 |
| County of St. Paul (including: Town of St Paul, Town of Elk Point, Summer Village of Horseshoe Bay) | March 10, 2023 |
| Town of Drayton Valley | March 10, 2023 |
| Town of Slave Lake (including: Sawridge First Nation, Municipal District of Lesser Slave River) | March 10, 2023 |
| City of Lloydminster | March 29, 2023 |
| City of Lethbridge | March 29, 2023 |
| Town of Westlock | March 29, 2023 |
| Municipal District of Greenview No.16 (including: The Town of Valleyview) | March 29, 2023 |
| Town of Peace River | June 14, 2023 |
| Town of Sylvan Lake | June 14, 2023 |
| City of Wetaskiwin | August 2, 2023 |
| Special Areas 2, 3, 4 (including: Town of Hanna, Town of Oyen, Village of Consort, Village of Empress, Village of Veteran, Village of Youngstown, Municipal District of Acadia No. 34) | August 2, 2023 |
| Growth Regional Economic Development Alliance (including: Woodlands County, Town of Swan Hills, Town Mayerthorpe) | September 22, 2023 |
| County of Northern Lights (including: Town of Manning) | September 22, 2023 |
| Town of Bonnyville | September 22, 2023 |
| Town of Two Hills | September 22, 2023 |
| Lac La Biche County (including: Hamlet of Lac La Biche, Hamlet of Plamondon and Greater Region) | October 4, 2023 |
| Town of High Level | December 14, 2023 |
| Town of Didsbury | December 14, 2023 |
Community Designation Requirements
To be eligible for designation, rural communities must meet the following criteria:
- Have a population of less than 100,000 (communities within the same economic region can form a partnership to apply);
- Be outside of the Calgary and Edmonton census metropolitan areas;
- Have one or more employers interested in participating and providing permanent, full-time, non-seasonal employment.
- Request a letter of support from the community or municipal council.
- Submit a signed application from the economic development organization with a primary economic development function, including an economic development plan or other similar document.
- Obtain a letter of support from the settlement agency.
Eligibility Requirements for Candidates
To be considered for the Alberta Rural Immigration Program, applicants should:
- Have a letter of endorsement for the applicant from their nominated community.
- Have a full-time job offer or a legitimate employment contract from an Alberta employer to work in an eligible occupation in their designated community.
- Have the necessary licenses, registration, or certification to practice their current occupation in Alberta or the occupations listed in their job offer in Alberta.
- Not be employed in a job on the list of ineligible job offers provided by Alberta (including full-time employees). not be employed in a job that is on the list of ineligible employment opportunities provided by Alberta (i.e. part-time, casual, or seasonal employees; independent contractors, business owners, or temporary agency workers; employees who work in Alberta in a place of employment that is not zoned for commercial or industrial activities, such as a home-based business; employees who work in a “virtual” location or who serve the employer by teleworking from a location outside of Alberta.
- Have at least 12 months of full-time work experience in an eligible occupation in the 18 months preceding your application, either in Alberta or elsewhere in Canada.
Meet the English or French language requirements.
Completed a minimum of high school education equivalent to the Canadian education standard, or a foreign degree, diploma, or certificate.
If they do not currently reside in Canada or are not working, they must demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to support themselves and their family members in order to settle in the designated community.