Alberta removes minimum income requirement, updates language minimum for Alberta Opportunity Stream

Two important changes have been introduced to the Alberta Opportunity Stream, including the removal of its minimum income requirement and an update to its minimum language requirements.

The removal of the minimum income requirement will be applied to all applications submitted on or after June 14, 2018, which is the day the new Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS) began accepting applications.

The AOS is for eligible foreign nationals who are working in Alberta or international graduates who have completed their studies at an approved post-secondary institution in Alberta.

The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) said it will continue to check whether candidates are being paid the provincial minimum wage and whether the wage respects the minimum for their occupation as established in their Labour Market Impact Assessment or on the province's Alis website.

"Successful nominees already have jobs when they apply to the program, which helps to show that they can support themselves and their families," the AINP update reads.

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The other change concerns minimum language requirements, which the AINP has adjusted for both candidates working in a field that is rated skill level C or D under Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC) and those working in an occupation with a NOC skill level of 0, A or B.

The AINP said the minimum language requirement for those working in NOC C or D jobs will remain at a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of 4 and will not increase to CLB 5.

When the Alberta Opportunity Stream was unveiled in June, the AINP said the minimum language requirement would increase to CLB 5 beginning June 14, 2019. This is now no longer the case for NOC C or D rated occupations.

As to candidates working in NOC 0, A or B occupations, the AINP said the minimum language requirement will remain at CLB 4 until January 1, 2020, at which point it will increase to CLB 5.

"These changes will make it easier for people to apply to the program and will help make sure Alberta can continue to fill job shortages with qualified candidates when there are no Albertans or Canadians available to do the work," the update reads.

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