Alberta issues 82 invitations in targeted July draws
Alberta conducted two immigration selection rounds between July 16 and July 21, 2026, issuing a combined total of 82 invitations through its Express Entry-linked pathway. The draws focused on candidates working in agriculture and construction.
The selection rounds form part of the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), which continues to target priority sectors facing labour shortages. Construction occupations accounted for the majority of invitations issued during this period.
These draws contribute to ongoing provincial nomination activity in 2026, as Alberta manages its annual allocation under the Provincial Nominee Program.
- 82 invitations issued across two draws held on July 16 and July 21, 2026
- Construction candidates received 53 invitations; agriculture candidates received 29
- Minimum scores were 65 for construction and 56 for agriculture
- Both draws recorded the highest cut-off scores for their categories this year
- AAIP has conducted 64 draws in 2026 to date
- More than 10,800 invitations have been issued by Alberta so far this year
Details of the July selection rounds
The July 21 draw targeted candidates employed in construction occupations under the Express Entry-linked priority sector pathway. A total of 53 invitations were issued, and candidates required a minimum score of 65 to be selected.
Earlier, on July 16, Alberta invited 29 candidates working in agriculture occupations. The minimum score for that round was 56, marking a higher threshold compared to earlier agriculture-focused selections in 2026.
Construction candidates represented approximately 64.6% of all invitations issued across the two draws. Both rounds established the highest minimum score levels recorded for their respective sectors this year.
Overview of Alberta Advantage Immigration Program activity
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program has maintained a steady pace of invitations throughout 2026, holding 64 draws across multiple streams and pathways. These include sector-specific selections aligned with provincial labour market priorities.
To date, Alberta has conducted five draws focused on construction occupations and four draws targeting agriculture workers. These targeted rounds reflect sector-based selection criteria used within the Express Entry stream.
Further information on recent provincial draws can be accessed through the Alberta draws index, which compiles updated selection data across categories.
Provincial nomination allocation and usage
For 2026, the federal government assigned Alberta a total of 6,403 nomination spaces under the Provincial Nominee Program. As of July 30, the province reported issuing 3,892 nominations across its various streams.
The largest share of nominations has been allocated to the Alberta Opportunity Stream, which accounts for a significant portion of provincial immigration activity. This stream had issued 2,085 nominations out of 3,425 allocated positions.
Other streams also continue to distribute nominations, including the Rural Renewal Stream with 613 nominations issued and the Accelerated Tech Pathway with 388. Health care pathways and tourism-related streams have also recorded ongoing activity.
In addition to its standard allocation, Alberta used supplementary nomination spaces to nominate 50 practice-ready physicians and 12 francophone candidates. These nominations fall outside the province’s regular quota.
Distribution across AAIP streams
The remaining allocation varies by stream as Alberta progresses through its 2026 immigration targets. The Rural Renewal Stream retains 387 available spots, while the tourism and hospitality category has 21 spaces left.
The dedicated health care pathways still have 280 remaining positions, and the Accelerated Tech Pathway has 212 available nomination slots. Priority sector pathways under the Express Entry stream retain 180 spaces.
Entrepreneur-focused streams continue to operate separately, with 30 nominations issued out of 90 allocated positions so far in 2026.
Expression of interest pool and application inventory
As of July 30, Alberta reported a total of 36,948 worker Expressions of Interest (WEOIs) submitted across its streams. The Alberta Opportunity Stream accounted for approximately 62.4% of all profiles in the pool.
The Opportunity Stream alone had 23,056 candidates in the pool, followed by 4,963 profiles under priority sector pathways and 3,558 under the tourism and hospitality stream.
Additional profiles were distributed across the Accelerated Tech Pathway, health care pathways, and rural initiatives. Entrepreneur streams are not included in the worker EOI pool, as they operate under separate processes.
At the same time, Alberta reported 1,584 applications awaiting processing decisions. The highest number of pending applications was under the Alberta Opportunity Stream, with 735 cases in inventory.
Context within Canada’s provincial nominee system
Provincial nominee programs remain a key component of Canada’s immigration system, allowing provinces to select candidates who meet regional labour market needs. Alberta’s approach includes targeted draws and sector-specific pathways.
Express Entry-linked streams allow provinces to nominate candidates already in the federal pool, which can accelerate the pathway toward permanent residence once a nomination is issued.
Other provinces, including Manitoba and Ontario, also operate similar systems with distinct selection criteria and allocation limits. These provincial programs collectively contribute to Canada’s broader immigration levels planning.
Ongoing selection activity in 2026
Alberta has issued at least 10,828 invitations to apply for provincial nomination so far in 2026. This figure includes candidates selected across multiple streams and occupational categories.
The province continues to balance its remaining nomination spaces with the volume of candidates in its selection pool and ongoing application processing requirements.
Further updates on provincial immigration activity, including draw results and nomination figures, continue to be published as new data becomes available throughout the year.