Skip to content
Alberta's Rural Renewal Stream-Here's What You Need To Know!

New Communities Added To Alberta PNP Rural Renewal Stream

Alberta’s Rural Renewal Stream helps promote the attraction and retention of newcomers to rural Alberta through a community-driven approach.

It aims to meet local economic development needs and contributes to community growth.  

After a community becomes designated, it can attract, recruit and retain newcomers with this stream.

In this article, you can learn about the overview of the Rural Renewal Stream, find newly designated communities, mandatory requirements and how to apply. 

Who Can Apply?

A Rural Renewal Stream candidate is a foreign national who does not have permanent residence or Canadian citizenship. This person could be in or out of Canada.

To be able to participate in the Rural Renewal Stream, communities must be able to attract, recruit, and welcome newcomers. 

List of New Designated Communities For Alberta Rural Renewal Stream

CommunityDesignation Date
City of Brooks (including: Town of Bassano, Village of Duchess, County of Newell, Village of Rosemary)May 13, 2022
City of Grande PrairieJuly 6, 2022
Town of WhitecourtJuly 20, 2022
Town of Taber (including: Municipal District of Taber, Town of Vauxhall)July 20, 2022
Town of InnisfailSeptember 9, 2022
Municipal District of Smoky River (including: Town of Falher, Town of McLennan, Village of Donnelly, Village of Girouxville)September 9, 2022
County of Grande Prairie (including: Town of Sexsmith, Town of Wembley)September 9, 2022
Town of TrochuSeptember 9, 2022
Fort McMurray Wood BuffaloSeptember 9, 2022
Municipality of JasperSeptember 13, 2022
Town of EdsonNovember 8, 2022
County of Barrhead (including: Town of Barrhead)November 8, 2022
Big Lakes County (including: Town of High Prairie)November 8, 2022
Town of HintonNovember 8, 2022

Just FYI, communities that have less than 10,000 residents will receive additional points. 

What Is Alberta Rural Renewal Stream

The Rural Renewal Stream assists newcomers settling into rural Alberta communities and addresses labour demands and skill shortages.

For community designation under this stream, communities must apply to the Government of Alberta. 

The community is in charge of this stream. Therefore, an applicant must fulfill all requirements for the Rural Renewal Stream and have endorsement by a designated community.

As an applicant, you cannot apply to the province of Alberta without a community support letter. 

Once a community has been recognized as a designated community, it works with local businesses to attract and hire newcomers.

In addition, it partners with a settlement-supporting group to help retain newcomers by sharing information about settlement services.

These services may include housing, education, healthcare, and language training. 

Mandatory requirements for communities 

Only the applications that meet all the mandatory requirements are evaluated. Below are the mandatory requirements: 

  • If rural communities have less than 100,000 population, they can:
    • Form a partnership with rural communities in the same economic region to submit an application 
    • Use census 2016 figures as reference year population count. 
    • Be outside the  Calgary and Edmonton census metropolitan area
  • Have one or more interested employers in participating who have permanent (12-month minimum), full-time, non-seasonal jobs available. 
  • Have an endorsement letter of support from the community or town council
  • The economic development organization with a primary function in economic development signs and submits the application
    • Contains an economic development plan or other similar documents (needs not be current)
  • An endorsement letter of support from a settlement-providing organization (does not have to be local) that works with the community to identify and plan for settlement needs to integrate newcomers into the community successfully.

Community requirements and responsibilities 

  • Identifying and collaborating with community employers who have permanent (minimum of 12 months, full-time, non-seasonal) job vacancies
  • Partnering with a settlement-providing organization to identify and plan for some of the community’s settlement needs
    • Before applying for designation, the community should meet with the settlement-providing organization to discuss and outline their respective roles.
    • The outcome of this discussion should be included in the letter of endorsement. 
  • Creating additional optional criteria to recruit foreign nationals
    • The criteria could be narrowed down by occupation that the community is interested in recruiting.
  • Responding to inquiries from foreign nationals while the community is actively recruiting
  • Working with employers to select and endorse foreign nationals
  • Creating and carrying out a plan for welcoming and settling foreign national(s) in the community.

