Immigration to Alberta through the Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream

The Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream of Alberta's provincial program allows qualified foreign graduates who want to establish a start-up or innovative business in the province to obtain permanent residency.

Eligibility

To apply for the Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• have at least 6 months of experience owning or managing a business;
• have a post-secondary degree;
• prepare a business plan and a 10-minute presentation (slides only);
• demonstrate English or French proficiency CLB 5 level;
• intend to create an innovative business in Alberta and own a share of the company:
  • 34% for businesses in the cities of Calgary and Edmonton;
  • 51% for businesses outside of Calgary and Edmonton;
• own capital or raise investments in the amount of:
  • $100,000 CAD for businesses in Calgary and Edmonton;
  • $50,000 CAD for businesses outside of Calgary and Edmonton;
• get a letter of recommendation from an authorized agency;
• have funds to settle in Alberta.

Candidate evaluation

Alberta uses the "Expression of Interest" scoring system to select eligible applicants. The maximum number of points is 200. Applicants are evaluated on the following factors:

• language proficiency;
• education;
• experience in managing or owning a business;
• business plan;
• investments;
• job creation and so on.

Program features and how to apply

The Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream is not just a stream of Alberta's immigration program, but a collaboration between the province and authorized agencies. Immigration takes place in several stages:

1. You contact one of the agencies.
2. If the agency decides you might be eligible under the program, they give you a letter of recommendation.
3. With the letter, you must create an account on the provincial Alberta website and complete the application.
4. The agency will review your business plan and prepare an appraisal report.
5. If approved, you arrive to Alberta and operate the business for one year.
6. After that, you can apply for permanent residency.

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To learn about other Alberta provincial program streams, see "Immigration to Alberta — Canada's provincial program (AAIP)".