Alberta issues 1,037 invitations across six AAIP draws in June
Alberta invited 1,037 candidates to apply for provincial nomination through six selection rounds held between June 17 and June 29, 2026, under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP).
The invitations targeted workers in several priority sectors, including healthcare, aviation, technology, and tourism, reflecting current labour market needs identified by the province.
These draws form part of Alberta’s ongoing 2026 immigration activity, with dozens of rounds already conducted this year.
- Six AAIP draws were held between June 17 and June 29, 2026
- A total of 1,037 invitations to apply were issued across multiple streams
- Approximately 69.4% of invitations went to Alberta Opportunity Stream candidates
- Healthcare, aviation, technology, and tourism sectors were targeted
- Minimum scores in draws ranged from 47 to 71 depending on the stream
- Alberta has conducted 56 selection rounds in 2026 as of June 30
Details of the June selection rounds
The six draws were conducted through different AAIP streams and pathways, each designed to address specific workforce shortages in Alberta.
The largest draw occurred on June 17, when 720 invitations were issued under the Alberta Opportunity Stream, with a minimum score of 58.
Other draws included targeted selections under Express Entry-linked and sector-specific pathways.
Breakdown of draws by date and stream
On June 29, Alberta issued 75 invitations under the Dedicated Health Care Pathway (non-Express Entry), with a minimum score of 63.
A June 24 draw focused on aviation and skilled trades through the Express Entry Priority Sectors Pathway, sending 35 invitations with a minimum score of 47.
Another healthcare-focused round took place on June 22, issuing 46 invitations through the Express Entry-aligned health pathway, with a minimum score of 64.
Earlier in the period, 100 invitations were issued on June 19 via the Accelerated Tech Pathway, with a score threshold of 59.
The Tourism and Hospitality Stream draw on June 18 issued 61 invitations with a minimum score of 71.
Focus on priority sectors in 2026
The late June draws align with Alberta’s identified priority sectors for 2026, which include healthcare, technology, aviation, and skilled trades.
The June 24 aviation-focused selection marked the first draw of its kind for that sector in 2026, indicating targeted recruitment efforts for industry-specific shortages.
Healthcare remained a consistent focus, with two separate draws dedicated to candidates in medical occupations through both Express Entry and non-Express Entry pathways.
Technology workers were also targeted through the Accelerated Tech Pathway, which continues to operate as a key channel for high-demand digital and IT roles.
Overview of Alberta’s 2026 nomination activity
As of June 29, Alberta had issued at least 9,599 invitations to apply for provincial nomination across all draws held in 2026.
By June 30, the province reported using 3,261 of its 6,403 nomination spaces allocated by the federal government for the year.
However, a breakdown of nominations by stream totals 3,193, indicating a discrepancy between aggregate and stream-level figures.
The Alberta Opportunity Stream accounts for the largest share of nominations issued so far, with 1,692 out of an allocation of 3,425.
Other streams and their nomination usage include the Rural Renewal Stream with 563 nominations, and the Tourism and Hospitality Stream with 118.
Remaining nomination allocation
More than half of Alberta’s total nomination allocation remains available as of mid-year, with 3,142 spaces still unfilled.
Significant remaining capacity exists across several streams, including 1,733 spaces under the Alberta Opportunity Stream and 342 under healthcare pathways.
The Accelerated Tech Pathway has used 316 of its 600 allocated nominations, leaving 284 spaces available for the remainder of the year.
Entrepreneur streams have issued 20 nominations out of a total allocation of 90, leaving 70 remaining.
Inventory of candidates and applications
Alberta reported 37,497 worker Expressions of Interest (EOIs) in its candidate pool as of June 30, 2026.
The majority of these, approximately 62.8%, were submitted through the Alberta Opportunity Stream.
Other streams with notable EOI volumes include the Priority Sector draws, which accounted for 4,806 profiles, and the Tourism and Hospitality Stream with 3,679.
The Accelerated Tech Pathway had 2,163 candidates in the pool, while healthcare pathways had 1,384 EOIs.
Applications under processing
A total of 1,466 provincial nomination applications were reported as being processed by the province at the end of June.
The Alberta Opportunity Stream accounted for 644 of these applications, followed by 277 under priority sector pathways and 183 under the Accelerated Tech Pathway.
Tourism and Hospitality Stream applications awaiting processing were comparatively low at 12.
Entrepreneur streams, which operate outside the EOI system, had 248 applications in process.
Role within Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program
The AAIP operates as part of Canada’s broader Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), allowing provinces to nominate candidates based on regional economic needs.
Several AAIP pathways are aligned with the federal Express Entry system, enabling selected candidates to receive additional points toward permanent residence selection.
Other pathways function independently of Express Entry, focusing on applicants already working in Alberta or meeting sector-specific criteria.
Comparable provincial systems across Canada include programs such as the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP), which similarly uses targeted draws and occupation-based selection criteria.
Ongoing draw activity in 2026
By the end of June, Alberta had conducted 56 draws under the AAIP, demonstrating a steady pace of invitations throughout the first half of the year.
The June 17–29 period reflects continued use of multiple streams to address labour shortages across both high-skilled and service-oriented sectors.
Draw data, including minimum score thresholds and invitation volumes, continues to vary depending on the stream and targeted occupation group.
Further updates on provincial draw activity are available through official immigration reporting channels and aggregated draw data sources.
This latest set of six draws included a single round issuing 720 invitations under the Alberta Opportunity Stream, representing the largest share of invitations during the June 17–29 period.