Alberta AAIP Employer Requirements and Nominee Caps in 2026
An Alberta employer supporting a worker through the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) must show at least two complete fiscal years of continuous operation in Alberta, minimum gross annual revenue of $400,000 in the most recent fiscal year, and at least three full-time employees in Alberta. An employer that cannot meet the revenue and staffing test can still support a nomination, but is capped: two years of operation allows one nominee in total, three years allows two, and each additional year adds one more. The application fee is not refunded if the employer supports more applicants than permitted, and the burden of confirming that capacity falls on the applicant.
Key Takeaways
- Employer requirements now sit on a single consolidated page applying across the AAIP worker streams.
- The core test is two complete fiscal years in Alberta, $400,000 gross annual revenue, and three full-time Alberta employees.
- Employers below that threshold face nominee caps tied to years of operation. Caps apply to applications received on or after 18 March 2024.
- If a nominee leaves the employer, that nomination continues to count against the cap.
- Indigenous, municipal, provincial and federal government employers are exempt from the revenue and employee requirements.
- Employer non-compliance is a leading cause of declined applications, and AAIP fees are non-refundable.
What the job offer must contain
The job offer or employment contract must be bona fide, signed by the employer, and offer continuous paid work under an employer-employee relationship. Fee-for-service contracts are eligible only for Alberta health care providers.
The work must be full-time — a minimum of 30 hours per week — and for 12 months or more. Under the Dedicated Health Care Pathway, part-time, casual, and part-time-with-full-time-hours contracts may count as employment where they run for 12 months or more.
Wages and benefits must meet provincial minimum wage and either the LMIA requirements or the lowest starting wage for the occupation across all industries in Alberta on the ALIS website. Non-wage compensation, including compensation from company ownership, does not count toward the base wage. Exceptions apply for NOC 41302 religious leaders and NOC 42204 religion workers.
What the employer must demonstrate
The employer must show that the business is legitimate, provides a good or service in Alberta, and that the employment is consistent with its business activities or needs. Specifically, the employer must:
- Be incorporated or registered under an act of a province, territory or Parliament, operating an established production capacity, plant or place of business in Alberta
- Have been in continuous and active operation in Alberta for a minimum of two complete fiscal years before the application is submitted
- Have a place of business in Alberta where employees report to work regularly and where work assignments are issued
- Demonstrate the need for the position, either through a valid work permit issued under the Temporary Foreign Worker or International Mobility programs, or evidence of reasonable recruitment efforts to fill the position with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Have minimum gross annual revenue of $400,000 for the most recent fiscal year and a minimum of three full-time employees in Alberta
Independent contractors do not count toward the three-employee requirement. Two part-time employees may count as one full-time equivalent where the hours average at least 30 per week.
The nominee caps
An employer that cannot meet the revenue and employee test is not disqualified, but is limited in how many nominees it may support in total:
| Years of operation in Alberta | Total nominees supported |
|---|---|
| 2 years | 1 |
| 3 years | 2 |
| Each additional year | 1 more |
Three operational points matter. Caps apply to applications received on or after 18 March 2024. If a nominee leaves the employer, that nomination continues to count against the cap — the space does not reopen. And the application fee is not refunded if the employer supports more applicants than permitted.
The practical effect is that an applicant’s fate depends on information held by the employer. Before paying a $1,500 application fee, an applicant needs a direct answer from the employer about how many AAIP nominations it has already supported and whether it meets the revenue and staffing test. This is an uncomfortable conversation that leaves the applicant in a dependent position, and it is better held early than after a decision.
Documents the employer must be ready to produce
The employer must provide a reference letter and job offer, an Employer Declaration and Authorization form, and a business licence if applicable.
If the employer is not a publicly traded company with openly published financial data, it must be ready to provide the following to AAIP on request:
- Authorization to access the Canada Revenue Agency My Business Account online
- Financial documents — T2s, T2125s, T4s and T4 summaries, PD7As
- Business activity documents — invoices and contracts, franchise agreement, equipment registration
- Location of business documents — rental or lease agreement or title, business advertising, site photographs
- Recruitment effort and staffing plan or organizational structure documents
- Municipal, provincial or territorial business licence or letter of exemption
Raising these requirements with the employer at the outset is the single most useful thing an adviser can do on an AAIP file.
Job offers that make an applicant ineligible
Certain arrangements disqualify an applicant regardless of the employer’s standing:
- Part-time, casual or seasonal employment, regardless of hours actually worked
- Independent contractors, business owners or temporary agency workers, including anyone listed as a director, shareholder or agent of the employer on the Corporate Registry System
- Employment in a place not zoned for commercial or industrial operations, such as a home-based business
- Employees who do not work on premises in Alberta, including those working from a virtual location or telecommuting from outside Alberta
The last point is worth emphasising for employers with distributed teams. A remote arrangement that works commercially may not support a nomination.
Where this sits alongside federal obligations
An AAIP nomination does not displace federal employer obligations. Where the worker holds an LMIA-based permit, the employer remains subject to the conditions of that LMIA and to inspection. Our guides to hiring a foreign worker through the LMIA process and to employer immigration compliance and inspections set out what those obligations involve. Where the worker is LMIA-exempt, the LMIA-exempt work permit guide explains the categories and the employer compliance fee.
Employers should also note that Alberta declined to participate in the federal temporary public policy facilitating work permits for prospective provincial nominee candidates in 2025. A nominee who did not hold a valid work permit at nomination may request a 204(c) letter of support, but only where they hold a valid Alberta job offer. There is no 204(c) letter without a job offer.
Frequently asked questions
Does the $400,000 revenue figure apply to every AAIP worker stream?
The employer requirements are now set out on a single consolidated page applying across the worker streams. Confirm the current requirements for the specific stream before filing, as stream-specific variations can apply.
What if my employer has only been operating for 18 months?
Two complete fiscal years of continuous and active operation in Alberta is a minimum requirement. An employer below two years does not qualify to support a nomination at all.
Do government employers have to meet the revenue test?
No. Indigenous, municipal, provincial, Government of Canada and Government of Alberta employers are exempt from the revenue and minimum employee requirements.
If a previously supported nominee has left the company, does that free up a space?
No. The nomination continues to count against the employer’s cap even after the nominee leaves.
Can my employer support me if I work remotely from another province?
No. Temporary residents living or working in a province or territory other than Alberta are ineligible, as are employees who do not work on premises in Alberta.
More in this series
- Prairie PNP 2026: The Nomination Numbers Behind the Odds
- Alberta AAIP: Why a High EOI Score Still Gets No Invitation
Ask us about your matter
Tell us where your file stands and we will reply within two business days. Please do not send documents or identification numbers in this first message.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Immigration law and IRCC/ESDC policy change frequently, and every case turns on its own facts. Reading this article does not create a lawyer–client relationship. Obtain advice tailored to your situation before you act.
Talk to a Canadian immigration lawyer. BridgePoint Law advises individuals and businesses across Canada — and on Canada–US–China cross-border matters — on employer obligations under provincial nominee programs and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Book a consultation with our team in Toronto and Kingston. We work in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese.