Welcome to the Smoky Lake Region Rural Renewal Stream Portal
On September 09, 2024, Smoky Lake Region (including Smoky Lake County, Town of Smoky Lake, Village of Vilna, Village of Waskatenau) received Designated Community Status under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program – Rural Renewal Stream!
The Rural Renewal Stream offers eligible workers the opportunity to immigrate to Alberta as a Provincial Nominee with the formal support of the local municipal government.
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Designation is effective as of September 9, 2024 and is in place for 3 years with the possibility of an extension after that.
Please note: this designation is limited to eligible employers and businesses within The Smoky Lake Region (including Smoky Lake County, Town of Smoky Lake, Village of Vilna, Village of Waskatenau).
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Employers
Employers include organizations or companies seeking candidates to fill labour gaps through the AAIP Rural Renewal Stream.
If you are an Employer located within the municipal limits of Smoky Lake Region and are interested in participating in the Rural Renewal Stream to fill vacant positions and to support Candidates in obtaining their Permanent Residency, please visit the Employer Information page, complete and submit an Employer Application Form.
Candidates
Candidates include individuals seeking employment and Permanent Residency in Canada through the AAIP Rural Renewal Stream. Otherwise described as an employee, job seeker, newcomer, or immigrant.
If you are a non-Canadian resident who is interested in obtaining Permanent Residency by living and working within the Smokey Lake Region, please visit the Candidate Information page.
Application Process
Employer Applications will be processed in the order they are received. The region shall endeavor to process complete Employer Applications within 20-30 working days of receipt.
For information regarding how the Rural Renewal Stream works, please see below for the steps involved to successfully hire Endorsed Candidates in the Smoky lake Region.
Step 1: Employer Submits Application to join Smoky Lake Region Rural Renewal Stream Program
Employers located within the Smoky Lake Region with job vacancies can submit an application to the Smoky Lake Regional Chamber Of Commerce(SLRCC) to join the Smoky Lake Region's Rural Renewal Stream Program.
Step 2: Review of Employer Application
The SLRCC will review all Employer Applications on behalf of the smoky lake region and may conduct an interview with the Employer to determine eligibility and participation in the program. Employers will be specifically requested to provide details on how they will support Endorsed Candidates integration into the community of Smoky Lake Region .
Employers that are not willing to take an active role in supporting Endorsed Candidates’ integration into the community of Smoky Lake Region will not be accepted into Smoky Lake Region RRS Program.
Step 3: Job Vacancy Posted
Approved Employers shall submit a Job Advertisement Form for every position the Employer chooses to advertise on the Smoky Lake Regional Chamber Of Commerce (SLRCC) Job Board.
The SLRCC will post approved job advertisements received from Employers who are approved to participate in the Smoky Lake Region RRS Program on the SLRCC Job Board for at least two consecutive weeks.
Step 4: Candidates Apply for Vacant Positions
Prospective Candidates review the available Rural Renewal Stream job advertisements on Smoky Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce Job Board and apply directly to the Employer for any positions they qualify for.
Step 5: Employer Issues Job Offer
Once the recruitment process has concluded, the Employer issues an official job offer to the successful Candidate for full-time permanent employment.
Step 6: The Employer Applies for the Candidate Endorsement Letter
The Employer shall submit an Endorsement Letter Application Form for a Candidate Endorsement Letter on behalf of the Candidate.
Step 7: Candidate Endorsement Letter Issued
The Smoky Lake Regional Chamber Of Commerce (SLRCC) issues the Endorsement Letter directly to the Candidate and removes the job posting from the Smoky Lake Region online Job Board.
Step 8: Candidates Applies for Provincial Nomination
The Endorsed Candidate applies for Provincial Nomination through the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program – Rural Renewal Stream Portal.
Frequently Asked Questions
I want to immigrate to Smoky Lake Region. How do I obtain an Endorsement Letter?​
The Smoky Lake Region cannot provide Endorsement Letters directly to prospective Candidates. Only Candidates who have received a job offer for full-time permanent employment from an Employer enrolled in Smoky Lake Region’s RRS Program will be issued with an Endorsement Letter.
I want to apply for a position, where can I confirm whether my work experience, education, language, and settlement funds make me eligible under the Rural Renewal Stream for Permanent Residency?
The Government of Alberta lists all eligibility requirements. Smoky Lake Region cannot answer questions on the eligibility of prospective Candidates.
Is the program open to Candidates who are already living in Canada?
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program – Rural Renewal Stream is open to prospective employees who are outside Canada, as well as those who already reside within Canada. Prospective Candidates within Canada must reside here with a valid temporary status. For example, a valid Open Work Permit, Named Work Permit, or Tourist Visa.
Once I receive my Endorsement Letter, how soon do I need to apply to the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program?
​Once the Endorsement Letter is issued, the Endorsed Candidate is expected to enter their information into the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program – Rural Renewal Stream Portal as soon as possible. This is part of their commitment to the Employer and Smoky Lake Region. Once the Endorsed Candidate’s information is entered into the portal, the nomination for Permanent Residency begins immediately.
As a local Employer with labour shortage needs, how do I know whether the Rural Renewal Stream program is the best option for me?
The Rural Renewal Stream program is a good option for Employers in Smoky Lake Region who are having difficulties finding Candidates who are qualified to fill a given position or who are willing to perform the work required where existing Federal Temporary Foreign Worker programs are not a good fit for their business needs. The Rural Renewal Stream program is an opportunity to hire a Candidate with temporary status in Smoky Lake Region that the business wouldn’t otherwise be able to hire under current Federal or Provincial Temporary Foreign Worker programs. The Rural Renewal Stream is also an opportunity to bring newcomers into the community who will be the right fit for the required position. The Rural Renewal Stream also presents the Employer with the possibility of an Endorsed Candidate staying on with the business on a permanent basis once they’ve obtained Permanent Resident status.
Do Employers need to complete a Labour Market Impact Assessment [LMIA]?
The Rural Renewal Stream offers Employers the opportunity to waive the LMIA for job vacancies by requesting an Endorsement Letter from Smoky Lake Region. An LMIA is not required for Employers who recruit for vacant positions through this program.
What happens if the job doesn’t work out?
Both the Employer and Endorsed Candidate [employee] still have their rights under the Employment Standards Code. Should the Employer or Endorsed Candidate [employee] choose to conclude the employment agreement, the Employer must follow the Employment Standards Code and regulations to terminate their employment. Once employment has been terminated, it is the responsibility of the Employer to notify the Smoky Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, who will then notify the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program of the change in status of the Endorsed Candidate. Smoky Lake Region will inform the Endorsed Candidate of the required next steps. It is not Smoky Lake Region’s responsibility to find new employment for Endorsed Candidates whose employment has been terminated by the Employer or Endorsed Candidate.
As an Immigration Consultant, can I represent an Employer?
If an Employer in Smoky Lake Region has hired a representative, that representative is welcome to submit the Employer Application Form on behalf of the Employer, so long as the Employer signs the application form and is copied via email when requesting acceptance into Smoky Lake Region’s RRS Program. If an Immigration Consultant is not representing an Employer within Smoky Lake Region, any RRS-related questions must be directed to the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program.
Can Smoky Lake Region answer specific Immigration questions regarding applications or prospective Candidates?
No. The best place to find information on the RRS and any updates to the program is on the Government of Alberta Rural Renewal Stream website.