How To Apply?

In collaboration with the community, an economic development agency completes the application.

Endorsement support letter from settlement providing organizations

On official letterhead, the letter should include the following information:

  • name and address of the organisation delivering the payout
  • describe the community’s partnership with the settlement giving organisation
  • mention the sorts of settlement information and assistance they will provide to newcomers and their families in partnership with the community
  • the individual sending the endorsement letter’s name, title, and contact information

Letters of support from participating town or municipal councils

On official letterhead, the letter should include the following information:

  • name and location of the town or municipality that is sponsoring the application
  • The participating town/municipality expresses its support for this initiative and the date on which it was addressed at the meeting.
  • If their community becomes designated, the participating town or municipality recognises that their community name will be placed on the Government of Alberta website. name, title, and contact information of the person sending the endorsement letter

Submit the application

The completed application and supporting documents need to be submitted for designation by email to: ruralrenewal@gov.ab.ca. Once you receive designation from a rural community, then you can apply for Alberta PNP.

After receiving Alberta nomination, applicants can then apply to IRCC for permanent residency.

Source: Government of Alberta


Why There Is No Express Entry Draw

There has been no Express Entry draw this week so far, while we are all expecting a round of invitations since the last one was on October 26, 2023. The usual frequency of Express Entry draws is every two weeks. However, IRCC has skipped biweekly draws in the past too, so it is not new.…

Government of Ontario Jobs Hiring Now For Various Locations

There are multiple government of Ontario jobs bulk hiring right now for various locations across the province with handsome salaries. These jobs are with different government organizations, such as the Ministries of Health, Transportation, Solicitor General, Social Services, and Attorney General. Please note that these jobs are NOT for foreign nationals living outside Canada seeking an employment opportunity for…

Canada Should Extend International Students Full Time Work Policy

International students and an advocacy group are urging the Canadian government to continue allowing them to work full-time and not re-impose the 20-hour per week restriction. On November 15, 2022, certain foreign students were temporarily permitted to work full-time without any restriction on the number of working hours. With the rising cost of living, these…

New List of 20 Most Livable Cities in Canada for 2023

Victoria, in British Columbia, is ranked number 1 in the new list of 100 most livable cities in Canada for 2023, released by the Globe and Mail. Data from 439 cities in Canada with populations greater than 10,000 people were studied. These rankings are based on the economy, housing, demographics, health care, safety, education, community,…

20 Government of Canada Jobs Hiring Now for Multiple Locations

There are multiple Government of Canada jobs hiring now for various locations from coast to coast in different departments. These jobs have a handsome salary and are an opportunity for individuals seeking to enter a career with the Canadian government. Below are 20 Government of Canada jobs hiring now for various locations across the country.…

Important New Quebec Immigration Changes Effective November 23

Important new changes to Quebec immigration as a result of the by-law amending the Québec Immigration Regulations, published in the Gazette officielle du Québec on November 8, came into effect on November 23, 2023. As a result of new changes to Quebec immigration, those hoping to be selected under the economic immigration program will now…

Minimum Wage Ontario 2023 and Next Raise Schedule

Minimum Wage Ontario 2023: The general minimum wage in Ontario went up from  $15.50 to $16.55 on October 1, 2023, which is just 20 cents lower than the minimum wage in British Columbia. The minimum wage is the lowest wage a company can pay an employee. Most employees, whether full-time, part-time, or casual, are entitled…

Visitors inside Canada can apply for Work Permit until 2025

Foreign nationals who are visiting Canada on a tourist or visitor visa can continue to be eligible to apply for work permits until February 28, 2025. All the individuals reaching out to inquire about this topic: Yes, you can apply for a work permit from within Canada, but you need to fulfill the requirements to…

