The Rural Renewal Stream offers eligible candidates the opportunity to immigrate to Alberta as a Provincial Nominee with the formal support of a municipal government. The aim is to fill local labour gaps by empowering Hinton employers to recruit and retain foreign nationals to live, work, and settle in our community.

On this page, learn more about Employer and Candidate (Foreign National) eligibility criteria, how to apply, and what to do after you are nominated.

Employer Eligibility

Employers that wish to fill job vacancies using the Rural Renewal Stream must meet a series of criteria and provide a genuine offer of employment.

• Employers must be incorporated, or registered by or under, an act of the legislature of a province, territory, or the Parliament of Canada and operating within the municipal boundaries of the Town of Hinton
• Workplace offers or contracts must be signed by the employee and employer, and must provide:
  1. continuous, paid work in Hinton
  2. full-time work, defined as a minimum of 30 hours per week, employment for 12 months or more, and wages and benefits that meet or exceed the lowest starting wage for your occupation across all industries in Alberta.
• Job Opportunities must be available to Canadians first, at the same pay and working conditions. Under the AAIP, there are some ineligible occupations.
• Employers must meet all eligibility criteria under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program's Rural Renewal Stream prior to issuing an offer of employment. Please review the available information carefully.
• A Labour Market Impact Assessment is not required, but demonstrated efforts to recruit locally, provincially and nationally is required.
• Employers are required to demonstrate knowledge of the responsibilities of welcoming newcomers and providing a warm and welcoming environment. A business looking to participate in the program must demonstrate that they have knowledge of the employer's responsibilities with respect to federal and provincial immigration laws and regulations. The following are resources that prospective employers are encouraged to review prior to recruiting:
  1. The Employer’s Roadmap – Hiring & Retaining Internationally Trained Workers
  2. Employers Guide – Attracting & Retaining Immigrants
• Employer parameters for Candidate Specialized Qualifications. The below definition is to guide employers in the process through the HRRS program in specialized job criteria so they can recruit among individuals not yet in the country.  A job requiring specialized qualifications includes at least two of the following:
  • Post secondary education or technical training credential or certification
  • Passing an exam and being licensed in a profession or trade regulated by a province/territory or nationally (examples are professional engineer, medical practitioners, lawyers, teachers, plumbers, welders.)
  • Senior level experience and knowledge (the individual is more skilled than someone only certified).
  • A rare combination of two or more skill sets (e.g., teaching chef, industrial utility operator)
  • A salary level commensurate with a unique and valuable skill level, e.g., $60,000/year.
• A safe welcoming workplace creates an environment where all employees are valued and respected. Employers must provide a safe welcoming workplace. For more information on safe and welcoming workplaces visit the alis.ca

Employers that meet these criteria and would like to participate in the Rural Renewal Stream should submit a completed Employer Application Form to rrsapplication@hinton.ca. Information requests can also be sent to this email address. 

Please note, if the fillable Employer Application Form PDF is not compatible with your computer please print off the application, fill out, scan and email to rrsapplication@hinton.ca.

Find a list of employers approved through the Hinton Rural Renewal Stream here. 

Find job opportunities on the Canada Job Bank for Alberta (on that page click on Hinton).

Candidate Eligibility

Candidates who wish to participate in the program must meet a series of criteria, receive an authentic job offer from an eligible employer, get endorsed by the Town of Hinton through the Hinton Rural Renewal Stream Committee and apply using the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program portal.

Before applying for an employment opportunity, candidates are encouraged to review, understand and ensure they meet all eligibility requirements under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program. 

Application Process

Applying for the Rural Renewal Stream as an employer or candidate can be a confusing process. We've outlined the steps below to help you understand the responsibilities of employers and candidates. 

Hinton Rural Renewal Stream Committee

The Hinton Rural Renewal Stream (RRS) Committee  is made up of community stakeholders with a shared mandate of supporting employers and newcomers to the community.

The partnership is made up of:

• The Town of Hinton
• Hinton & District Chamber of Commerce
• Hinton Employment and Learning Place
• The Evergreens Foundation
• Alberta Supports
• B.R.I.D.G.E.S
• PAR999

The RRS Committee is responsible for supporting the Town of Hinton in identifying eligible employers and endorsing candidates who are a good fit for the community and are interested in applying for permanent residency through the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program – Rural Renewal Stream.

RRS Committee Resources

• Most Recent Agenda
• All Agendas
• Most Recent Minutes
• All Minutes
• Terms of Reference

For further information about the Rural Renewal Stream, please email rrsapplication@hinton.ca.