By: Evelyn Ackah, Immigration Lawyer 

The Canadian government has announced major changes to Canada’s immigration policy for people with disabilities. Currently, foreign nationals are deemed medically inadmissible to Canada on health grounds if their condition is expected to cause excessive demand on health or social services over a period of five consecutive years.

Changes to the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program are now in effect

Effective June 14, 2018, the Alberta, Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) was updated to simplify the application process, reduce wait times and provide fair access to applicants. The most significant changes are the creation of the new Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS) and an expansion to the occupations and skill levels that are accepted.

These changes will open the program to virtually all skills and professions in Alberta with more flexibility for trade skills. It will also ensure that workers with professional, personal and community ties to Alberta are first in line to become permanent residents with a pathway to citizenship.

The AOS replaces the Employer-Driven Stream and Strategic Recruitment Stream. This means there are now only two streams for applicants: The Alberta Opportunity Stream and the Self-Employed Farmer Stream.

The AOS Criteria include:

• Candidates must have valid temporary resident status in Canada as a foreign worker
• Candidates must have a valid work permit based on a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or select eligible LMIA exempt work permit
• A candidate’s occupation can be any skill level but there are a list of ineligible occupations posted on the AINP website
• Language requirements must be met. The Candidates must meet Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 until June 13, 2019, when the CLB level will be increased to 5.
• Education criteria:
  • From June 14, 2018, until December 31, 2020 candidates must have completed a minimum of high school in their country of origin
  • Starting January 1, 2021, Candidates must have completed a minimum of high school equivalent to Alberta Standards.

Applicants under the old streams of Employer-Driven and Strategic Recruitment that are postmarked on or before June 14, 2018, will be assessed based on the criteria that we were in place at the time of submission. Applications will under the old streams postmarked June 14, 2018, will be declined.
Evelyn Ackah is the Founder and Managing Lawyer at Ackah Business Immigration Law. She has been practicing law since 1999 and brings her passion and knowledge for immigration law to her corporate and individual clients from all over the world. 

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