New Living Wage Canada 2023 Rates for Top 52 Canadian Cities

New living wage Canada 2023 rates for the top 52 major Canadian cities have now been revealed, pointing to the actual wage that individuals and families need to afford basic needs. A living wage is the hourly pay that a worker must earn in order to satisfy their basic costs and contribute to their community.…

Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs In The Greater Toronto Area

Toronto is often described as the financial capital of Canada, as it is one of the largest business hubs. However, the cost of living in Toronto is far greater than the average cost of living in other parts of the country. Here is the list of the 10 highest-paying jobs in the Toronto area within…

Canadian Immigration Backlog Reaches Highest Level in 9 Months

The great Canadian immigration backlog is rising and has now reached the highest level since February 2023, heading towards the 1 million mark. So, if you have applied for or are thinking of applying for immigration or a visa to Canada, then you may have to wait a bit longer or are already waiting longer…

Will there be New PGWP Extension 2024 for International Students?

International students in Canada are having high hopes for another PGWP Extension 2024 policy just to allow them to continue to work because of limited permanent residency (PR) options. There were nearly 2.2 million temporary residents in Canada at the end of the second quarter of 2023, out of which more than 1 million were…

Express Entry Draw History and Latest Analysis | Nov 2023

Canada aspirants often confuse Express Entry draw invitations with the annual immigration targets and assume that IRCC will not hold any other round of invitations because the yearly quota has been reached. However, this is not how Express Entry invitations and the annual immigration level plan work. Annual targets are not equal to the number…

Top 20 Best Part Time Jobs In Canada For 2024

Individuals frequently seek part time jobs in Canada not only for financial stability but also to earn extra cash to spend on vacations or meet extra needs. There are countless part-time work options available around the country, whether you’re a student needing to cover tuition, a parent looking for extra income, or someone eager to…

New Minimum Wage in B.C. Coming for Food-Delivery Workers

Workers in app-based ride-hailing and food-delivery gigs will soon have better working circumstances, including fundamental employment norms, thanks to new regulations. As per the new proposed guidelines, the new minimum wage for these gig workers will be set at 120% of the provincial minimum wage. Currently, B.C. has a minimum wage of $16.75 per hour…

Canada Opens New PR Pathway for Colombians, Haitians & Venezuelans

Canada’s new PR pathway is now open for applications from Colombian, Haitian, and Venezuelan foreign nationals seeking Canadian permanent residency. Originally, Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced this dedicated humanitarian pathway on October 10, 2023. This new PR pathway will welcome up to 11,000 people who have family in Canada and meet the below-listed requirements. Eligibility…

New Ontario Minimum Wage Increase for ECEs Starting in 2024

The provincial government announces a new Ontario minimum wage increase of $3.86 per hour for Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs) beginning in 2024. On November 16, 2023, Minister of Education Stephen Lecce announced a rise in the starting hourly minimum wage for RECEs from $20 to $23.86. This new increase in the Ontario minimum wage…

B.C. Prioritizing 25 New Construction Occupations For Immigration

The B.C. immigration program, officially known as the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (B.C. PNP) is now prioritizing 25 new construction occupations, effective November 16, 2023. These occupations include electricians, plumbers, carpenters, welders, concrete finishers, painters, and all other trades essential to the construction sector. The province held its first targeted round of invitations for…

Top 20 Universities in Canada For 2024 | New List

Canada, with its breathtaking landscapes and diverse cultural heritage, is a sought-after destination not only for its natural beauty but also for its world-class education. In this extensive investigation, we reveal the top 20 Canadian universities that serve as academic lighthouses, supporting innovation, research, and a varied learning environment. These institutions represent the pinnacle of…

New List of Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles in Canada, Ontario, Alberta, & Quebec

A new list of the top 10 most stolen vehicles in Canada by the auto insurance fraud prevention organization was released on November 14. The organization also released regional breakdowns for Ontario, Alberta, Quebec, and Atlantic provinces for the top 10 most stolen vehicles of 2022. Auto thefts reached all-time highs in 2022, with Ontario…

Loading…

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.