AINP: Semi-Skilled Worker criteria
Alberta Employer criteria
As an Alberta Employer in the Semi-Skilled Worker Category, you must:
- Be incorporated or registered by or under an act of the legislature of a province or the Parliament of Canada and operating as a business that has an established production capability, plant or place of business in Alberta.
- Be operating in an industry that is eligible under the AINP Semi-Skilled Worker Category.
- Provide a job offer to the Candidate for permanent, full-time employment in an eligible AINP semi-skilled occupation.
| Eligible Industries for Semi-Skilled Workers | Eligible Occupations for Semi-Skilled Workers |
|---|---|
| Food and Beverage Processing Industry | • Food and Beverage Production Worker (NOC 9617) • Bakery Production Worker (NOC 9617) • Food and Beverage Processing Equipment Cleaner (NOC 9617) • Industrial Butchers and Meat Cutters (NOC 9462) • Poultry Production Workers (NOC 9462) |
| Hotel and Lodging Industry | • Food and Beverage Servers (NOC 6453) • Room Attendants (NOC 6661) • Front Desk Agent/Clerk (NOC 6435) |
| Manufacturing Industry | • Eligible AINP Manufacturing Occupations (PDF) |
| Long-Haul Trucking Industry | • Long-Haul Truck Driver (NOC 7411) |
| Foodservices Industry (pilot project) | • Food and Beverage Servers (NOC 6453) • Food Counter Attendants (NOC 6641) • Kitchen Helpers (NOC 6641) |
- Provide a job offer to the Candidate that meets Alberta’s employment and wage standards.
- Provide a job offer to the Candidate that does not conflict with existing collective bargaining agreements. The AINP will not approve an application if there is a labour dispute in progress that may involve, directly or indirectly, either the employer or the candidate.
- Have a Labour Market Opinion (LMO) Confirmation for the Candidate and meet all the conditions of the LMO.
- For the occupation of Front Desk Agent/Clerk (NOC 6435) ONLY – if the Candidate is working with the Alberta Employer on a Post-Graduation Work Permit an LMO is not required.
- Submit to the AINP a Candidate who meets all job requirements and AINP criteria.
- Show a plan outlining your approach to accommodation, settlement, and retention for the Candidate
- Complete a Settlement and Retention Plan (PDF)
- Make sure you meet additional criteria required for your industry:
Candidate criteria
As a Candidate in the Semi-Skilled Worker Category, you must:
- Be currently working in Alberta on a work permit for an eligible AINP Semi-Skilled Occupation (see list above)
- Show that you have completed a minimum of high school education.
- In the Foodservices Industry (pilot project) your high school education must be equivalent to Alberta standards.
- Make sure you meet additional criteria required for your industry:
Meeting the criteria listed above does not guarantee a nomination or permanent residence.
Industry-specific criteria – food and beverage processing
As an Alberta Employer in the food and beverage processing industry, you must also:
- Operate an agricultural-based industrial food processing plant. In collaboration with the AINP’s partner ministry, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (AARD), this program has been established to assist with labour shortages in industrial food processing plants. Retail establishments are not considered part of the food processing sector for which this category was created and are not considered eligible employers under this AINP category.
- Have satisfactory recruitment strategies, employment policies and practices, retention and settlement in order to qualify for allocations.
- Show the Candidate is competent in speaking, listening, reading and writing English prior to nomination.
- Assessments must be completed by a certified Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Assessor.
- The Alberta Employer shall be responsible for paying the cost of any assessment(s).
Competency in listening, reading, speaking and writing English is defined as follows:
| Major skills | Listening | Reading | Speaking | Writing |
| Canadian Language Benchmark | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
- Provide the Candidate with an in-house English as a Second Language (ESL) program or cover the cost of the ESL training for the Candidate should the Candidate not be competent in English.
- For offsite ESL training programs visit the Alberta Teachers of English as a Second Language Directory of Organizations.
- The ESL program:
- Must contain language and essential skills used in the company and incorporates some traditional settlement and integration themes.
- Must be for a minimum of six (6) hours per week, regardless of the Candidate’s work schedules. Participation shall be on employee time.
- Should be taught by an instructor that has graduated from a Teaching English as a Second Language in Canada (TESL) training program.
- The Alberta Employer shall supply and pay for teachers, materials and classrooms.
- Participation in the ESL program shall begin immediately upon the arrival of the PN Candidate.
- A representative from the Government of Alberta may audit compliance to these conditions on a periodic basis.
As a Candidate in the food and beverage processing industry, you must also:
- Complete an interview with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development staff and be able to satisfy Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development regarding your suitability for the AINP.
- Have a total of three years of full-time work experience in your home country prior to arriving in Canada in a physically demanding job similar to that found in the food and beverage processing industry.
- Be employed in Alberta for a minimum of six months before applying to the AINP.
