The Alberta Self-Employed Farmer Stream is meant to bring immigrants with extensive farm management experience to the province. The stream falls under the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP), one amongst Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs).
Through the AINP, Alberta has the power to welcome new permanent residents who have the proven skills and knowledge to profit Alberta’s labour market.
Successful applicants to the Alberta Self-Employed Farmer Stream are given a provincial nomination certificate, which they may use to apply to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for Canadian permanent residence.
The Alberta Self-Employed Farmer Stream is jointly managed by AINP and Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AAF) so individuals with the desire to apply for a permanent residence through this stream will be required to consult with both organizations prior to submission.
Alberta Self-Employed Farmer Eligibility Criteria
Applicants to the stream must demonstrate:
- financial documentation of their existing farm business;
- documentation of their education, training, and work experience;
- A proposed business plan for the farming enterprise they’re considering in Alberta; and
- proof that a Canadian financial organization is willing to finance their proposed farming business.
Applicants must also:
- be ready to invest a minimum of CDN $500,000 of equity within a primary production farming business in Alberta;
- financial documents that demonstrate that they have a minimum net worth of at least $500,000 CAD or proof that they have access to an equivalent amount of funds from other sources (CDN $500,000 is the fixed minimum amount. Applicants could also be required to point out they can make investments above the minimum amount of CDN $500,000); and
- make investments in a primary production farming business in Alberta. (Applicants will need to document their investment intentions in their proposed business plan. Applications representing the greatest opportunity for growth relevant to Alberta’s agri-food targets are going to be given priority).
| Requirement | |
| Express Entry Profile | No |
| Connection to Province | No |
| Job Offer | No |
| Language Proficiency | No minimum |
| Level of Education | No minimum |
| Work Experience | Farm Management Experience |
| Investment Requirement | Investment: $500,000 CAD Personal Net Worth: $500,000 CAD |
Application Procedure
The Alberta Self-Employed Farmer Stream is usually open for new applications. Eligible candidates can submit an application at any time and applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Candidates who have an interest in applying should first contact Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) and Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AAF) before preparing their application.
Candidates must be assessed by Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development before they will submit an application.
As the application requires applicants to make available all evidence that they have already researched the farming environment in Alberta and Canada, candidates might need to prepare themselves for an exploratory visit to Alberta before submitting an application.
Interested candidates must prepare an entire paper-based application. All documents must be prepared in text and submitted inside a single envelope, by mail, to the Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AAF) office, not the AINP office.
The application requires significant documentation which can prove the applicant meets the stream requirements. The application also requires documents proving the applicants’ farm management skills, financial resources, and proposed business plan.
If AAF approves the individual’s application, the individual is going to be forwarded to AINP for further assessment.
If AINP also approves the applicants, Alberta will notify the applicant they have been selected for provincial nomination. Successful applicants will receive a nomination package inside the mail from AINP.
After receiving a provincial nomination, an applicant has six months to submit a federal application for Canadian permanent residence.
Applicants using this program must complete and submit a paper-based application for permanent residence and submit it by mail to the acceptable application centre. Paper-based PNP applications for permanent residence are generally processed within 18 months.
