The Tourism and Hospitality Stream is designed to help Alberta retain workers who are already contributing to the province’s tourism sector. It provides a pathway to permanent residence for individuals who have established employment in industries such as accommodation, food services, recreation, and tourism operations.

To qualify, applicants must:

• Be living and working in Alberta

• Be employed in an eligible tourism or hospitality occupation

• Have a full-time job offer from their current employer

• Hold a valid work permit based on a Labour Market Impact Assessment

• Meet language, education, and work experience requirements

Employers must also meet strict criteria, including operating in an eligible tourism or hospitality industry and maintaining membership in a recognized sector association.

Once nominated, candidates can apply for Canadian permanent residence through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements at the time the application is submitted and when it is assessed by the province.

1. Current Employment in Alberta

Applicants must:

• Be living and working in Alberta

• Be employed in an eligible tourism or hospitality occupation

• Work for an approved tourism and hospitality employer

• Hold a valid work permit supported by a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment

Maintained status or other types of work permits are not eligible for this stream.

2. Eligible Occupations

Applicants must work in an occupation that falls within Alberta’s approved tourism and hospitality occupations.

Examples include:

Management occupations

• Restaurant and food services managers

• Accommodation service managers

Supervisory and skilled roles

• Food service supervisors

• Chefs

• Cooks

Hospitality and tourism positions

• Bartenders

• Hotel front desk clerks

• Tour and travel guides

• Outdoor recreational guides

• Hosts and hostesses

Entry-level service roles

• Food and beverage servers

• Kitchen helpers and food counter attendants

• Accommodation support staff

• Cleaners and janitors

• Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

These occupations fall within TEER categories 0 to 5 of the National Occupational Classification system.

3. Work Experience Requirement

Applicants must demonstrate that they:

• Have worked full-time for their current Alberta employer

• Have completed at least six consecutive months of employment

• Have accumulated at least 780 hours of work experience

• Performed work that was paid and authorized under valid temporary resident status

The work experience must be with the same employer that provided the job offer.

4. Job Offer Requirements

Applicants must have a full-time job offer or employment contract from their current Alberta employer.

The job must:

• Be full-time and non-seasonal

• Be located in Alberta

• Be in an eligible tourism or hospitality occupation

• Be with the same employer where the applicant gained qualifying work experience

The following individuals are not eligible, even if they have a job offer:

• Part-time or seasonal workers

• Independent contractors or agency workers

• Business owners or shareholders in the employer company

• Employees working remotely outside Alberta

• Employees working in home-based businesses not zoned for commercial use

5. Language Requirements

Applicants must demonstrate a minimum language proficiency of:

• Canadian Language Benchmark level 4 in English, or

• Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens level 4 in French

Accepted language tests include:

• Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (General Test)

• International English Language Testing System (General Training)

• Pearson Test of English

• Test d’évaluation de français Canada

• Test de connaissance du français Canada

Test results must be less than two years old at the time of application submission.

6. Education Requirements

Applicants must have completed at least a high school education equivalent to Canadian standards.

Applicants must also provide an Educational Credential Assessment for their highest level of education unless they have:

• A Canadian secondary or post-secondary credential, or

• An Alberta trade certificate or qualification certificate

If an Educational Credential Assessment shows the credential is not equivalent to a Canadian high school, the application will not meet the education requirement.

7. Employer Requirements

The applicant’s employer must meet several conditions to participate in this stream.

The employer must:

• Operate within an eligible tourism or hospitality industry

• Maintain valid Workers’ Compensation Board coverage or exemption

• Belong to an approved tourism or hospitality sector association

Eligible industries include:

• Restaurants and catering services

• Hotels and accommodations

• Museums and art galleries

• Ski resorts and recreational facilities

• Casinos and entertainment venues

• Tour operations and travel services

• Sports and recreation facilities

Employers must also hold membership in an approved sector association such as those representing hospitality, accommodations, tourism, or recreation industries in Alberta.