Immigration to Alberta through the Rural Renewal Stream

The Rural Renewal Stream allows applicants to move to cities outside the metropolitan areas (Calgary and Edmonton) that have populations of less than 100,000 people.

Eligibility requirements

To apply for the stream. a candidate must meet the following criteria:

• have at least a high school education;
• have at least 12 months of work experience within the last 18 months*;
• get a job offer in a suitable occupation (list below) in one of the participating communities;
• demonstrate English or French ability:
  • CLB 5 for TEER 0, 1, 2, and 3 occupations in the NOC classification;
  • CLB 4 for TEER 4 and 5 occupations in the NOC classification;
• get a letter of approval from the community (see below);
• show sufficient funds in the bank account (see below).

*Candidates who have completed a minimum two-year degree program in the community in which they are applying for permanent residency are exempt from the work experience requirement.

Stream features

Immigration through the Rural Renewal Stream takes place in several stages:

1. The candidate finds a job in one of the participating communities.
2. The community selects candidates who are in demand in the labour market and issues a letter of approval.
3. The candidate applies for a provincial nomination and then for an immigrant visa.

Each community can impose additional eligibility requirements that must be met to receive a letter of approval. The same principle applies to the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program, which involves rural communities from across Canada.

Participating communities

Under the Rural Renewal Stream, you can move to settlements with a population of fewer than 100,000 people. The list is available on Alberta's official website and is constantly updated.

Excluded occupations

There is a list of ineligible specialties:

• legislators;
• escort agency managers, massage parlour managers;
• judges;
• authors and writers;
• musicians and singers;
• justices of the peace;
• actors, comedians, and circus performers;
• painters, sculptors, and other visual artists;
• artisans and craftspersons;
• athletes;
• dental laboratory bench workers;
• home child care providers;
• home support workers, caregivers, and related occupations;
• casino occupations;
• performers;
• support occupations in personal services;
• harvesting labourers.

Settlement funds

The amount of money you need to show for the Rural Renewal Stream depends on the number of your family members and the community size where you plan to settle (the amounts are in Canadian dollars):

How to apply

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To apply for the Rural Renewal Stream, you must find a job in one of the participating communities and receive an endorsement letter. After that, you can apply on Alberta's official website. You will be assessed on factors such as age, education, language skills, work experience, a job offer in Alberta, and more. The most successful applicants will be invited to permanent residency.

Immigration assistance

If you want to learn more about immigrating to Canada and all available programs, it's best to consult professionals. During a consultation with our licensed immigration consultant, you can find out which immigration path is right for you, how much time and resources the process will require, and how to properly prepare your application package.

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