Alberta invites Express Entry candidates with CRS scores of 352 and above to apply for provincial nomination

The Province of Alberta invited another 354 Express Entry candidates to apply for a provincial nomination in two draws held July 31 and August 7.

On July 31, Alberta issued 319 Notifications of Interest (NOIs) to select Express Entry candidates with Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores of 400 and above.

The first draw in August was significantly smaller, with 35 NOIs sent out to Candidates with CRS scores as low as 352 on August 7.

The NOI’s were issued through the Alberta Express Entry Stream, which allows the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) to search the federal Express Entry system for candidates who meet the stream’s eligibility requirements and invite them to apply for a provincial nomination for permanent residence.

Since the first Alberta Express Entry Stream Selection, which took place just over a year ago, the AINP has held 27 draws. A grand total of 5,382 NOIs have been sent to foreign nationals wanting to settle in Alberta— home of cities such as Calgary and Edmonton and attractions like Banff National Park and Dinosaur Provincial Park.

In order to be considered for a nomination through this stream, as well as many other Express Entry-aligned Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), the first step is to create an Express Entry profile.

Find out if you are eligible for Express Entry

No job offer or previous work experience in Alberta is required to be eligible for the Alberta Express Entry Stream. However, applicants should be working in an occupation that supports the province’s economic development and diversification priorities. The province does not provide a list of eligible occupations.

Applicants must also have an Express Entry CRS score of at least 300 in Canada’s Express Entry stream.

The AINP says it may give priority to candidates with:

• a job offer and/or work experience in Alberta;
• a degree from a Canadian post-secondary institution and a valid job offer; or
• a parent, child or sibling already living in Alberta.

Some factors decrease a candidate’s likelihood of receiving an invitation from Alberta, such as:

• the Express Entry expiry date is within three months of the draw
• certain occupations such as those listed in the Alberta Opportunity Stream Ineligible Occupations list

Alberta’s Express Entry Stream often draws candidates with CRS scores that are much lower than those drawn through Federal Express Entry draws.

The minimum score of 425, on July 10, 2019, was the highest so far in the AINP draws. However, it was well below the most recent cut-off score for a federal Express Entry draw, which was 466.

The lowest cut-off score in the 14 all-program federal Express Entry draw so far in 2019 was 438.

Alberta has selected Express Entry candidates with CRS scores as low as 300 through the Alberta Express Entry Stream on four occasions in 2019. Three draws had a minimum CRS score of 301 and one other had a cut-off CRS score of 302.

Express Entry candidates with a provincial nomination receive an additional 600 CRS points and are effectively guaranteed an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence from the Government of Canada.

Find out if you are eligible for Express Entry

What is the federal Express Entry system?

Canada’s Express Entry system manages applications for three of Canada’s main economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Class, the Federal Skilled Trades Class and the Canadian Experience Class.

Candidates who are eligible for these programs are entered into the Express Entry pool and are given a CRS score based on their age, education, work experience, and proficiency in English or French, among other factors.

Each draw selects a set number of the highest-scoring candidates and invites them to apply for Canadian permanent residence. Generally, the draws take place every two weeks.

To be considered for a provincial nomination through the Alberta Express Entry Stream, the first step is to submit a profile to the Express Entry pool.

Find out if you are eligible for Express Entry

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