Jobs in Canada - Alberta takes steps for rural immigration program

Jason Kenney, Alberta Premier has promised regarding introducing two fresh programs which had the capacity for bringing 40,000 fresh arrivals to rural communities in the next five years.

Consultations are set to begin this year to commence two immigration programs in Alberta.

Alberta immigration exploring the options

Alberta immigration department presently is working on designing the details and options in these programs. Consultations are scheduled to begin for the programs in September 2019 involving all the stakeholders. These include settlement organizations, employers, experts and established immigrants in Alberta.

Focus on Skilled Foreign Workers in Canada

Kenney is keen for the creation of the Rural Renewal Program as well as the Rural Entrepreneur Immigration Program. He is interested in using the attraction of immigration for revitalizing small communities in the province. The proposed programs will help in bringing skilled overseas workers as well as entrepreneurs to Wood Buffalo and Brooks communities located in rural Alberta.

Both pathways will have a combined capacity to attract 40,000 new permanent residents to the communities in the next four years. Of these 32,000 will be in Rural Renewal Program and 8,000 in Rural Entrepreneur Immigration Program.

Canada Rural Renewal Program

The Morden Community Initiative managed by the province of Manitoba was successful to attract and retain many immigrants in the rural communities. It also serves as an inspiration for the Rural Renewal Program.

20 percent newcomers arriving in Manitoba are interested in settling in provincial rural communities. Additionally, the communities like Morden see a significant population growth as a result.

The Rural Renewal Program will have a link with the federal system of Express Entry, which is a main source of attracting skilled overseas workers in Canada.

Canada Express Entry

Express Entry administers the candidates’ pool in the main economic immigration programs which are:

• Federal Skilled Trades Class
• Federal Skilled Worker Class,
• Canadian Experience Class

All the Candidates get a rank in the Express Entry pool depending on the score after considering education, age, and work experience and language proficiency in English/French factors. The receivers of provincial nomination get extra 600 points.

Rural Entrepreneur Immigration Program

The Rural Entrepreneur Immigration Program will welcome 500 promising and experienced entrepreneurs every year in the immigrants apart from their families. The potential criteria, seeks the prospective entrepreneurs to meet thresholds in investment and net worth who make a commitment to manage and operate the business actively. Also they must have ownership of 51 percent.

Successful applicants will receive a work permit (two-year and temporary) and later will be eligible to seek the provincial nomination towards permanent residence when they meet the set terms and conditions.