Alberta issues over 1,100 invitations across four draws
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) has announced the results of four provincial nominee draws conducted between January 26 and February 2, 2026. A total of 1,169 invitations were issued to candidates across several AAIP streams.
The draws reflect Alberta’s early 2026 focus on occupations in health care, technology, and other key industries. The largest selection round during this period was held on February 2 under the Alberta Opportunity Stream.
- 1,169 invitations issued across four separate draws
- Largest draw held February 2 with 915 invitations
- Lowest cut-off score recorded at 45 in the health care pathway
- Priority sectors include health care, tech, and construction
- 6,403 nomination spaces allocated to Alberta for 2026
- Over 45,000 expressions of interest currently in the AAIP pool
Overview of recent AAIP draws
Between January 26 and February 2, Alberta conducted four selection rounds through its health care, technology, and opportunity-based streams. The Alberta Opportunity Stream issued 915 invitations with a minimum score of 57, representing approximately 78 per cent of all invitations in this period.
Other draws included the Accelerated Tech Pathway under the Express Entry system, which invited 148 candidates with a minimum score of 63. The Dedicated Health Care Pathway issued 43 invitations through its non-Express Entry category and 63 through Express Entry, with minimum scores of 45 and 61 respectively.
Draw summary (January 26–February 2, 2026)
According to the province, the lowest threshold recorded was in the non-Express Entry health care draw on January 27. Alberta noted that its draws are not scheduled and that a candidate’s selection depends on multiple factors, including occupation alignment and provincial priorities.
Provincial priorities for 2026
Alberta has confirmed that its 2026 intake will focus on applicants working in health care, technology, construction, manufacturing, aviation, agriculture, and in communities designated under the Rural Renewal Stream. The province also indicated that invitations could still be issued to candidates outside these focus areas.
Selection under the AAIP considers factors beyond the minimum score, such as licensed medical experience in Alberta or French language proficiency. These priorities align with broader national efforts to retain skilled workers in essential and rural sectors, similar to initiatives under other programs such as the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program.
Nomination allocations and progress
For 2026, Alberta has been assigned 6,403 provincial nomination spaces. As of February 5, 405 nominations had been issued, leaving 5,964 available. Most of these have been distributed through the Alberta Opportunity Stream.
The province also reported that up to 10,000 federal nomination spaces are available nationally for eligible physicians and Francophone candidates. Nominations granted under this federal initiative will not count toward Alberta’s allocation for the year.
AAIP stream statistics
Updated program data from February 5 shows the Alberta Opportunity Stream leading with 3,425 allocated spaces, of which 255 nominations have been issued. The stream’s pool includes 28,412 expressions of interest.
The Rural Renewal Stream has an allocation of 1,000, while the Dedicated Health Care Pathways together hold 500 spaces. The Accelerated Tech Pathway and other Express Entry-linked streams collectively account for more than 1,200 nominations.
Expressions of interest pool
Across all worker streams, Alberta reported a total of 45,276 expressions of interest in the selection pool. About 1,006 applications were pending at the time of the update, indicating continued demand for provincial nomination opportunities.
Context within Canada’s PNP system
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program forms part of Canada’s network of Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), which enable provinces to nominate skilled workers aligned with local labour needs. Each province manages its own selection criteria while operating under overarching federal immigration frameworks.
Similar to other jurisdictions, Alberta’s draws aim to attract professionals in sectors facing workforce shortages. Programs such as Manitoba’s PNP and Alberta’s AAIP collectively contribute to balanced regional immigration and labour force planning across Canada.
Ongoing updates
Alberta regularly updates its draw results and nomination statistics through the AAIP portal. As the 2026 allocation year progresses, further draws are expected to reflect ongoing priorities in essential economic sectors.
Readers can follow future announcements on provincial immigration programs and nomination data as part of continued national coverage of Canada’s skilled immigration system.