Last reviewed: 2026-11-09. This page is general information from official sources and is not immigration advice. The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) can change its streams without notice. Check the official stream list and speak to your immigration representative.
Alberta’s entrepreneur streams ask for a business plan at the expression of interest or application stage. The AAIP says it evaluates business applications on receipt. The entrepreneur streams share a 2026 allocation of 60 nominations; 39 had been issued and 211 applications were in process when the AAIP’s processing page was last updated on November 4, 2026 (checked 2026-11-09).
The Alberta entrepreneur streams
On 2026-11-09 the AAIP said it was accepting expressions of interest (EOIs) under each stream below.
| Requirement | Rural Entrepreneur | Graduate Entrepreneur | Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | Experienced business owners or senior managers | Graduates of Alberta public post-secondary institutions | Graduates of post-secondary institutions outside Canada |
| Business location | A participating community under 100,000 people, outside the Calgary and Edmonton Census Metropolitan Areas | Alberta, where you must live and manage the business day to day | Alberta (investment and ownership thresholds differ between urban centres and regional areas outside the Calgary and Edmonton Census Metropolitan Areas) |
| Net worth | At least $300,000 CAD | No minimum listed; a Net Worth Worksheet at EOI if you are investing | Settlement funds by family size and community size |
| Investment | At least $100,000 CAD of own equity | Scored; up to 20 points for total investment | At least $100,000 CAD (urban) or $50,000 CAD (regional) before arrival |
| Ownership | At least 51% (new business) or 100% (business succession) | At least 34% | At least 34% (urban) or 51% (regional) |
| Business document | Business plan with the EOI; community-endorsed Business Proposal Summary | Business Proposal Summary at EOI; business plan at the Business Application | Business plan with projected financials and a pitch deck |
| Plan evaluation at the Business Application | Business Plan Evaluation Report from an AAIP-approved Qualified Service Provider | Same | Business Plan Evaluation Report from an AAIP-approved designated agency |
Other conditions apply, including experience, education, language and community support. Read the eligibility pages: Rural, Graduate, Foreign Graduate. Table checked against the eligibility and how-to-apply pages on 2026-11-09.
The AAIP updated its wording on 2026-08-12 to explain what it means by economic establishment. The factors it may consider are: running the business day to day in Alberta as an owner-operator, the business’s viability and sustainability, its economic contribution to Alberta, employment and workforce planning, the applicant’s capacity, and regulatory readiness. It said the eligibility criteria had not changed. Fees listed: $200 for the EOI and $3,500 for the Business Application.
What the plan has to show
A plan for these streams has to do two jobs. It has to show that the business can work, and it has to show the AAIP’s economic establishment tests in plain terms. We build it around:
- the business, its market and its competitors in the specific Alberta community or region
- your role as the owner-operator and your relevant experience
- the investment, with every item explained, and your sources of funds
- staffing, including the full-time position for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident where the stream requires one
- the regulatory steps for your type of business and when you will take them
- financial projections with sourced assumptions
- for the Rural stream, how the business fits the community’s economy and its support letter
What Wealth Theory does
- A custom plan. Written from your business, your experience and your funds. No recycled template.
- Interview preparation. We walk you through the finished plan so you understand it. Available in English, Polish, Persian/Farsi, Russian, French, Mandarin and Hindi. We can arrange an interpreter, or you can bring your own. Interpreter costs are priced separately. See interview preparation.
- Alongside your representative. We work with the immigration consultant or lawyer you have chosen, by white-label or referral arrangement. See our page for immigration professionals. We never name the firms we work with.
We do not give immigration advice, decide which stream suits you or file anything for you. We cannot promise an outcome.
Price
The starting price for a plan for Alberta, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick is shown on this page and on our pricing page. The final price depends on the stream and the business.
Compare other programs
See the status of every program on our program status page, or our BC PNP business plan page. Book a free consultation or contact us.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Rural Entrepreneur Stream require a business plan?
Yes. A business plan following the AAIP's guidelines is part of the expression of interest, and the Business Application stage has further requirements, including a Business Plan Evaluation Report from a provider the AAIP has approved. Confirm the current requirements on the official page.
What is the difference between the three streams?
The Rural Entrepreneur Stream is for experienced business people starting or buying a business in a participating rural community. The Graduate Entrepreneur Stream is for international graduates of Alberta's publicly funded post-secondary institutions. The Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream is for graduates of institutions outside Canada and needs a designated-agency recommendation letter.
Can a plan guarantee a nomination?
No. The AAIP decides, and nothing we write can promise an outcome. Our work is to give you a researched plan that you understand and can explain.
Do you give immigration advice?
No. We prepare business plans. Eligibility, scoring and filing questions belong with your immigration consultant or lawyer.
Official sources
Last reviewed
- Alberta: AAIP application streams
- Alberta: Rural Entrepreneur Stream eligibility
- Alberta: Graduate Entrepreneur Stream eligibility
- Alberta: Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream eligibility
- Alberta: Rural Entrepreneur Stream, how to apply
- Alberta: AAIP processing information
- Alberta: AAIP updates
Program details are informational and are not immigration advice. Check the official sources above before relying on them.