Endorsement Request Form

Candidate criteria:

• Candidate has required licensing, registration and certification requirements
• Candidate meets all language test scores in English or French
• Candidate meets educational requirements (Educational Credential Assessment; a recognized Canadian degree, diploma or certificate; or a valid Alberta Qualification Certificate or a trade certificate)
• Candidate has 12 months of full-time work experience in an eligible occupation within the last 18 months (or is a Post-Graduation Work Permit Holder that completed a program in the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo region)
• Candidate meets settlement fund requirements if not currently working in Canada.
• Candidates cannot be participating in another AAIP Stream at the same time
• Intends to remain in the region for 3 years

Job criteria:

• Job meets or exceeds the lowest starting wage for the occupation as set out on the Alis website.
• Job is physically located within the municipal boundaries of Wood Buffalo.
• Job must be in a place of employment that is zoned for commercial or industrial operations, and is not a home-based or virtual business
• Job must not be listed as an ineligible occupation according to the NOC TEER categories on the AAIP website.
• Job was attempted to be filled locally first.
• Job is full-time (minimum 30 hours per week), non-seasonal and permanent (12 months or more).
• Job is genuine and represents a labour market need
• The majority of job duties will be performed within the Municipality of Wood Buffalo.
• Letter of offer or employment contract (to be sent after)

Organization criteria:

• Is not known to be in violation of any municipal, federal or provincial legislation, and is in good standing with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Worker’s Compensation Board of Alberta, Alberta Health Services, Occupational Health & Safety and other regulatory bodies, as applicable.
• Agrees to abide by the rules and guidelines of the Workforce Immigrant & Support Program, as outlined by Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo Economic Development & Tourism.
• Acknowledges that FMWBEDT will share the Candidate Endorsement Letter with the YMCA of Northern Alberta, to reach out to the Candidate directly to provide Newcomer Support Services.
• Will notify FMWBEDT of any changes in legal or operational status via the workforce@fmwb.ca email.
• Understands that misrepresentation could result in disqualification from the program.
• Consents and acknowledges that FMWBEDT may disclose information within this form for reporting purposes to any of the following: the Regional Labour Market Committee, RM of Wood Buffalo, Government of Alberta, Government of Canada and/or the YMCA of Northern Alberta. Information will not be shared beyond these organizations.
• The business must hold a valid Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo business number.
• The business will manage its own cap of candidates, if applicable.
• Has reviewed and will comply with eligibility requirements under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program - Rural Renewal Stream:
  • The employer who is providing your Alberta job offer must demonstrate to the AAIP’s satisfaction that:
    • the business is legitimate
    • they are providing a good or service in Alberta
    • you are being offered employment consistent with their business activities or needs
  • they can fulfill all of the terms of the job offer or employment contract, based on the following employer requirements, which must be verifiable by the AAIP
• The Alberta employer must:
  • be incorporated or registered by or under an act of the legislature of a province, territory or the Parliament of Canada and that is operating an established production capacity, plant or a place of business in Alberta
  • have been in continuous and active operation in Alberta for a minimum of 2 complete fiscal years (the year used for tax or accounting purposes) prior to application submission
  • have a place of doing business in Alberta where employees can report to work
  regularly as needed and where work assignments are issued
  • demonstrate the need for the position, by providing:
    • a valid work permit issued under the federal Temporary Foreign Worker or International Mobility programs, or
    • evidence the employer made reasonable efforts to fill the position with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, as demonstrated by recruitment outcomes (federal recruitment and advertising requirements of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program will be used as a broad guideline when a nominee applicant is not already living and working in Alberta), or as pre-existing stream or pathway criteria already stipulates.
• have a minimum total gross annual revenue of $400,000 for the most recent fiscal year (the year used for tax or accounting purposes) and employment of a minimum of 3 full-time (or full-time equivalent) employees in Alberta
  • Independent contractors are not considered as indeterminate employees and do not count.
  • Two part-time employees may be considered as 1 full-time equivalent position, as long as the total hours add up to at least an average of 30 hours per week.
• Note: If an employer cannot demonstrate a gross annual revenue of $400,000 for the most recent tax year and a minimum of 3 full-time employees, the employer can qualify for the program but will be restricted in the number of nominee applicants they can support, based on the number of years the employer has been operating in Alberta:
  • 2 years of operation in Alberta: a total of 1 nominee.
  • 3 years of operation in Alberta: a total 2 nominees.
  • For each additional year of operation, 1 additional nominee can be supported.
  • Indigenous, municipal, provincial, and federal government employers do not need to meet revenue and minimum employee requirements. Caps on number of nominees an employer can support will be applied to applications received on or after March 18, 2024. Note, if a nominee leaves the employer, the nomination will continue to be counted towards job offer eligibility/employer operations.