Farm Stream

The Alberta Farm Stream is an immigration stream of the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP), a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) operated by the province of Alberta. This stream is designed to target experienced farm owners and operators who wish to own and operate a farm in Alberta.

Candidates who are successfully nominated through the Alberta Farm Stream will be invited to submit an official application for Canadian permanent residence. This program requires a highly individualized application based on the type of farm a person is proposing to launch in Saskatchewan.

The stream is jointly managed by AINP and Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AAF) so applicants will be required to consult with both organizations prior to submission.

Program Requirements

Work Experience

All candidates must prove that they have the farm management skills required to successfully operate a farm in Alberta. In order to do this, AINP requires all applicants to submit financial documents of their existing farming business along with proof of education, training, and work experience related to farm management. The candidates for this stream also must provide an extensive business plan outlining their Alberta farm proposal. This plan must include proof that a Canadian financial institution is willing to finance the proposed farming business.

Investment Requirement

Candidates must prove that they have the financial resources required to develop a sustainable farming operation. All candidates must be able to invest a minimum of $500,000 CAD of equity in a primary production farming business in Alberta. To prove this, candidates must provide financial documents demonstrating that they have a minimum net worth of at least $500,000 CAD or that they have access to these funds from other sources.

Please note that the $500,000 CAD is a minimum amount. Alberta reserves the right to request applicants to demonstrate that they have the ability to invest more than the minimum.

All candidates must create and submit a detailed business plan outlining how they intend to invest in a primary production farming business in Alberta. This business plan must document how the applicant intends to utilize their investments. The province will give preference to applications representing the best opportunity for growth relevant to Alberta’s agri-food needs.

Application Procedure

The Alberta Farm Stream is always open to new applications. Eligible candidates can submit an application at any time and applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Candidates interested in applying should first contact Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) and Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AAF) prior to preparing their application. Candidates must be assessed by Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development before they can submit an application.

As the application requires applicants to provide evidence they have researched the farming environment in Alberta and Canada, candidates may wish to arrange an exploratory visit to Alberta prior to submitting an application.

Interested candidates must prepare a complete paper-based application. All documents must be prepared in hard copy and submitted in a single envelope, by mail, to the Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AAF) office, not the AINP office. The application requires significant documentation as well as forms proving that the applicant meets the stream requirements. The application requires documents proving the applicant’s farm management skills, financial resources, and proposed business plan. If AAF approves the application, the application will be forwarded to AINP for further assessment.

If AINP also approves the application, Alberta will notify the applicant they have been selected for provincial nomination. Successful applicants will receive an official nomination package in the mail from AINP.

After receiving a provincial nomination an applicant has six months to submit a federal application for Canadian permanent residence. Applicants in this program must complete and submit a paper-based application for permanent residence and submit it by mail to the appropriate application centre. Paper-based PNP applications for permanent residence are generally processed within 18 months.

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