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- calendar_today October 9, 2026
Alberta's Recent AAIP Draws: 476 Invitations Issued
Between September 24 and October 7, 2026, Alberta has issued a total of 476 invitations to apply for a provincial nomination through the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP). The four draws targeted a range of streams and sectors, reflecting the province's ongoing efforts to attract skilled immigrants in priority areas.
Breakdown of the AAIP Draws
The four AAIP draws were conducted as follows:
- October 7, 2026 – Alberta Express Entry Stream (Priority Sectors: Aviation): 22 invitations, minimum score 56.
- October 2, 2026 – Alberta Opportunity Stream: 123 invitations, minimum score 54.
- September 29, 2026 – Alberta Express Entry Stream (Priority Sectors: General): 200 invitations, minimum score 64. This was the largest Alberta Express Entry priority sector round of the year.
- September 24, 2026 – Rural Renewal Stream: 131 invitations, minimum score 51.
In total, these draws resulted in 476 invitations for candidates interested in Alberta's provincial nomination program.
Express Entry and Priority Sector Highlights
The September 29 round focused on general priority sectors and was notable for its scale, issuing 200 invitations at a minimum score of 64. This exceeded the invitation numbers of previous sector-specific rounds, each of which targeted areas like health care, manufacturing, agriculture, or construction and had not issued more than 109 invitations per round in 2026.
By October 7, nearly all spaces had been filled in the Alberta Express Entry priority sector pathway, with 616 of 619 available nominations issued for 2026, leaving just three spaces for the remainder of the year.
The October 7 aviation sector round marked a return to industry-targeted draws, inviting 22 candidates at a minimum score of 56. Aviation was last included in AAIP's focus on June 24, 2026.
Alberta Opportunity and Rural Renewal Stream Results
On October 2, the Alberta Opportunity Stream issued 123 invitations at a score of 54, four points lower than the previous round on September 23, which had 113 invitations at a score of 58. Summer draws for this stream had consistently been larger, each exceeding 500 invitations.
The Rural Renewal Stream's September 24 draw invited 131 candidates with a cut-off score of 51, mirroring the results of the August 11 round (127 invitations at 51).
AAIP Nomination Allocation for 2026
According to Alberta's October 7 update, the province had issued 5,541 nominations from its 2026 total allocation of 6,603, leaving 1,062 spots remaining for the year. A further 948 applications were reported as still pending. The Alberta Express Entry priority sectors and other initiatives pathway was almost fully subscribed, with nearly all allocations used.
| Stream / Pathway | 2026 Allocation | Issued | Remaining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta Opportunity Stream | 3,562 | 3,105 | 457 |
| Rural Renewal Stream | 1,057 | 766 | 291 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Accelerated Tech Pathway | 619 | 528 | 91 |
| Alberta Express Entry – Priority sectors and other initiatives | 619 | 616 | 3 |
| Dedicated Health Care Pathways | 518 | 342 | 176 |
| Tourism and Hospitality Stream | 156 | 141 | 15 |
| Entrepreneur Streams | 60 | 36 | 24 |
Federal Nomination Spaces for Physicians and Francophones
In addition to the provincial nomination allocation, Alberta has issued 50 nominations to practice-ready physicians and 12 to Francophone candidates under a federal initiative that allows up to 10,000 spaces across all provincial nominee programs. These nominations are separate and do not count toward Alberta’s set allocation.
AAIP Expression of Interest Pool and Selection Process
As of the latest update, Alberta's Expression of Interest (EOI) pool comprised 34,478 profiles, with the Alberta Opportunity Stream accounting for 21,667 and the Alberta Express Entry priority sectors and other initiatives at 4,912. AAIP draws are held as needed, rather than on a fixed schedule, and candidates are selected based on multiple factors beyond the EOI score alone.
For 2026, AAIP has emphasized that streams for health care, technology, construction, manufacturing, aviation, agriculture, and rural communities will be prioritized. Alberta publishes all draw results on its AAIP processing information page.
Pathway to Permanent Residence
Candidates who receive a provincial nomination through the Alberta Express Entry Stream obtain an additional 600 points in the federal Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), significantly boosting their chances of receiving an invitation to apply for permanent residence in a federal Express Entry draw.
Conclusion
The recent AAIP draws reflect Alberta's targeted approach to addressing labour needs in key sectors. With most allocations for priority sectors now filled and ongoing interest in the program, these draws continue to play a crucial role in the province's immigration strategy for 2026.
Source: immigration.ca.
