AAIP Rural Entrepreneur

The Rural Entrepreneur Stream is accepting Expressions of Interest (EOI) from immigrant entrepreneurs wishing to start a business, or buy an existing one, in a rural community in the province of Alberta. Rural communities in the province of Alberta are those with populations of under 100,000.

Overview of the Alberta Rural Entrepreneur Stream

Through the Rural Entrepreneur Stream, eligible entrepreneurs wishing to start a new business or take over an existing one in a rural community in the province of Alberta may receive a provincial nomination from Alberta. The aim of the programme is to draw on the skills and initiative of entrepreneurs to create jobs for Albertans.

Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP)defines an entrepreneur as a person who establishes or develops a business in order to generate profit, with the potential to become a source of new ideas, new goods, new services, and new business activities or practices.

Rural communities in the province of Alberta that may be eligible for designation under the programme are those with populations of under 100,000 and lying outside the Calgary and Edmonton census metropolitan areas.

How it works

The Rural Entrepreneur Stream process comprises the following steps:

• Step 1: make an exploratory visit to meet local business contacts, community economic development officers, and any other potential contacts, in order to learn about and understand the local business environment and the requirements for establishing a successful business in the chosen area. The aim of this step is to give prospective entrepreneurs the opportunity to make an informed decision about operating and managing a business in a rural community in the province of Alberta.
• Step 2: provide the community contact with a copy of the Rural Entrepreneur Stream Business Proposal Summary.
• Step 3: where the business project is considered beneficial and likely to have a positive impact on the community, a Community Support Letter is issued. This letter constitutes approval of the business project and demonstrates that the community is aware of, and supports, the project and its development in the province of Alberta.
• Step 4: once the entrepreneur has received a copy of the Community Support Letter, they may submit an expression of interest (EOI) to the AAIP.

Requirements for designated communities

Rural communities under the Rural Entrepreneur Stream must meet the following requirements to be considered for designation:

• Have a population of under 100,000 (communities within the same economic region may form partnerships to apply).
• Lie outside the Calgary and Edmonton census metropolitan areas.
• Have one or more employers interested in taking part and offering permanent, full-time, non-seasonal employment.
• Receive a letter of support from the community or the municipal council.
• Submit an application signed by the economic development organisation holding the principal economic development function, including an economic development plan or a similar document.
• Receive a letter of support from a settlement agency.

List of communities

• County of Wetaskiwin
• Red Deer County
• City of Wetaskiwin
• Town of Didsbury
• Town of Millet
• Town of Olds
• Village of Clive
• Town of Trochu

Requirements for entrepreneurs

To be considered for the Rural Entrepreneur Stream, candidates must:

• Have a minimum of 3 (three) years’ experience as an active business owner/manager, or a minimum of 4 years’ experience as a senior manager, within the past 10 years.
• Have completed at least a secondary school qualification equivalent to Canadian standards.
• Have aCanadian Language Benchmark (CLB)of at least 4 for each English skill, or an NCLC of at least 4 for each French skill: reading, writing, listening and speaking.
• Have a minimum net worth of $300,000 from their own personal assets or those of a spouse or common-law partner.
• Hold at least 51% of the shares where it is a new company, or 100% in the case of a purchase.
• A new business must create at least one full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
• Hold a Community Support Letter from a participating rural community in the province of Alberta.

The following factor may improve a candidate’s chances:

• The candidate is aged between 29 and 49.
• The spouse or common-law partner has completed at least one year of full-time post-secondary study, or has a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of at least 4 in English or NCLC 4 in French across all four language abilities (reading, writing, listening, speaking).
• They have a relative in the province of Alberta.

Eligible businesses

Responsibility for ensuring the proposed business meets the eligibility criteria rests with the candidate. If the business is not eligible, or if the candidate does not clearly demonstrate that it brings significant economic benefit to the province of Alberta, the expression of interest (EOI) or the business application may be refused.

A business is eligible where it meets the following general requirements under the Rural Entrepreneur Stream:

• The purpose of the proposed business is to generate profit from operating income, or income earned through the sale of goods or services.
• The proposed business complies with all applicable federal, provincial or municipal legal, regulatory or licensing requirements governing its operation.
• The proposed business complies with the trade certification requirements applying in the province of Alberta.
• The proposed business must have a physical business location in a rural community in the province of Alberta at all times.
• For franchises, the ownership requirement and all other programme criteria are the same as for other businesses. Candidates are, however, also required to provide evidence of support from the master franchisor to operate a franchise location.
• Candidates must own at least 51% of the business where it is a new business, or 100% of the business where they are buying an existing one.
• Candidates must live in the province of Alberta and take part in the day-to-day management of the business. They cannot do this remotely, from another Canadian province or territory, or from another country.

Ineligible businesses

Ineligible businesses include:

• Any business breaching the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and its Regulations, such as immigration-linked investment schemes or passive investments.
• Businesses with no value-added economic component, such as payday lending or cheque cashing;
• Businesses trading in second-hand goods.
• Businesses treated as passive investments, such as property rental, leasing or investment activities.
• Property development or subdivision, insurance brokerage or business brokerage.
• Coin-operated businesses, such as launderettes and car washes.
• Project-based or seasonal businesses.
• Home-based businesses, such as bed and breakfasts and guest houses.
• Businesses forming part of a succession plan and owned or operated by a relative of the candidate.
• Businesses previously owned/operated by a current or former AAIP candidate within the past 4 years.
• Businesses that have changed ownership in the 3 years before the Rural Entrepreneur Stream application.
• Businesses producing, distributing or selling pornographic or sexually explicit products or services, or providing services of a sexual nature.
• Any other type of business whose association could damage the reputation of the AAIP and the Alberta provincial government, at the AAIP’s discretion.