Last updated: 21 July 2024

An entrepreneur is someone who initiates and runs a business with the goal of making a profit. Entrepreneurs are seen as innovators, bringing new ideas, products, services, and business practices to the market.

The Rural Entrepreneur Stream involves several steps:

1. Exploratory Visit: Meet with local business contacts, community economic development officers, and other potential contacts to understand the local business environment. This visit helps you make an informed decision about operating a business in a rural Alberta community.
2. Business Proposal Summary: Provide the community contact with a copy of your Rural Entrepreneur Stream Business Proposal Summary.
3. Community Support Letter: If the business project is beneficial to the community, a Community Support Letter is issued, endorsing the business project.
4. Expression of Interest (EOI): Submit your EOI to the AAIP along with the Community Support Letter.

Rural communities must meet the following criteria to be designated:

• Have a population of fewer than 100,000.
• Be located outside the Calgary and Edmonton census metropolitan areas.
• Have one or more employers interested in offering permanent, full-time, non-seasonal employment.
• Obtain a letter of support from the community or municipal council.
• Submit a signed application from the economic development organization, including an economic development plan.
• Obtain a letter of support from a settlement agency.

To qualify for the Rural Entrepreneur Stream, candidates must:

• Have at least 3 years of experience as a business owner/manager or 4 years as a senior manager in the past 10 years.
• Have completed a minimum of high school education equivalent to the Canadian standard.
• Achieve a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 4 in English or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) level 4 in French for all language skills.
• Have a minimum net worth of $300,000 in personal holdings or those of a spouse/common-law partner.
• Own at least 51% of a new business or 100% of an acquired business.
• Create at least one full-time job for Canadian citizens or permanent residents (excluding relatives).
• Obtain a Community Support Letter from a participating rural Alberta community.

Businesses are eligible if they meet the following criteria:

• Aim to make a profit from active or earned income through the sale of goods or services.
• Comply with all federal, provincial, and municipal legal, regulatory, or licensing requirements.
• Meet applicable trade certification requirements in Alberta.
• Maintain a physical place of business in a rural Alberta community.
• For franchises, provide proof of support from the master franchisor.
• Ensure the business is not on the list of ineligible businesses.

Businesses are ineligible if they:

• Contravene the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations.
• Lack a value-added economic component (e.g., payday loans, cheque cashing).
• Trade in second-hand goods or are considered passive investments (e.g., real estate rental).
• Operate as real estate, insurance, or business brokerage firms.
• Are coin-operated businesses like laundromats and car washes.
• Are project-based or seasonal businesses.
• Are home-based businesses like bed and breakfasts.
• Are part of a succession plan owned by a relative of the candidate.
• Were previously owned/operated by a current or former AAIP nominee within the last 4 years.
• Changed ownership in the last 3 years before the application.
• Produce or sell pornography or sexually explicit products/services.
• Bring the AAIP and the Government of Alberta into disrepute.

Candidates may have a higher chance of selection if they:

• Are between 29 and 49 years of age.
• Have a spouse/common-law partner with at least one year of full-time post-secondary education or a minimum CLB/NCLC level 4 in English or French.
• Have a relative living in Alberta.

1. Read the AAIP Terms and Conditions: Understand the program’s terms and conditions.
2. Review Eligibility Criteria: Ensure you meet the pathway’s eligibility criteria.
3. Submit an Online Application: Complete the online application to the AAIP with all required supporting documents.
4. Pay the Application Fee: Submit the application fee.

After submitting your application, you will receive an email notification about the decision.

• Approved Applications: You will become a provincial nominee and receive a nomination package by email.
• Refused Applications: You will be informed by email with reasons for refusal. If there was an error in the assessment, you may request reconsideration.