Canada immigration news: A new Alberta immigration pathway is offering fast-track Canada permanent residence for candidates with jobs offers in one of 38 technology occupations.
The Accelerated Tech Pathway was announced on Thursday, January 13, designed to support the province’s growing tech industry and aid the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Falling under the Express Entry stream of the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP), the pathway provides a fast-track to permanent residence for technology professionals ready to live and work in the province.
It targets candidates both in Canada and overseas in 38 National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes.
Targeted NOC Codes Under Alberta Accelerated Tech Pathway
- 0013 Senior managers – financial, communications and other business services
- 0112 Human resources managers
- 0131 Telecommunication carriers manager
- 0211 Engineering managers
- 0212 Architecture and science managers
- 0213 Computer and information systems managers
- 0512 Managers – publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts
- 0601 Corporate sales managers
- 1123 Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations
- 1121 Human resources professionals
- 1223 Human resources and recruitment officers
- 2131 Civil engineers
- 2132 Mechanical engineers
- 2133 Electrical and electronics engineers
- 2147 Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
- 2161 Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries
- 2171 Information systems analysts and consultants
- 2172 Database analysts and data administrators
- 2173 Software engineers and designers
- 2174 Computer programmers and interactive media developers
- 2175 Web designers and developers
- 2221 Biological technologists and technicians
- 2232 Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- 2233 Industrial engineering and manufacturing technologists and technicians
- 2241 Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians
- 2253 Drafting technologists and technicians
- 2281 Computer network technicians
- 2282 User support technicians
- 2283 Information systems testing technicians
- 3211 Medical laboratory technologists
- 3212 Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists’ assistants
- 3219 Other medical technologists and technicians (except dental health)
- 4163 Business development officers and marketing researchers and consultants
- 5131 Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations
- 5241 Graphic designers and illustrators
- 7241 Electricians (except industrial and power system)
- 7242 Industrial electricians
- 7246 Telecommunications installation and repair workers
The new pathway brings Alberta into line with other Canadian provinces, including Ontario and British Columbia, which already have programs targeting tech workers.
“The faster we can fill these jobs with skilled and qualified workers, the stronger our overall recovery will be – and that helps all Albertans, no matter where they live or what they do,” said Tyler Shandro, Minister of Labour and Immigration.
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Alberta estimates it has more than 3,000 technology companies, a 233 percent increase since 2012.
A 2021 study says access to sales and technical talent is one of the biggest challenges for Alberta tech businesses.
The province already operates a Foreign Graduate Start-Up Visa Stream and an International Graduate Entrepreneur Immigration Stream designed to get international students to start businesses in the province.