Earlier this month, the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) announced a major change to its popular US H1B Visa Holders category. One occupation—Computer and Information Systems Managers—has been removed from the list of qualifying occupations. That’s the bad news. The good news is the Federal Skilled Worker program remains an attractive Canadian immigration option for Computer and Information Systems Managers currently working in the United States, as well as those working elsewhere in the world. This occupation is still in demand across Canada as a whole, and is still one of the 38 qualifying occupations under the Federal Skilled Worker category.
The AINP’s Strategic Recruitment Stream’s US Visa Holders Category is still an attractive option for both the temporary workers in the United States who qualify, as well as the province of Alberta. It provides Alberta’s labour market with skilled workers who have North American work experience, and provides the workers with an option to immigrate to a Canadian province where their work experience and skill set are in demand, making it easier for them to find employment after their arrival.
The list of qualifying occupations is frequently amended to reflect the needs of Alberta’s labour market, and now, Computer and Information Systems Managers is no longer a qualifying occupation.
As one of the qualifying criteria for the program is a minimum of 12 months of qualifying work on an H1B visa, many temporary workers in the US who have been on H1B visas since last October will soon qualify for the AINP US Visa Holders category. However, as we have very recently seen, the requirements for the program can change without notice at any time, and potential applicants are advised to submit their applications as soon as possible, while their occupations currently qualify for the program.
Find out if you qualify for the AINP’s Strategic Recruitment Stream, US Visa Holders category.